Physics Teachers’ Lived Practices and Perspectives of Inductive and Deductive Classroom Approaches: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
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This study explored the lived practices and perspectives of senior high school (SHS) physics teachers in Mampong Municipality, Ghana, regarding inductive and deductive teaching strategies. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) within the interpretivist paradigm, the objective was to understand teachers’ beliefs, application methods, and the validity of blending these strategies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight purposively selected physics teachers between January and March 2025. The findings revealed that while deductive teaching was valued for its efficiency, syllabus coverage, and exam preparation, inductive teaching was seen as vital for fostering engagement, critical thinking, and deeper conceptual understanding. A blended approach was noted to enhance student learning outcomes, although its success was stratified, favoring stronger students due to contextual challenges such as large class sizes, time constraints, and limited resources. the study highlights the need for institutional support, curriculum flexibility, and differentiated instructional strategies to optimize physics education. The findings offer practical implications for teacher training, resource allocation and policy development to bridge the gap between theory and classroom realities in the Mampong Municipality.
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