Ghanaian Senior High School Students’ Perceptions of Energy

Abstract

This study used descriptive survey design to find out Senior High School students’ perceptions of energy and examined influences of gender, geographical location and academic programme on students’ perceptions of energy.  Questionnaire on seven frameworks of energy was used to collect data from 720 students in 18 Senior High Schools in Ghana. Data were analysed using frequencies and percentages. The study showed that Senior High School students in Ghana perceive energy as anthropocentric, depository, an ingredient, an activity, a product of processes, functional and flow. In the teaching of energy, rather than simply contradicting students’ perceptions, a better strategy is to build on what students perceive of energy and try to help them modify their perceptions appropriately.

Keywords:  senior high school, perception of energy, ‘depository’ model of energy, alternative conceptual framework of energy, seven frameworks of energy.