Effect of Constructivist Teaching Approach on Student’s Achievement in Science at Elementary Level
Abstract
Main objective of this study is to determine the effect of this approach while comparing it with traditional method of teaching. The study was experimental in nature. The population of study was 7th class students school. Sixty students were selected randomly. After pretesting students were distributed into two groups. Treatment was assigned randomly to the groups. Experimental group was taught through constructive approach and control group was taught through traditional approach. Treatment time was 8-weeks. Selected topics of science were taught to both groups. An achievement test was constructed and validity and reliability of the test was ensured through expert opinion and pilot testing. Conquest 4 was used to determine psychometric properties of items based on IRT. Selected items were used in achievement test. After taking post-test independent t-test was used to calculate the difference between two groups. The main findings of the research indicated that there is a significant difference between achievements of two groups. Experimental group performance is better as compare to traditional method. So, it would be suggested that as constructivism renovates the student from a passive learner to an active participant in the teaching learning process, teacher’s role is to facilitate students in constructing knowledge rather just mechanically consuming knowledge from the teacher or the textbook.
Authors
Dr. Ghazala Noureen
Associate Professor, Department of Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore Pakistan
Tahseen Arshad
Lecturer, Department of Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore Pakistan
Muqadas Bashir
MS Scholar, Department of Education, Lahore College for Women University, Lahore Pakistan