STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ABOUT MULTIMODAL INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS OF TEACHING CHEMISTRY CONCEPTS: A COLLEGE OF EDUCATION’S PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

Methods of teaching have effects on students’ perceptions of learning concepts in class because different teaching methods create varied levels of motivation and learning environments. This study was designed to determine the perceptions of students about Multimodal Instructional Methods (MIM) for teaching chemical bonding concepts in chemistry. The study employed a mixed method research approach and a concurrent triangulation research design to engage 120 students from two Colleges of Education as participants for the study. Data were collected with questionnaire and interview guide to determine the students’ perceptions towards the use of MIM. The findings from the data revealed that after being instructed with multimodal instructional approaches participants developed highly positive perceptions about MIM, and viewed it as a better approach for teaching chemical bonding than single-modal approaches. The study also revealed that there is no discriminating perception effect for gender-based and different academic achievers’ groups of learners instructed with MIM. It was therefore concluded that all groups of students had positive perceptions about the use of MIM for teaching bonding concepts in chemistry because it created a positive learning environment that caused no learning difficulties for students at the Colleges of Education in Ghana.