Think-Talk-Write Strategy in Biology Learning: Its Impact on Mastery of the Mammalian System
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67427/gypvem11Keywords:
Think-Talk-Write, concept mastery, mammalian system, cooperative learningAbstract
The mammalian system is one of the most conceptually demanding topics in Form One Biology, encompassing complex processes such as digestion, circulation, respiration, excretion, and reproduction. Students frequently encounter difficulties in constructing and retaining accurate conceptual frameworks for these interrelated physiological systems. The Think-Talk-Write (TTW) learning strategy has been proposed as a cooperative, student-centred approach that scaffolds concept construction through sequential phases of individual reflection, collaborative discourse, and written articulation. This study investigated the effectiveness of the TTW strategy on Form One Biology students' mastery of the mammalian system at Wesley Grammar Senior High School, Accra, Ghana. A pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was employed with a convenience sample of 100 Form One students during the 2023/2024 academic year. Concept mastery was assessed across four cognitive dimensions: C1 (Knowledge/Recall), C2 (Comprehension), C3 (Application), and C4 (Analysis), using a validated 40-item multiple-choice instrument. The pretest mean score was 44.76 (SD = 10.83) and the posttest mean score was 68.34 (SD = 9.47), yielding an overall normalised gain (N-Gain) of 0.43, classified as moderate. A paired-sample t-test confirmed a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (t(99) = 28.74, p < 0.001), providing strong evidence for the effectiveness of the TTW strategy. Pearson correlation analysis further confirmed a strong positive relationship between students' initial knowledge level and their posttest performance (r = 0.72, p < 0.001). The results suggest that integrating TTW into Biology instruction is associated with significant improvements in students' conceptual understanding of the mammalian system.
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