EFFECTS OF CONCEPT MAPPING STRATEGY ON STUDENTS‟ ACHIEVEMENT IN ELELECTRO CHEMISTRY: THE CASE OF GRADE 10 DONGA TUNTO GENERAL SECONDARY SCHOOL

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of concept mapping as a teaching strategy for enhancing the academic performance of 10th-grade students in electrochemistry concepts at Donga Tunto General Secondary School. A total of 116 students participated, with 60 in the experimental group (taught using concept mapping) and 56 in the control group (taught using traditional lecture-based instruction). A quasi-experimental research design was employed, with data collected through pre-test and post-test assessments conducted by the researcher and a co-evaluator teacher. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. The results indicated no statistically significant difference in the performance scores of the experimental and control groups before the intervention (p > 0.05). However, after the intervention, the experimental group showed a statistically significant improvement in academic performance compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Specifically, the mean score of the experimental group increased from 72% before the intervention to 85% after, while the control group showed a smaller increase, from 70% to 75%. These findings validate the effectiveness of concept mapping in improving students' understanding and academic achievement in electrochemistry. The study highlights the potential of concept mapping to enhance students’ retention and application of complex concepts. Based on these results, it is recommended that concept mapping be integrated into science curricula and that teachers receive training in its effective implementation.