Students’ Conceptual Knowledge Development in the Concepts of Heat and Temperature Using Simulation: A case of grade nine students in Chole High School, Arsi Zone, and Oromia, Ethiopia.

Abstract

This study focused on assesses students’ conceptual knowledge development of the concepts of heat and temperature using simulation in the case of grade nine students. To achieve the aims of the study, the researcher used a quasi-experimental pretest - posttest research design. A group of students (N=60) were participated; 30 from Chole secondary school and 30 from Moye secondary school respectively were assigned to Experimental Group (EG) and Control Group (CG). The test was developed by the researcher and its validity and reliability were checked by a pilot test using Kuder Richardsun-21(KR-21=0.74) which was an acceptable value for testing. A statistically significant difference between the control and experimental groups were analyzed using ANCOVA (at P<0.05). An analysis of the test concentration scores before implementation of simulations showed that 61.54% and 38.46% of the participants were in low and in medium level respectively. But after intervention 30% and 70% of the students of CG were in low and medium level respectively and most students of EG were changed to higher score level and medium score level. A posttest analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) showed that statistical significance difference between the CG and the EG are statistically significant. Additionally Hake’s normalized gain of the students exposed computer simulation was greater than the students exposed to traditional teaching method. The result of the analysis assured that simulation strategy developed students’ scientific concept about heat and temperature. This is because the experimental group students’ conceptual knowledge test mean score (mean=20.57) is higher than the mean score (15.90) of the control groups