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Published Version (Advanced Access)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
What Matters To Students in the Teaching and Learning of Science: Perspectives of Junior High School Students from Ghana
Research in Science Education , Vol.Advanced access
2025
Appears in UniSC Supported Open Access Outputs
Abstract
Despite ongoing curriculum reforms to improve science teaching, much of the discourse remains focused on teacher practices and systemic policies, often overlooking what truly matters to students. Understanding students’ perspectives is essential for designing instructional strategies that foster deeper engagement, motivation, and meaningful learning experiences. This study explores students’ perspectives on science learning, identifying key themes that can inform more effective and engaging pedagogical practices. The study employed a qualitative research approach, utilising a phenomenological design. Six focus group interviews were conducted for students in junior high schools in a Municipality of Ghana. Data were analyzed thematically. Five themes were identified; support and attention, engagement and interestedness, collaborative learning; applicability and connectedness; real world relevancy and future career orientation which reveal the core elements that influence students’ experiences and learning outcomes. These perspectives are not just opinions—they are valuable indicators of what is missing or could be improved in the current teaching approach. Understanding these priorities can help teachers design more effective teaching strategies, inform professional development initiatives, and ultimately contribute to more meaningful and impactful science education.
Details
- Title
- What Matters To Students in the Teaching and Learning of Science: Perspectives of Junior High School Students from Ghana
- Authors
- Isaac Coffie (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Education and Tertiary AccessBans Bandoh Frempong - Komenda College of EducationIsaac Taylor - Morgan State UniversityEric Appiah - Our Lady of Apostles College of Education
- Publication details
- Research in Science Education , Vol.Advanced access
- Publisher
- Springer Dordrecht
- DOI
- 10.1007/s11165-025-10290-w
- ISSN
- 1573-1898; 0157-244X
- Copyright note
- This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
- Organisation Unit
- School of Education and Tertiary Access
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991155537702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
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- Education & Educational Research
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