Implementing Student-Centred, Active-Learning Instructional Strategies in a Grade 10 Biology Classroom.

Nelson, Nicolia; Bramwell-Lalor, Sharon

This paper presents an analysis of the experiences of 28 grade ten Jamaican high school students and their teacher in an action research project involving the use of student-centred strategies to teach a unit on photosynthesis. Examples of these strategies include brainstorming, scenarios, and simulations. Three research questions guided the action research which utilised a unit test, questionnaire, structured interview, and a rating scale for data collection. The findings indicated a statistically significant gain on students' scores on the post-test for the unit on photosynthesis (t = -9.48; p<0.05). Results also indicated that the students generally responded positively to the use of student-centred strategies, for instance, increased engagement and linking concepts to real-life situations. The results imply that instructional strategies which involve students more in the learning process have the potential to increase their engagement and enhance learning. The teacher-researcher indicated that planning and implementing the strategies was rewarding but time consuming. To ensure successful implementation, teachers could benefit from professional development programmes that provide guidance on design and implementing student-centred strategies, while students could benefit from ongoing support and encouragement during the use of these strategies.

JAMAICA; EDUCATION research; CAREER development; TEACHER education; HIGH school teachers; PROFESSIONAL education; BIOLOGY teachers; STATISTICAL significance; LEARNING; RESEARCH questions

International Journal of Research in Teacher Education (IJRTE), 2023, Vol 14, Issue 4, p17

1308-951X

Academic Journal

10.29329/ijrte.2023.635.02