ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study was to ascertain if relationship exists between each of scientific explanation of phenomenon, imagination, concept formation and students’ understanding of physics concepts. To guide the study, seven research questions were posed and seven hypotheses were equally formulated and tested at 5% probability level. A correlational research design was adopted for this study. The study was carried out in Government owned secondary schools in Akure Education Zone of Ondo State. The sample size for this study consists of 385 Senior Secondary III Physics Students for the 2015/2016 academic session. This sample was drawn using the simple random sampling method to select thirty schools out of the fifty three schools contained in the population. Proportionate Stratified Random Sampling was used to select Senior Secondary III physics students present in the selected samples. Four instruments were used for the study, namely: Students’ Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon Test (SSEPT), Students’ Scientific Imagination Scale (SSIS), Students’ Scientific Concept Formation Test (SSCFT), and Students’ Understanding of Physics Concept Test (SUPCT). Students’ Explanation of Phenomenon Test (SSEPT) and Students’ Understanding of Physics Concept Test (SUPCT) were reliable using kendel tau. The internal consistency indices obtained were 0.81 and 0.86 respectively. The reliability of Students’ Scientific Imagination Scale (SSIS) was determined using Cronbach alpha formula and the reliability index obtained was 0.85. While, the reliability index of SSCFT was determined using Kudder-Richardson 20 (K-R20) Formula. With this formula, the internal consistency index of the instrument was calculated to be 0.82. The research questions were answered using Pearson Product Moment Correlation and the Null hypotheses were tested using Multiple-Regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings of the study were proffered among others that there exists a direct positive relationship among students’ scientific explanation of phenomenon, students’ scientific imagination, scientific concept formation and students’ understanding of physics concepts. Additionally, there was a statistically significant relationship among students’ scientific explanation of phenomenon, students’ scientific imagination, students’ scientific concept formation and students’ understanding of physics concepts. In line with the findings of the study, the educational implications of the findings were highlighted and recommendations were equally made. One of this recommendation is; Physics teachers, the Authors and Publishers of physics textbooks should take illustrations by models beyond their physical limitations to involve application of physics concepts learnt into phenomena that students observe and experience around them. Finally, Physics teachers were encouraged to help in fostering conceptual understanding of physics concepts in physics students using scientific explanation of phenomenon, scientific imagination and scientific concept formation.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGE I
APPROVAL PAGE II
CERTIFICATION III
DEDICATION IV
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS V
TABLE OF CONTENTS VI
LIST OF TABLES X
LIST OF FIGURES XI
ABSTRACT XII
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1
Background of the Study 1
Statement of the Problem 8
Purpose of the Study 9
Significance of the Study 10
Scope of the Study 12
Research Questions 12
Hypotheses 13
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 14
Conceptual Framework 15
Overview of Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon 15
Overview of Scientific Imagination 21
Overview of Scientific Concept Formation 23
Students Understanding of Physics Concepts 28
Theoretical Framework 30
Piaget’s Cognitive Theory 30
Prototype Theory 34
Bruner’s Theory 35
Constructivist Theory 37
Empirical Studies 38
Related Studies on Scientific Explanation of phenomenon 38
Related Studies on Scientific Imagination 40
Related Studies on Scientific Concept Formation 42
Related Studies on Students Understanding of Physics Concepts 43
Summary of Literature Reviewed 47
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD 50
Design of the Study 50
Area of the Study 50
Population of the Study 51
Sample and Sampling Techniques 51
Instrument for Data Collection 51
Validation of Instruments 52
Reliability of the Instrument 53
Method of Data Collection 54
Method of Data Analysis 54
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA 55
Research Question One 55
Hypothesis One 56
Research Question Two 57
Hypothesis Two 58
Research Question Three 59
Hypothesis Three 60
Research Question Four 61
Hypothesis Four 62
Research Question Five 63
Hypothesis Five 64
Research Question Six 65
Hypothesis Six 66
Research Question Seven 67
Hypothesis Seven 68
Summary of the Findings 69
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF RESULTS, CONCLUSIONS AND 70
RECOMMENDATIONS
Discussions of findings 70
The Relationship between Students’ Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon 71
and Students’ Understanding of Physics Concepts
The Relationship between Students’ Scientific Imagination and Students’ 71
Understanding of Physics Concepts
The Relationship between Students’ Scientific Concept Formation 72
and Students’ Understanding of Physics Concepts
The Relationship among Students’ Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon, 73
Students’ Scientific Imagination and Students’ Understanding of
Physics Concepts
The Relationship among Students’ Scientific Imagination, Students’ Scientific 74
Concept Formation and Students’ Understanding of Physics Concepts
The Relationship among Students’ Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon, 75
Students’ Scientific Concept Formation and Students’ Understanding of
Physics Concepts
The Relationship among Scientific Explanation of Phenomenon, Scientific 76
Imagination, Scientific Concept Formation and Students’ Understanding of
Physics Concepts
Conclusion 77
Implications of the Study 78
Recommendations 80
Limitations of the Study 81
Suggestions for Further Study 82
Summary of the Study 82
REFERENCES 85
APPENDICES 91
A: Population figure of SSIII Students in Akure Education Zone 91
B: Sample Schools and Students in Akure Education Zone 93
