Students’ engagement in learning by indigenous knowledge-chemistry lesson

This study was aimed at assessing students’ engagement in an integratedindigenous knowledge-chemistry lesson (IIK-CL) designed using the processesinvolved in cassava dough production. The paper focuses on the behavioural,emotional and cognitive engagement and their impact on students’ construction ofknowledge of the factors affecting rate of chemical reactions. The study wasconducted in Swedru senior high school in the Agona East municipality of theCentral Region of Ghana. A purposively sampled intact class of 26 students agedbetween 14 and 18 years formed the study. The control group for this studyencompassed also 26 students randomly sampled from the remaining chemistryclasses in the same grade as the study group. The IIK-CL, which employed the useof field trip and other interactive learning activities, was used to engage studentsin the learning concept. A quantitative research approach was used. Data beforeand after students’ engagement in the IIK-CL were collected using questionnairesand an observational schedule. The IIK-CL recorded a significant level ofbehavioural, emotional and cognitive student engagement. This implies thatstudents are most likely to be engaged in lessons that are relevant to their everydaylives thereby helping them in constructing understanding of scientific concept intheir personal context