Enhancing Physics Students’ Learning Outcomes in Energy Concepts Through STEM Instructional Strategies Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Emmanuel Frimpong

Authors

Emmanuel Frimpong AAMUSTED

Keywords:

STEM education, conceptual understanding, student engagement, physics energy concepts, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Abstract

This study examined the effectiveness of four STEM-based instructional strategies-Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Project-Based Learning (PjBL), Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL), and Interdisciplinary Approaches (IDA)- in enhancing senior high school students’ conceptual understanding and engagement with physics energy concepts aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Mampong Municipality of Ghana. Unlike most prior studies that examined single strategies or cognitive outcomes alone, this quasi-experimental research directly compared all four approaches within one design using 240 students from intact classes. One-way ANOVA results showed no statistically significant differences among the strategies in conceptual understanding (F (3, 236) = 2.236, p =.085). In contrast, significant differences emerged for student engagement (F (3, 236) = 11.622, p <.001, η ² =.129), with PjBL producing significantly higher engagement than PBL, IBL, and IDA. These findings demonstrate that while the four STEM strategies yield comparable conceptual gains in SDG-aligned energy concepts, Project-Based Learning is distinctly more effective for fostering engagement in the Ghanaian senior high school context. This study provides empirical evidence to guide the selection of STEM pedagogies for sustainability-focused physics education in resource-constrained settings

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