Learning Cycle Approach (lca) for Effective Teaching and Learning of Glycolysis and the Krebs Cycle

Abstract

This study is an inquiry into the outcome of Learning Cycle Approach (LCA) on Senior High Students’ understanding of Glycolysis and the Krebs cycle at the Odorgonno Senior High School of the Ga South District in the Greater-Accra Region of Ghana. The two concepts were explained using either Conventional Teaching Approach (CTA) or Learning Cycle Approach (LCA). The investigation was to find out whether the LCA could enhance students’ academic achievement better than the CTA mostly used by some SHS Science teachers. A design involving two cohorts assigned as Group A and B with a total population of 80 was used for the study. Group ‘A’ was the quasi-experimental group upon which the LCA was applied in teaching glycolysis and the Krebs cycle whereas group ‘B’ was used as the control group taught using the CTA. Data gathered from both pre- and post-interventional tests were analysed using SPSS version 18. The pre-interventional test revealed that both groups lacked conceptual understanding of the processes involve in cellular respiration, particularly, glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. The outcome of the analysis conducted on the post-interventional scores of the two cohorts revealed that the experimental group achieved higher conceptual understanding than the control group. Hence, the LCA is a good teaching and learning approach for facilitating lessons in glycolysis and the Kerbs cycle.