Dear Label_Name,

Greetings! I hope you are well.

I am writing on behalf of an international publishing house, Science and Education Publishing, USA (http://www.sciepub.com).

Science and Education Publishing (SciEP) is a multidisciplinary open access publisher of Journals covering the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine. All SciEP publications are subject to high-quality peer review, editorial and production processes and are freely available online.

Welcome to the April, 2013 edition of SciEP newsletter, providing monthly summaries of articles on science & education related topics of interest to scientist and professionals. The mission of our journals is to provide an open access forum for publishing new findings on issues pertinent to scientific and academic field. We also invite you to submit original research papers, review articles, short reports, or case studies are considered for publication in our Multidisciplinary Journals.

American Journal of Public Health Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-1-3

The Implementation of a Tele-Homecare System with Service Oriented Architecture and HL7 Message Transmission Standard
Ching-Sung Wang

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-1-1-2

The Influence of Ethanol on Pyruvate Kinases Activity in Vivo, in Vitro, in Silico
Lelevich Sergey Vladimirovich, Khrustalev Vladislav Victorovich, Barkovsky Eugene Victorovich, Shedogubova Tatyana Aleksandrovna

American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
DOI: 10.12691/ajmsm-1-1-1

Clinical and Histological Features in Wegener Granulomatosis
Li Cavoli Gioacchino, Passantino Rita, Bono Luisa, Tortorici Calogera, Ferrantelli Angelo, Giammarresi Carlo, Rotolo Ugo

American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
DOI: 10.12691/ajidm-1-1-2

The Curse of Lymphatic Filariasis: Would the Continual Use of Diethylcarbamazine Eliminate this Scourge in Papua New Guinea?
Anne Lanham, Lillian Mwanri

We have released issues of some journals on February 2013.
American Journal of Public Health Research
American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
American Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
American Journal of Nursing Research
American Journal of Cancer Prevention
American Journal of Medicine Studies
American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research
American Journal of Biomedical Research
American Journal of Mechanical Engineering
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Journal of Preventive Medicine
American Journal of Food and Nutrition
American Journal of Hypertension Research
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment
American Journal of Zoological Research
Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Biomedical Science and Engineering

We are pleased to announce that submissions are now being accepted for peer review for all the journals across all our subject areas in SciEP.

Please submit your manuscript via our online submission system:
http://www.sciepub.com/author/signin

To unsubscribe from our mailing list, please click on the following link: unsubscribe

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

David Rain
Email:join@sciepub.com
Science and Education Publishing (http://www.sciepub.com)

Label_Title

Dear Label_Name,

Greetings! I hope you are well.

I am writing on behalf of an international publishing house, Science and Education Publishing, USA (http://www.sciepub.com).

Science and Education Publishing (SciEP) is a multidisciplinary open access publisher of Journals covering the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine. All SciEP publications are subject to high-quality peer review, editorial and production processes and are freely available online.

Welcome to the April, 2013 edition of SciEP newsletter, providing monthly summaries of articles on science & education related topics of interest to scientist and professionals. The mission of our journals is to provide an open access forum for publishing new findings on issues pertinent to scientific and academic field. We also invite you to submit original research papers, review articles, short reports, or case studies are considered for publication in our Multidisciplinary Journals.

American Journal of Public Health Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-1-3

The Implementation of a Tele-Homecare System with Service Oriented Architecture and HL7 Message Transmission Standard
Ching-Sung Wang

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-1-1-2

The Influence of Ethanol on Pyruvate Kinases Activity in Vivo, in Vitro, in Silico
Lelevich Sergey Vladimirovich, Khrustalev Vladislav Victorovich, Barkovsky Eugene Victorovich, Shedogubova Tatyana Aleksandrovna

American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
DOI: 10.12691/ajmsm-1-1-1

Clinical and Histological Features in Wegener Granulomatosis
Li Cavoli Gioacchino, Passantino Rita, Bono Luisa, Tortorici Calogera, Ferrantelli Angelo, Giammarresi Carlo, Rotolo Ugo

American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
DOI: 10.12691/ajidm-1-1-2

The Curse of Lymphatic Filariasis: Would the Continual Use of Diethylcarbamazine Eliminate this Scourge in Papua New Guinea?
Anne Lanham, Lillian Mwanri

We have released issues of some journals on February 2013.
American Journal of Public Health Research
American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
American Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
American Journal of Nursing Research
American Journal of Cancer Prevention
American Journal of Medicine Studies
American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research
American Journal of Biomedical Research
American Journal of Mechanical Engineering
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Journal of Preventive Medicine
American Journal of Food and Nutrition
American Journal of Hypertension Research
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment
American Journal of Zoological Research
Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Biomedical Science and Engineering

We are pleased to announce that submissions are now being accepted for peer review for all the journals across all our subject areas in SciEP.

Please submit your manuscript via our online submission system:
http://www.sciepub.com/author/signin

To unsubscribe from our mailing list, please click on the following link: unsubscribe

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

David Rain
Email:join@sciepub.com
Science and Education Publishing (http://www.sciepub.com)

Label_Title

Dear Label_Name,

Greetings! I hope you are well.

I am writing on behalf of an international publishing house, Science and Education Publishing, USA (http://www.sciepub.com).

Science and Education Publishing (SciEP) is a multidisciplinary open access publisher of Journals covering the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine. All SciEP publications are subject to high-quality peer review, editorial and production processes and are freely available online.

Welcome to the April, 2013 edition of SciEP newsletter, providing monthly summaries of articles on science & education related topics of interest to scientist and professionals. The mission of our journals is to provide an open access forum for publishing new findings on issues pertinent to scientific and academic field. We also invite you to submit original research papers, review articles, short reports, or case studies are considered for publication in our Multidisciplinary Journals.

American Journal of Public Health Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-1-3

The Implementation of a Tele-Homecare System with Service Oriented Architecture and HL7 Message Transmission Standard
Ching-Sung Wang

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-1-1-2

The Influence of Ethanol on Pyruvate Kinases Activity in Vivo, in Vitro, in Silico
Lelevich Sergey Vladimirovich, Khrustalev Vladislav Victorovich, Barkovsky Eugene Victorovich, Shedogubova Tatyana Aleksandrovna

American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
DOI: 10.12691/ajmsm-1-1-1

Clinical and Histological Features in Wegener Granulomatosis
Li Cavoli Gioacchino, Passantino Rita, Bono Luisa, Tortorici Calogera, Ferrantelli Angelo, Giammarresi Carlo, Rotolo Ugo

American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
DOI: 10.12691/ajidm-1-1-2

The Curse of Lymphatic Filariasis: Would the Continual Use of Diethylcarbamazine Eliminate this Scourge in Papua New Guinea?
Anne Lanham, Lillian Mwanri

We have released issues of some journals on February 2013.
American Journal of Public Health Research
American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
American Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
American Journal of Nursing Research
American Journal of Cancer Prevention
American Journal of Medicine Studies
American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research
American Journal of Biomedical Research
American Journal of Mechanical Engineering
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Journal of Preventive Medicine
American Journal of Food and Nutrition
American Journal of Hypertension Research
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment
American Journal of Zoological Research
Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Biomedical Science and Engineering

We are pleased to announce that submissions are now being accepted for peer review for all the journals across all our subject areas in SciEP.

Please submit your manuscript via our online submission system:
http://www.sciepub.com/author/signin

To unsubscribe from our mailing list, please click on the following link: unsubscribe

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

David Rain
Email:join@sciepub.com
Science and Education Publishing (http://www.sciepub.com)

Label_Title

Dear Label_Name,

Greetings! I hope you are well.

I am writing on behalf of an international publishing house, Science and Education Publishing, USA (http://www.sciepub.com).

Science and Education Publishing (SciEP) is a multidisciplinary open access publisher of Journals covering the fields of Science, Technology and Medicine. All SciEP publications are subject to high-quality peer review, editorial and production processes and are freely available online.

Welcome to the April, 2013 edition of SciEP newsletter, providing monthly summaries of articles on science & education related topics of interest to scientist and professionals. The mission of our journals is to provide an open access forum for publishing new findings on issues pertinent to scientific and academic field. We also invite you to submit original research papers, review articles, short reports, or case studies are considered for publication in our Multidisciplinary Journals.

American Journal of Public Health Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajphr-1-1-3

The Implementation of a Tele-Homecare System with Service Oriented Architecture and HL7 Message Transmission Standard
Ching-Sung Wang

American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
DOI: 10.12691/ajmbr-1-1-2

The Influence of Ethanol on Pyruvate Kinases Activity in Vivo, in Vitro, in Silico
Lelevich Sergey Vladimirovich, Khrustalev Vladislav Victorovich, Barkovsky Eugene Victorovich, Shedogubova Tatyana Aleksandrovna

American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
DOI: 10.12691/ajmsm-1-1-1

Clinical and Histological Features in Wegener Granulomatosis
Li Cavoli Gioacchino, Passantino Rita, Bono Luisa, Tortorici Calogera, Ferrantelli Angelo, Giammarresi Carlo, Rotolo Ugo

American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
DOI: 10.12691/ajidm-1-1-2

The Curse of Lymphatic Filariasis: Would the Continual Use of Diethylcarbamazine Eliminate this Scourge in Papua New Guinea?
Anne Lanham, Lillian Mwanri

We have released issues of some journals on February 2013.
American Journal of Public Health Research
American Journal of Medical Sciences and Medicine
American Journal of Medical and Biological Research
American Journal of Pharmacological Sciences
American Journal of Clinical Medicine Research
American Journal of Nursing Research
American Journal of Cancer Prevention
American Journal of Medicine Studies
American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology
American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease Research
American Journal of Biomedical Research
American Journal of Mechanical Engineering
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Journal of Preventive Medicine
American Journal of Food and Nutrition
American Journal of Hypertension Research
American Journal of Sports Science and Medicine
Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment
American Journal of Zoological Research
Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology
American Journal of Microbiological Research
Biomedical Science and Engineering

We are pleased to announce that submissions are now being accepted for peer review for all the journals across all our subject areas in SciEP.

Please submit your manuscript via our online submission system:
http://www.sciepub.com/author/signin

To unsubscribe from our mailing list, please click on the following link: unsubscribe

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

David Rain
Email:join@sciepub.com
Science and Education Publishing (http://www.sciepub.com)

Effect of REACT Strategy on Senior High School Students’ Achievement in Protein Synthesis

Boateng Reindolf Frimpong, Charles Amoah Agyei*, Mohammed Shakibu

Department of Integrated Science Education, Appiah-Menkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Mampong-Asante, Ghana

Abstract: The drive to increase student achievement in the sciences has recently been on high alert. This has brought to light how instructors implement the curriculum materials. Several ways have been proposed as potential solutions to students' low learning achievement in the sciences. REACT instructional strategy is one strategy that is gaining traction in the literature as a way of successfully teaching scientific ideas and maximizing students' learning. This research sought to explore the effectiveness of the REACT instructional strategy on students’ achievement in genetics concepts in Ghanaian senior high schools. The sample size for the study was 55 students. Explanatory sequential mixed method was utilized in the research. Results indicate that REACT group students outperformed those in the conventional approach, and the difference in performance was significant. Furthermore, there was a significant difference between high achievers and low achievers in favour of the high achievers. It is recommended that biology instructors should teach protein synthesis using the REACT instructional strategy.

Keywords: REACT strategy, conventional approach, protein synthesis

Received January 21, 2023; Revised March 22, 2023; Accepted August 29, 2023

Citation: Boateng Reindolf Frimpong, Charles Amoah Agyei, Mohammed Shakibu, Effect of REACT Strategy on Senior High School Students’ Achievement in Protein Synthesis. American Journal of Educational Research, 11 (9). 620-627. January 2023. doi:10.12691/education-11-9-11

1. Background to the Study

[1] noted that students had changed from active information producers to passive information consumers, with instructors serving as facilitators to make sure that students were obtaining the correct answers. This was done while recognising the validity of teacher-centered methods. Although students tend to be inert in teacher-focused strategies, they have been proved to be successful in teaching new concepts to learners.

Again, teacher-centered strategies assist instructors in conveying a lot of knowledge in a little period of time [2]. Despite the inherent shortcomings in the methods, teachers regularly use teacher-centered tactics because of their popularity [3]. Students are provided chances to engage in class discussions and lead learning activities while using learner-centered teaching methods. According to [2], problem-based learning, discovery methods, games and simulations, computer-assisted instruction (CAI), inductive learning, and cooperative learning are all examples of teaching strategies that focus on the needs of the students.

Constructivist teaching methods are another name for student-centered instructional strategies [4].

Learner-centered approaches called constructivist teaching methods encourage students to actively engage in their own learning rather than only receiving it from teachers [5].

The foundation of the constructivist approach to learning, according to [6], is that information is actively formed through the learning process and not only received passively from outside sources. The development of students' problem-solving skills, learning motivation, teamwork, and creativity for successful communication is promoted by the student-centered approach [7]. Even though the student-centered approach is intended to be beneficial for education, it has shortcomings. According to [8], it might be difficult for instructors to adequately oversee every student in student-centered classrooms as a result of students' active peer interaction. Another drawback of this approach is how much time must be spent in the classroom for teachers to instruct and for students to master a predetermined subject [7].

The learning of students is shown to be usually impacted by instructional tactics. According to [9], students who received instruction using a student-centered approach showed improvements in their academic performance, but students who received instruction using a teacher-centered approach showed improvements in their attitudes toward learning activities, while students who received instruction using a learner-centered approach did not show these improvements.

[10] looked at the relative benefits of teacher-centered, learner-centered, and teacher-centered methods on students' academic attainment. The research found that the teacher-centered method performed the least well of the three techniques used: learner-centered, teacher-centered, and teacher and learner-centered strategies. According to the study, the teacher-centered strategy outperformed the learner-centered and teacher-and-learner-centered strategies when the three teaching methods were used.

The teaching method a teacher employs in the classroom has a big impact on the academic achievement of the learners [11]. For the optimal conceptual grasp, the Ghanaian Senior High School biology curriculum mandates that teachers use constructivist teaching techniques while educating biology [12].

Science student performance is reportedly improved by student-centered constructivist teaching strategies [13]. There are several constructivist teaching strategies, but multiple studies have shown that the REACT technique is very successful in improving students' grasp of difficult scientific topics.

[14] looked at how the REACT model affected Turkish students' academic performance as well as the conceptual growth of concepts related to the particulate nature of matter. According to the study, in terms of academic achievement and conceptual growth, students who participated in the REACT technique outscored those subjected to the conventional model. [15] also investigated how preservice science educators' understanding of collision, impulse, and momentum concepts is impacted by the REACT technique.

According to the study, the REACT technique outperformed the conventional method on collision, impulse, and momentum. There is enough data to draw the conclusion that a teacher's instructional method affects both the way they teach and how well their students learn. Therefore, instructors must choose and effectively apply pertinent teaching tactics if they want pupils to get the most from their learning. When appropriate techniques are used, student learning results and overall educational objectives may be improved. Therefore, teachers should choose and use their teaching technique to convey ideas to their pupils with the utmost care.

1.1. Statement of the Problem

According to [16], the methods for teaching biology in Ghana should be activity-based, student-centered, and teacher-facilitated so that students can develop their own knowledge to improve their academic performance. In order to teach biology ideas, the teacher may use a variety of learner-centered and activity-oriented teaching strategies, as described in the Senior High School Biology Syllabus [16].

Students' performance in biology in particular and science in general is lackluster, despite the fact that teachers have been implementing the several suggested teaching methodologies [17].

Senior High School pupils do badly in genetics courses, especially those linked to protein synthesis, according to the Chief Examiners' Report of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) [18,19,20,21,22].

Biology candidates were unable to adequately define fundamental genetic concepts as polygenic inheritance and diploid [22]. The chief examiner also observed that candidates had difficulty comprehending how ribonucleic acid (RNA) contributes to the production of protein in a cell [22]. In the 2013 WASSCE, candidates were additionally required to define the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid and specify three structural differences from ribonucleic acid. According to the report of the chief examiner, the applicants' responses to these questions weren't very noteworthy. According to [18], the candidates failed to exhibit appropriate biology content, as evidenced by their inability to outline the use of recombinant DNA technology.

Candidates tend to routinely do badly when responding to inquiries regarding the fundamentals of protein synthesis, which affects how well the students succeed in biology as a whole. The incapacity of learners to comprehend protein synthesis may be due to a number of variables, according to studies [23,24] The teaching method used by teachers is one of these aspects [25] The Senior High School Biology curriculum advises instructors to use constructivist teaching strategies in the classroom since they have a big influence on students' academic development. Students that struggle with science have been demonstrated to benefit greatly from the constructivist REACT technique, which has been shown to be highly beneficial [15] It seems that not many research has been done on how the REACT approach affects learners’ protein synthesis performance in Ghana. This has made it necessary to look at how the REACT method affects learners’ protein synthesis performance.

1.2. Purpose of the Study

This research sought to explore the effectiveness of the REACT instructional strategy on students’ achievement in genetics concepts in Ghanaian senior high schools.

1.3. Research Questions

1. What is the difference in achievement between students exposed to REACT strategy and the conventional approach when teaching protein synthesis.

2. What is the difference between the performance of high achievers and low achievers when exposed to the REACT strategy.

3. What are students’ perceptions about the REACT model of teaching?

1.4. Theoretical Framework

The primary goal of instruction is for learners to learn new ideas. Numerous theories on student learning have been established as a consequence of the numerous assertions made about how students learn. In the classroom, teachers based their teaching tactics on a number of learning theories. Constructivism, on the other hand, is the philosophy of learning that is now being advocated. According to the constructivism theory of learning, students build knowledge and meaning from their experiences via a variety of learning opportunities and social interactions [26]. Cognitive constructivism, social constructivism, and radical constructivism are the three basic subcategories of constructivism [27].

Although they each approach the concept in a different way, the three main constructivist subcategories all share the fundamental principle that students develop their own knowledge [28]. According to [29], the central concept of cognitive constructivism is that individuals learn by actively generating knowledge in their brains and using what they already know to comprehend unexpected events. In the case of radical constructivism, [30] argued that rather than receiving knowledge passively through the senses or through communication, knowledge is actively constructed by a person, and the adaptive purpose of reasoning is to help a person organize the world they experience rather than to discover an existing reality. Social constructivism, according to [31] is a type of constructivism in which a learner who is perceived to be a reflective human produces knowledge by engaging in actual activities and stealing resources from other members of society in a physical and social environment.

In the social environment known as the classroom, students engage with one another to gain information. Social constructivism has been chosen as the theory that best promotes instruction and learning as a consequence.

[32] provided some guidelines for instructors to consider while establishing a social constructivist classroom for productive learning. The guidelines are to include students actively in activities they find important, to see them as co-creators of conceptual knowledge, and to grade students by highlighting and promoting shared understanding.

1.5. The REACT Teaching Model

The REACT approach of teaching is a context-based instructional method that was born out of social constructivism [33]. The REACT method of instruction was first established by the United States Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) [34]. This teaching strategy has five phases, and the name comes from the first letters of each level. According to [35]"R" stands for the related stage, "E" for the experiencing stage, "A" for the applying stage, "C" for the cooperating stage, and "T" for the transferring stage.

The REACT strategy's first step is the relating stage. The context of the learner's past knowledge or life experiences affects their ability to learn [36]. Real-world events must be brought into the classroom as a focal point, and these events must then be linked to either fresh ideas or urgent problems that need to be fixed [37]. The second step of the REACT technique is the experiencing stage. The goal of the experiencing stage is to provide learners the opportunity to participate in activities that are related to real-world occurrences as they learn via exploration, creativity, and discovery [38].

Following the experiencing stage, the applying stage allows students to put what they have learned into practice. During the applying stage, students put the concepts they have learned or knowledge they have acquired into practice through class activities, laboratory work, and projects [39].

The application step is followed by the cooperating stage. Through sharing, replying, and talking with other students, students learn [40]. According to [37], cooperative learning not only encourages most students to study but also gives them skills that will help them in the profession, such the capacity to work effectively with others and freely communicate knowledge.

The transferring stage follows the cooperating stage in the REACT teaching technique. Students are introduced to ideas that haven't been covered in class during the REACT final phase, and they apply such ideas to a particular situation [41].

1.6. Effectiveness of the REACT Model

Numerous academics have contrasted the REACT constructivist theory with the traditional teaching approach in order to assess its efficiency. [42] looked at how well health college students understood the principles of solubility equilibrium. Her study found that students who used the REACT methodology outscored those who used the standard way.

Additionally, [43] examined the impact of the REACT technique on the cognition and attitude of Turkish preservice science teachers toward the concepts of acid and base. According to their findings, the REACT approach was the most effective strategy for retaining information learned in long-term mental storage. [44] investigated how instructional materials based on the REACT approach improved sixth-grade students' knowledge of density concepts once again. Their research showed that the REACT technique outperformed the traditional method.

The impact of the REACT and 5E techniques on sixth-grade students' understanding of the particle nature of matter was further examined by [14]. The outcomes of their research revealed that students exposed to the REACT approach outperformed those exposed to the 5E learning cycle in terms of both change in concept and achievement in academia. These research' findings indicate that the REACT method is useful for teaching chemistry topics at both the elementary and secondary levels of education.

Researchers [41] and [15] conducted studies that demonstrated the efficacy of the REACT technique in the teaching and learning of physics topics. Ültey contrasted the impact of a traditional method and the REACT technique on students' conceptual learning of impulse and momentum. According to the research, adopting the REACT teaching technique boosted students' conceptual learning. Research by [15] on the efficacy of the REACT technique on pre-service science teachers' learning in impulse, momentum, and collision provides support for Ültey's study. The study's results revealed that students who received instruction using the REACT technique outperformed those who received instruction using a conventional method, and the majority of misunderstandings in the domains of impulse, momentum, and collision retained by excluding learners who received instruction using the REACT methodology.

[33] used the REACT paradigm to perform research in Indonesia on the ability of eighth-grade students' mathematical representations in the acquisition of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME). According to [33], learners who learned RME using the REACT technique had stronger mathematical representational skills than those who learned it using the traditional method. Additionally, [45] looked at how GeoGebra's REACT method affected eighth-grade students' comprehension of geometry ideas. According to their research, using the REACT technique instead of the traditional method helped learners learn geometry concepts more thoroughly. [34] looked into the impact of the REACT method on students' mathematical belief, and the findings showed that the REACT strategy is superior to a traditional approach in terms of enhancing students' mathematical belief. According to the findings of the research stated above, the REACT technique is superior to traditional teaching methods in both the teaching and learning of mathematics.

1.7. Students’ Difficulties in Learning Protein Synthesis

According to data from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), the majority of biology students struggle to respond to questions on genetics, which include questions on protein synthesis [22,21,20,18]. Examiners also noted that candidates had trouble understanding how RNA functions in the nucleus of a cell to produce protein.

For the 2013 WASSCE, students were also expected to identify the structure of DNA and list three structural characteristics between DNA and RNA. According to the Chief Examiners' report, candidate's answers to this question were not acceptable.

[18] revealed that candidates lacked sufficient biology knowledge, with the incorrect creation of a genetic diagram offered as an example.

There have been reports of students having difficulties studying genetics and, for that matter, protein synthesis, not only in Ghana but in other nations as well [46,47].

[48] used a Multiple-Choice Genetic Concept Test and a Pre-service Teachers' Genetics Misconception Checklist to identify genetic misunderstandings held by prospective biology teachers in Nigeria. The findings of their investigation showed that among the genetics ideas addressed in the study, namely concepts on DNA, there were the most prospective biology instructors who had misconceptions about these concepts.

[49] conducted international study on learners' understanding of genetics concepts in England and Turkey, as well as other countries outside of Africa.

The study revealed that while there were some general differences in how well English and Turkish students understood genetics concepts, there were also some commonalities in these students' struggles, particularly their inability to comprehend accurately how genes, chromosomes, and DNA are related to one another.

There is a lot of evidence to suggest that students at different educational levels struggle to understand the principles of protein synthesis. One option for improving students' comprehension of protein synthesis principles is to use effective teaching and learning strategies in the classroom at different stages of schooling.

1.8. Perceptions of Students About REACT Strategy

After teaching alkanes principles to 12th grade students using a worksheet created based on the REACT approach, [35] performed a semi-structured interview to find out how the students felt about the REACT technique. According to the findings of the study's content analysis, students believed that the alkane worksheet, which used the REACT approach to relate classroom learning to real-world problems, had made chemistry lessons engaging, attractive, and inspiring. When [42] looked at the impact of the REACT approach on students' understanding of solubility equilibrium and then performed a structured and semi-structured interview on the students' perception of the REACT technique, she found a similar outcome. The majority of the students believed that the REACT strategy made the concept they were taught memorable, understandable, interesting, and applicable to everyday life. They also believed that groupwork assisted them in sharing information through discussion.

1.9. Low and High Achievers in Protein Synthesis

In research published by [45], they looked at how GeoGebra's REACT technique affected Indonesian eighth-graders' comprehension of geometry ideas. According to their research, using the REACT approach helped high ability students learn geometry concepts better than low ability students. [50] also aimed to determine how instructional materials created using the REACT technique affected student accomplishment. According to the research, the REACT technique was more successful in raising high achievers' performance levels.

When [51] examined the impact of REACT and traditional teaching methodologies on senior high school students' success in high school biology, they came to a similar conclusion. When taught using the conventional method, the high achievers outperformed the low achievers, according to their research.

2. Methodology

Explanatory sequential mixed method was utilized in the research, and the qualitative data were used to explain the quantitative data [52]. A quasi-experiment, or pretest-posttest non-equivalent group strategy, was utilized with the quantitative approach. This is to ensure any potential differences in the groups utilized for the research might have been avoided by using intact class rather than randomly assigning students to groups. As part of the study's qualitative approach, a semi-structured focus group interview was held after the REACT technique had been used to instruct the chosen group of students to find out how the students felt about it.

2.1. Population

All Form 2 Senior High School (SHS) students in Ghana who took Elective Biology in high school were the intended audience. All Form 2 Senior High School students who took Elective Biology in one of the three public Senior High Schools in the Ejura-Sekyedumase municipal district were included in the accessible population. The Form 2 students were chosen for this research because, at the time it was done, they had already learned about Cell Biology I, which is a precondition for understanding the ideas of protein synthesis. Once again, the ideas of protein synthesis had not yet been taught to the students at the time the research was undertaken.

2.2. Sampling Procedure

In the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality, three senior high schools were chosen. Schools and intact classrooms were selected at random to ensure that all students from the available demographic had an equal chance to participate in this research. Because random group assignment of participants in a quasi-experiment of this kind is unethical or prohibited, the two chosen intact classes were divided into the two groups. Additionally, only two classes participated in this study due to the design's use of a single treatment group and a single control group, with the intact class that received the conventional approach acting as the control group. The experimental group had a sample size of 25 and the control group had a sample size of 30 students. In all, 55 students formed the sample size for the study. Twelve (12) students were chosen at random from the REACT group to participate in the semi-structured focused group interview.

2.3. Data collection instruments

Data for the research were gathered using two different devices. These included a protein synthesis achievement test and a semi-structured focused group interview. Five essay-type questions made up the achievement the test.

3. Results and Discussions

The study's goal was to look at the influence of the REACT method and the conventional model on Senior High School students' protein synthesis performance as well as their impressions of the REACT style of teaching. The outcomes of the data gathered for the study are shown and discussed in this chapter.

Research question 1: What is the difference in achievement between students exposed to REACT strategy and the conventional approach when teaching protein synthesis.

A pre-test was carried out to examine whether there is a difference in performance of the students in the REACT group and the conventional approach. Table 1 shows the results of independent sample t-test to see whether the differences between the pre-test mean scores were statistically significant.

Table 1. Results of independent sample t-test for pretest of REACT and conventional groups

The pre-test scores between REACT group (M=12.08, SD=2.216) and the conventional group (M=12.53, SD=1.106; t(53)=0.984,p=0.329 showed no statistically significant difference. This means that the students from the two groups (REACT and conventional groups) were performing at the same level before the intervention was implemented. This situation provides a good justification for comparing students' posttest results in the REACT and conventional approach. In order to investigate the posttest scores of the REACT and conventional approach, independent sample t-test was used. There were no breaches in the preliminary assumption tests for normality, linearity, homogeneity of variance.

An independent sample t-test was further conducted on the performance of students in the REACT and conventional approach after the implementation of the intervention. Table 2 displays the results.

Table 2. Results of independent sample t-test for posttest of REACT and conventional groups

Results from Table 2 indicates that the REACT group (M=12.92, SD=3.45) and the conventional group (M=11.40, SD=1.770, t (53) =2.347, p=0,023) showed that there was a statistically significant difference. A comparison of mean scores suggests that students in the REACT group outperformed those in the conventional approach, and the difference in performance was significant. The magnitudes of the mean differences were small (eta squared=0.02).

The findings of this study corroborate [53] finding that the REACT method was superior than the conventional method at improving Turkish students' understanding of nitrogen cycle concepts. [54] examined how the REACT method affected Turkish students in the 11th grade's retention of learning about the concept of photosynthesis and found that it enhanced their retention of learning in photosynthesis learning over the conventional method.

In studies conducted by [15] and [44], it was found that the REACT strategy was better than the conventional approach in improving the academic achievement of students. [15] found that when the REACT method was used, students' mental grasp of impulse and momentum improved. [44] found that the REACT method helped Chemistry students perform better academically.

Research question 2: What is the difference between the performance of high achievers and low achievers when exposed to the REACT strategy.

This research question sought to determine how low and high achievers fared when instructed through the REACT approach.

A pretest was conducted before students were instructed with the REACT approach. Learners were categorized into low and high achievers based on the pre-test results. Those who scored above the mean score for the pre-test were considered as high achievers and those whose pre-test scores was at the mean and below were considered as low achievers. Table 3 shows the results of an independent-sample t-test used to compare the pre-test scores of high and low-achieving students in protein synthesis in students in the REACT group (experimental group).

Table 3 indicates that there was a statistically significant difference in the pretest scores between the low achievers (M = 10.69, SD =1.494) and the high achievers (M =14.58, SD =0.900, t (23) =7.803, p= .000). The intervention was then implemented and the results of the high and low achievers were analyzed to identify if there had been any change. One-way ANCOVA was used to compare the posttest results of high- and low-achieving students in the REACT group. Results from the pretest were used as covariates and are shown in Table 4.

Table 3. Results of Independent Sample T-test for Pretest Scores of Low and High Achievers in the REACT Group (RG)

A one-way between-groups analysis of covariance was conducted to compare the performance of high and low achievers in protein synthesis when taught with REACT approach. Participants’ scores on the pre-intervention administration (pre-test) were used as the covariate in this analysis. After adjusting for pre-intervention scores, there was a significant difference between high achievers and low achievers on post-intervention scores on the protein synthesis in favour of the high achievers [F (1,22) =1.21, p=0.000.

Table 4. Results of One-way ANCOVA on the Posttest Scores of High and Low Achievers in REACT group

This result shows that the accomplishment difference within the group was not able to close using the REACT model. This result is consistent with [45] investigation of the impact of GeoGebra's REACT approach on Indonesian eighth-graders' comprehension of geometry topics. According to their research, using the REACT approach helped high ability students learn geometry concepts better than low ability students.

Additionally, the results of [50], which intended to determine the impact of teaching materials created using the REACT technique on students' accomplishment, complement the conclusions of the present research.

The research found that the REACT approach was more effective in increasing high achievers' levels of performance.

Research question 3: What are students’ perceptions about the REACT model of teaching?

This research question sought to find out the perception of students about the REACT instructional strategy. Focus group discussions were used to gather qualitative data on this research question. The interview centered on students' perceptions on the teaching methods employed in teaching photosynthesis. Students from the experimental group were interviewed. Students expressed their satisfaction with the teaching approach they encountered. They attributed their likeness for the method used due to the use of practical activities and stories relating to their real-life experiences. For instance, Atonka noted that: “the teacher engaged us with more practical and hands-on activities. This made us more interested in what he was teaching us”.

Ponkash corroborated what Atonka said by indicating that “when sir started the lesson with practical activities, I enjoyed the lesson so much. Sir also gave us more activities after teaching us and that made us understand the topic very well”. Another discussant, Alicia, agreed with his colleagues by noting that the manner in which the teacher began the class with hands-on activities made them interested in what the teacher was teaching as well as improved their understanding. John supported the views of his colleagues by expressing that “the activities sustained our interest and we wanted to know more”.

The research carried out by [35] on 12th grade students after they had been taught ideas on alkanes using a worksheet designed based on the REACT approach confirms the findings of the focused group interview. According to the findings of the study's content analysis, students believed that the alkane worksheet, which used the REACT approach to relate classroom learning to real-world problems, had made chemistry lessons engaging, attractive, and inspiring. When [42] examined the impact of the REACT approach on students' understanding of solubility equilibrium and afterwards performed a structured and semi-structured interview on the students' impression of the REACT technique, she too found a similar outcome. According to [42], the majority of the students believed that the REACT strategy made the concept they were taught memorable, understandable, interesting, and applicable to everyday life. They also believed that groupwork assisted them in sharing information through discussion.

4. Conclusions

The findings from the study support the fact that when students are taught protein synthesis using the REACT instructional strategy, it improves their performance than the conventional approach. Moreover, the REACT strategy improved the performance of the high achievers in protein synthesis. Furthermore, the students seem to appreciate the nature and approach of the REACT instructional strategy.

References

[1]   | Emaliana, I. (2017). Teacher-centered or Student-centered Learning Approach to Promote Learning? Jurnal Sosial Humaniora, 10(2), 59-70.
[2]   | Gengle, H. I., Abel, M. A., & Mohammed, B. K. (2017). Effective Teaching and Learning Strategies in Science and Mathematics to Improve Students ‘Academic Performance in Nigeria. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 19(1), 1-7.
[3]   | Zhao, N., Valcke, M., Desoete, A., Sang, G., & Zhu, C. (2014). Does teacher- centered teaching contribute to students ‘performance in primary school? A video analysis in Mainland China. International Journal of Research Studies in Educafion, 3(3), 21-34.
[4]   | Kumar, A & Teotia, A. K. (2017). Constructivism: A Learner Centered Approach That Improves Students ‘Academic Performance and Achievement in Social Science at Upper Primary Level. International Journal of Management and Applied Science, 3(8), 56-60.
[5]   | Dagnew, A. (2017). The Practice and Challenges of Constructivist Teaching Approach in Dangila District Second Cycle Primary Schools, Ethiopia. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 19(4), 1- 2.
[6]   | Fernando, S. Y., & Marikar, F. M. (2017). Constructivist Teaching/Learning Theory and Participatory Teaching Methods. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 6(1), 110-122.
[7]   | Sumarni, W. (2015). The Strengths and Weaknesses of the Implementation of Project Based Learning: A Review. International Journal of Science and Research, 4(3), 478-484.
[8]   | Oinam, S. (2017). Student-centered approach to teaching and learning in higher education for quality enhancement. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 22(6), 27-30.
[9]   | Çelik, H. C. (2018). The Effects of Activity Based Learning on Sixth Grade Students‘ Achievement and Attitudes towards Mathematics Activities. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(5), 1963-1977.
[10]   | Ganyaupfu, E. M. (2013). Teaching methods and students ‘academic performance. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Invention, 2(9), 29-35.
[11]   | Westwood, P. (2017). Learning Disorders: A Response-to-intervention Perspective. New York, NY: Routledge.
[12]   | Curriculum Research and Development Division. (2012). Teaching Syllabus for Integrated Science (Senior High School). Accra, Ghana Education Service.
[13]   | Adak, S. (2017). Effectiveness of Constructivist Approach on Academic Achievement in Science at Secondary Level. Educational Research and Reviews, 12(22), 1074-1079.
[14]   | Bílgín, A.K., Yürükel, F.N.D. & Yiğit, N. (2017). The effect of a developed REACT strategy on the conceptual understanding of students: "Particulate nature of matter". Journal of Turkish Science Education. 14, 65-81.
[15]   | Ültay, E., & Alev, N. (2017). Investigating the Effect of the Activities Based on Explanation Assisted REACT Strategy on Learning Impulse, Momentum and Collisions Topics. Journal of Education and Practice, 8(7), 174-186.
[16]   | Curriculum Research and Development Division. (2017). Teaching Syllabus for Integrated Science (Senior High School). Accra, Ghana Education Service.
[17]   | Amoah, C. A., Eshun, E., & Appiah, E. (2018). Assessing the Observation Skills of Biology Students in Selected Senior High Schools in the Eastern Region of Ghana. International Journal of Scientific Research and Management, 6(05), 367-372.
[18]   | West African Examinations Council [WAEC]. (2017). Chief examiners’ reports: May/June West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Accra: Author.
[19]   | West African Examinations Council [WAEC]. (2016). Chief examiners’ reports: May/June West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Accra: Author.
[20]   | West African Examinations Council [WAEC]. (2015). Chief examiners’ reports: May/June West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Accra: Author.
[21]   | West African Examinations Council [WAEC]. (2013). Chief examiners’ reports: May/June West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Accra: Author.
[22]   | West African Examinations Council [WAEC]. (2011). Chief examiners’ reports: May/June West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination. Accra: Author.

[23]  
Ekong, N. J., Akpan, G. A., Anongo, M. C., & Okrikata, E. (2015). Influence of selected variables on students ‘academic performance in genetics and their implications for effective application of stem education. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies (JETERAPS), 6(4), 331- 337.

[24]   | Chifwa, J. (2015). The Teaching of Genetics in Selected Secondary Schools in Kitwe District, Zambia (Master‘s dissertation, The University of Zambia).
[25]   | Onwu, G.O.M. (2009). Increasing the Social-Cultural Relevance of Science Education for Sustainable Development. International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE- 1st quarter, 2009), 32-41.
[26]   | Kazeni, M., & Onwu, G. (2013). Comparative effectiveness of context-based and traditional approaches in teaching genetics: Student views and achievement. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(1-2), 50-62.
[27]   | Doolittle, P.E. (1999). Constructivism and online education. Retrieved from http://edpsychserver.ed.vt.edu/workshops/tohe1999/text/doo2.doc.
[28]   | Singh, D., & Rajput, P. (2013). Constructivism: A practical guide for training colleges teachers. International Journal of Educational Research and Technology, 4(4), 15-17.

[29]  
Okoroma, N. (2013). Teachers' Development Workshop on Effective Lesson Delivery and Modern Concept of Learning or Cognitive Constructivism. Paper presented at Work Shop for Senior Secondary School Teachbs in the Oml 58 Communil"Ies at the Government Secondary School Akabuka, Nigeria, 24-25 September 2013.

[30]   | Belbase, S. (2014). Radical versus social constructivism: An epistemological- pedagogical dilemma. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 1(2), 98-112.
[31]   | Mishra, R. K. (2014). Social constructivism and teaching of social science. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 5(2), 1-13.
[32]   | Adams, P. (2006). Exploring social constructivism: Theories and practicalities. Education, 34(3), 243-257.
[33]   | Supandi, S., Waluya S. B., & Rochmad, R. (2016). Analysis of Mathematical Representation by React Strategy on The Realistic Mathematics Education. Anatolian Journal of Education, 1(2), 1-12.
[34]   | Rahayu, W., & Kurniasih, M. D. (2014). The influence of react strategy towards mathematical belief. In Proc. International Seminar on Innovation in Mathematics and Mathematics Education 1st.
[35]   | Karsli, F., & Yiğit, M. (2016). 12th grade students' views about an Alkanes Worksheet Based on the REACT Strategy. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science & Mathematics Education, 10 (1), 472-499.
[36]   | Özbay, A. S., & Kayaoglu, M. N. (2015). The Use of REACT Strategy for the Incorporation of the Context of Physics into the Teaching English to the Physics English Prep Students. Journal of History Culture and Art Research, 4(3), 91-117.
[37]   | Utami, W. S. (2016). The Effectiveness of Geography Student Worksheet to Develop Learning Experiences for High School Students. Journal of Education and Learning, 5(3), 315-321.
[38]   | Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD). (2016). The REACT learning strategy. Retrieved from http://codonline.net/CTL-Toolkit
[39]   | Ültay, N., Güngören, S. Ç., & Ültay, E. (2017). Using the REACT strategy to understand physical and chemical changes. School Science Review, 98(364), 47-52.
[40]   | Tural, G. (2013). Evaluating the react strategy activities of physics teacher candidates. Balkan Physics Letters, 21, 153-159.
[41]   | Ültay, E. (2012). Implementing REACT strategy in a context-based physics class: Impulse and momentum example. Energy Education Science and Technology Part B: Social and Educational Studies, 4(1), 233- 240.
[42]   | Günter, T. (2018). The effect of the REACT strategy on students ‘achievements with regard to solubility equilibrium: Using chemistry in contexts. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 19 (4), 1287-1306.
[43]   | Ültay, N., & Çalik, M. (2016). A Comparison of Different Teaching Designs of' Acids and Bases' Subject. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education, 12(1).
[44]   | Bilgin, A. K. & Yiğit, N. (2017). Investigation of Effectiveness of Teaching Materials Based on REACT Strategy on Revelation of the Relationship between "Density" Concept and Contexts. Uludağ Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi. 495-519
[45]   | Jelatu, S. Sariyasa, S., & Ardana, I. M (2018). Effect of GeoGebra-Aided REACT Strategy on Understanding of Geometry Concepts. International Journal of Instruction, 11(4), 325-336.
[46]   | Wright, L. K., Fisk, J. N., & Newman, D. L. (2014). DNA→ RNA: What do students think the arrow means? CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13(2), 338-348
[47]   | Langheinrich, J., & Bogner, F. X. (2015). Student conceptions about the DNA structure within a hierarchical organizational level: Improvement by experiment‐ and computer‐ based outreach learning. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 43(6), 393-402.
[48]   | Etobro, A. B., & Banjoko, S. O. (2017). Misconceptions of genetics concepts among pre-service teachers. Global Journal of Educational Research, 16(2), 121-128.
[49]   | Kılıç, D., Taber, K. S., & Winterbottom, M. (2016). A Cross-National Study of Students ‘Understanding of Genetics Concepts: Implications from Similarities and Differences in England and Turkey. Education Research International, 2016.
[50]   | Demircioğlu, H., Vural, S., & Demircioğlu, G. (2012). The effect of a teaching material developed based on ―REACT strategy on gifted students ‘achievement. On Dokuz Mayıs University Journal of Education Faculty, 31(2), 101-144.
[51]   | Sam, C. K., Owusu, K. A., & Anthony-Krueger, C. (2018). Effectiveness of 3 of the REACT and Conventional Approaches of Teaching on Students ‘Achievement in High School Biology. American Journal of Educational Research, 6(1), 76- 82.
[52]   | Creswell, J.W. (2012). Educational Research – Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (4nd ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.
[53]   | Doğru, M. S. & Özsevgeç, L. (2014). The Effect of React Strategy on Removing Misconceptions of Grade 8 Students About Nitrogen Cycle. Paper presented at Eurasian Educational Research Congress, Istanbul, Turkey, 24-26.
[54]   | Gül, Ş. (2016). Teaching ―Photosynthesis‖ Topic through Context-Based Instruction: An Implementation Based REACT Strategy. Necatibey Faculty of Education Electronic Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10(2), 21-45.