EXPLORING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEARNERS’ MOTIVATION IN SCIENCE THROUGH CONCEPT CARTOON-BASED INSTRUCTION

This study aimed to determine the effect of concept
cartoons on Junior High School (JHS) learners’ motivation to study
Integrated Science. An exploratory mixed-method design situated in a
participatory action research approach was employed for the study. A
convenient sampling technique was used to select 45 Form Two learners
of Methodist M/A JHS in Winneba. The science teacher and nine of the
learners purposively sampled were interviewed after the intervention to
assess their impressions about concept cartoon-based instruction.
Concept cartoon-based instruction was used to teach selected Integrated
Science concepts. Instruments used to collect data before and after the
intervention were observation, interviews and questionnaires on
motivation before and after the intervention. Quantitative data collected
was analysed using descriptive statistics. The learners’ responses were
organised into frequency counts and converted into simple percentages
and presented in tables. The qualitative data was coded inductively,
organized and used to triangulate findings obtained from the
quantitative data. The study's findings showed that before the
intervention, JHS learners were least motivated regarding science
learning. However, there was heightened interest in science among the
learners after the concept cartoon-based instruction. Learners were
highly motivated and developed a passion for science. This was evident
in the findings obtained from the responses of the learners on the postintervention questionnaire and interview. The concept cartoons
approach used in the study motivated and increased learners’
participation in the teaching of the selected concepts of Integrated
Science so JHS Integrated Science teachers are encouraged to use
concept cartoons to increase the learners’ motivation to learn science.