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The Problem and Its Background
The Problem and Its Background
The Problem and Its Background
Introduction
Science and Technology because development of any nation today depends on its
technological and scientific advancement. Hence, teachers are expected to device ways of
motivating their students to develop positive attitudes towards Science and Science related
The inquiry method is a style or method of teaching where the learner is seeking to
discover and create answers to recognize problems through procedure of making a diligent
search, sometimes with minimum guidance from the teacher (Callahan, Clark &
Kelloough, 2005). Inquiry teaching method is also a term used in Science teaching that
It involves investigating data and arriving at a conclusion (Sola & Ojo, 2007). In inquiry
situation, students learn concept but also self-direction, responsibility and social
According to Sola and Ojo (2007), inquiry is a way people learn when they are left alone.
investigative nature of Science. Inquiry involves activity and skills, but the focus is on the
objectives of Science education that are spread over knowledge, affective and psychomotor
domains. Teaching Science provides many opportunities and activities for the students.
students’ scientific skills and attitudes. Though at times, they tend to stick on the traditional
way of teaching rather than experiment on using the laboratory method. The question is:
can an inquiry-based learning approach help in any way? The focus here will be on the
development and skills in secondary school teaching using the inquiry laboratory teaching
method.
Less work has been carried out to look at scientific skills. There are many desirable
skills like noting the importance of observing, measuring, estimating correctly, predicting,
and similarities, inferring patterns, interpreting text, diagrams, graphs, models, tables, and
In inquiry based approach learning, learners should be able to ask questions, use
their questions to plan and conduct a scientific investigation. They should to able to use
appropriate science tools and scientific techniques, evaluate evidence and use it logically
are important, as Shami (2001) suggest, then, of course, the students need opportunities to
Dyasi (2006) asserts that the teaching process must provide children with the
opportunity to make first-hand decisions: they can decide which questions to raise at
various points, which ones to follow indepth and why, what Science tools to use for various
tasks, how to organize data, how to portray the patterns created by the data, and what
conclusions to accept or reject. In addition, how can such an approach be assessed with a
degree of fairness.
of enquiry (Khan and O’Rourke, 2005). The learning actively involves students in
centered. At university level, Adams and Hamm (2001) argue that this general type of
learning offers many advantages for the student. In most of the advance countries many
syllabi: In the United States, the Science as an inquiry strand has been adopted as one of
the seven content standard areas in the National Science Education standards (NRC, 2000).
Inquiry-based learning has been considered as a method for promoting motivation among
students to create interest in acquiring knowledge and skills (St. Omer, 2002).
One of the key features is that the role of the teacher changes from that of a
sit passively in class and are told what is important for tests and difficult points are
explained. In inquiry based learning, the teacher lays down the task and facilitates the
process. However, the students follow their own lines of inquiry, drawing upon their
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existing subject knowledge, and identifying their own learning requirements (Khan and
O’Rourke, 2005). The inquiry process encourages students to identify what they already
Inquiry-based allows students to make mistakes and at times they may fail to reach
the desired outcome of learning. Such mistakes are part of the learning process. The process
makes assessment very difficult, Hutchings (2006) holds the opinion that the exploratory
nature of inquiry-based learning allows students to look at ideas in different ways and
It is possible to argue that students should learn Science by doing things in the same
ways that scientists do them. This leads to the suggestion that the students should be in the
position to discover. Any study of the long, painstaking and convoluted way that scientific
discoveries have often been made would reject this notion immediately. It is simply not
realistic to allow school students to experience this. There is no way that they can discover
in an afternoon what took the best brains in the world, decades to uncover. In fact, it is not
the matter of pure scientists but simple way to the world of how scientists think and work.
Inquired based approach do not make students discover new knowledge rather,
observing, classifying and communicating. It also familiarizes students with ways of the
scientists.
Santos (2001) argued that inquiry also promotes observing, asking and identifying
schools are now widespread across the globe. It is now possible to assess the impact of
these programs on learning outcomes. Such exercise may not provide crystal clear cause-
effect relationships since proper controls are not present, but a good statistical analysis of
current data may still furnish useful correlations. Although discovery-based learning may
classroom (De Dios, 2012). Considering the importance of inquiry in developing teaching
method to develop scientific process and attitude skills among the students especially the
secondary students enrolled in Tibag High School, this study was conducted. The
researcher would like to find out the effectiveness of the inquiry-based method on the
development of scientific process skills and attitudes among the third year students enrolled
in some selected Chemistry topics to the development of scientific process skills, attitude
and performance among third year students of Tibag High School for the school year 2013-
2014.
2. How are the students described before the use of the inquiry based approach on
their:
Chemistry?
Null Hypotheses
To determine the effectiveness of the inquiry based approach, the following null
4. There is no significant difference between pretest and posttest of the control group on
8. There is no significant difference between pretest and posttest of the control group on
10. There is no significant difference between the posttests of students in the experimental
11. There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest of the experimental
12. There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest of the control group
on performance in chemistry.
Science teaching involves a lot of effort, hard work and long preparation by the
teachers especially for those who intend to use the latest teaching methods. The researcher
decided to pursue this study as a way of investigating the effects of using the inquiry based
Science teaching for the students’ development of their scientific process skills and
Through the result of the study Curriculum Developers would be helped to design
attitudes.
Teachers may adapt the inquiry method in teaching their students. On the other
hand, School Administrators would not be motivated to exhaust necessary funds for the
Science teaching among the Science teachers would be enhanced and developed.
Moreover, the organizations of Teacher training to better equip them if this contemporary
method would be applied and implemented. Construction of valid test and comprehensive
practical examination for assessing the scientific attitudes and skills among the students
would be possible as a way of providing quality Science instruction among the students in
as well; it aims to answer how the inquiry-based approach improves the scientific skills,
attitudes and performance of students towards chemistry. Also it describes the students
The subjects of this study were the sixty third year students of Tibag High School
(formerly Maliwalo High School-Annex), during the school year 2013-2014. In this study,
the sample consisted of thirty (30) students each for the control and experimental groups.
Definition of Terms
To facilitate the understanding of the study, certain terms are hereby operationally
defined.
in a favorable or unfavorable manner with respect to a given attitude object (Oskamp &
Schultz, 2005). The students’ attitude towards Chemistry was measured using the Attitude
Chemistry. A branch of science that deals with matter, its composition, structure,
behavior, the changes it undergoes and laws that govern such changes.
characteristics of objects or factors in events) that are constant or change under different
conditions, and can affect an experimental outcome keeping most constant while
experimental and control group in science process skills, attitude towards chemistry, and
illustrate a specific situation; organizing and analyzing data that have been obtained and
(Encyclopedia Americana).
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reasoning (Wikipedia).
required of hands-on activities such as manipulating the equipment or directing the activity
(Oxford Dictionary).
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary).
facilitator. Inquirers will identify and research issues and questions to develop their
generally used in small-scale investigations and projects (Olson & Louks-Horsley, 2000).
from among the alternatives after basing the judgment for the selection on justifiable
Observing. The term refers to the process of analyzing, applying and learning,
alternatively. It can also be defined as the act of attentive watching, perceiving, or noticing
accomplishment. In this study, this is determined by the students’ output score in the
Science Process Skills. These are based on scientific inquiry and teaching science
by inquiry involves teaching students science process skills, critical thinking, scientific
reasoning skills used by scientists and inquiry is defined as an approach to teaching. The
acts scientists’ use in doing science and it can be a highly effective teaching method that
helps students to understanding of concepts and use of process skills. The basic science
Models, Constructing Tables of Data and Graphs, while the integrated process skills were
This chapter presents a review of reading materials related to the present study
that will provide background information, better insights and understanding about the
topics covered.
Related Literature
system of rewards and targets in education. Educators who embrace cognitive theory
believe that the definition of learning as a change in behavior is too narrow and prefer
to study the learner rather than the environment, and in particular the complexities of
relationships in the learning process. Those who advocate constructivism believe that
a learner's ability to learn relies to a large extent on what he already knows and
students doing things by themselves and thinking about things they do. It enhances
13
learning, improves the retention level and this in turn produces meaningful learning
The goal of the educator is to engage students in the learning process. However,
understanding what this looks like and how to engage effectively students can be
unclear. Lord and Orkwiszewski (2006) describe learning in two very different ways.
by-step process in which the students follow the teacher’s directions and fill in a given
answer inquiry-based approach where students take learning in their own phase.
presentation with doing to communicate process, concepts ideas and facts, observation.
It is particularly effective in teaching a skill that can be observed (Sola & Ojo, 2007).
is always active to the learners who are always passive. According to him, lecture
method has the following characteristics: (i) It is appropriate for higher secondary
students and students of tertiary institutions with large class size from 25-100. (ii) May
be supported with visual aids, film or lecture handouts. (iii) Students are absolutely
passive listeners and passively assimilating information/facts being given to them. (iv)
Students are responsible for making their own notes. (v) Teacher or lecturer does the
major activities i.e. talking, illustration or presentation of the film or other aid.
Lecture method is noted for the following merits: (i) Knowledge, facts or
information are transmitted to students who gain some understanding of a subject. And
(ii) it is less expensive compared to the inquiry methods. However, lecture method has
14
its own shortcomings, which include the following: (i) Passive learning on the part of
the students and this makes them weak and disinterested. (ii) No immediate evaluation
is made of what has been learned. (iii) Soft-spoken teacher/instructor could create a
breakdown in the communication for some students may lose interest in his lecture.
Retention means storage of information over some period of time. This time
period is called retention interval (Bichi, 2002). If for some reasons, the subject is
unable to produce the response at the end of the retention interval forgetting has
occurred. The more active the learner is in the learning process the better he or she
feeling about an object or thing and therefore involves a tendency to behave positively
or negatively in situations that involve the object or thing. He went further to assert that
attitudes are partially emotional and that they are acquired not innate. From the above
definition, it reveals that an attitude is directed toward object and this may be an
individual, school policy, subject or even ideas or any material object. An attitude can
Teaching methods can influence the attitudes of the students towards learning
positively or negatively.
German (2009), in his own view concerning the competency of the teacher, said
that if the method is used by a competent teacher it has great deal to offer but if used
15
incompetently as fashion it is probably more disastrous to learning than exclusive
the students in the learning process, placing less emphasis on transmitting knowledge
and more on developing students’ Science process skills. Inquiry teaching method,
which is an activity-based method, will better aid learning, enhance retention level of
the students. Furthermore, it is hoped to change the attitude of the students towards
Science to be positive.
learning and project based learning rely heavily on the effective use of the Science
teaching is having students engage in more Science activities and exercises and
encourages them to learn Science and learn about Science (Olson & Louks-Horseley,
2000).
According to (Nation Research Council, 2001) all students should learn about
scientific inquiry. Adedoyin (2000) contended that most of scientific theory are based
topics are theorized, this should be done through the use of audio-visual aids or
demonstration. This critically illustrates the use of inquiry method and Science
instruction method improves students’ Science process skills, concepts learning and
achievements. Flick (2000) stated that research on inquiry-base instruction has well
namely: structured inquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry. Actually there is a debate
as to which type of inquiry is best. Nonetheless, any form of inquiry (structured, guided,
or open) can be useful to students when taught appropriately well. Structured inquiry
is the most teacher-centered of the three types of inquiry. This type is commonly seen
in Science classrooms in the form of laboratory exercises. The teacher provides fairly
structured procedures for the inquiry activity, and students carry out the investigations.
The open inquiry requires the least amount of teacher intervention and is student
centered. Students often work in groups and plan all phases of their investigations. This
is the purest form of inquiry conducted in Science classrooms (Cheval & Hart, 2005).
Guided inquiry falls in the middle of the inquiry instructional spectrum. This
approach is commonly used when students are asked to make tools or develop a process
that results in a desired outcome. For example, a Science teacher gives his seventh
grade middle school students materials to create a rocket but no instructions for
designing the rocket or asks students to look but does not point which one to look at.
The students must use their own knowledge and creativity to design a rocket so that
will launch properly, fly a certain distance, and land without becoming disassembled.
The teacher provides the problem and materials and the lecture method is used
method for summarizing ideas, showing relationship between theory and practice and
involvement with the learning task. The method is based on the assumption that the
subject is to learn actively by fully participating in the learning task. It is a method that
leads to effective learning outcomes that will be meaningful to the learner. In this
method of teaching, students are encouraged to behave like scientists in the process of
teacher needs to involve the students from the planning stage to the evaluating stage.
This could be achieved by the students and the teacher by locating and gathering
resources. Inquiry teaching method is one way of making sense out of what one
experiences and therefore requires thinking (Blair and Simon 2002). This implies that
the method requires putting learners into situation in which they must be engaged in
teaching where students examine ideas, existing issues, probe and question them freely,
and practice on their own or with little guidance from the teacher. The students seek
educative and experimental. It also produces a lot of fun and joy as students learn by
doing activities.
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An ancient Japanese proverb says: “Give a man a fish and he will not be hungry
for a day, teach a man how to fish, he will not be hungry for life time”, (Matthias,
2003). By this proverb, it means that teaching people how to tackle and solve problems
by themselves, becomes an asset which is what the inquiry approach stands for, while
solving problems for people, which is what tradition method is known for, is temporary.
Although, the inquiry teaching method has been described by many educationalists as
effective approach, it is not without some shortcomings and many people have
disadvantages of inquiry approach to include its time consuming nature. Time is needed
to plan inquiry activities. It may not be possible to use inquiry approach in all situations
and some authors like Agboola & Oloyede (2007) maintained that, inquiry approach is
more suitable for intuitive and creative children who are full of enthusiasm and active.
Science process skills (SPS) on the other hand, are transferable skills
applicable to many Sciences and that reflect the behaviors of scientists. These skills
learning. These skills also help students acquire research ways and methods, that make
them think and behave like a scientists. Hence, this method is important in teaching
Science. SPS are the building blocks of critical thinking and inquiry in Science
(Ostlund, 1992).
(SPS). Having Science process skills acquired, at the same time, means preparing future
19
scientists. Having scientific literacy acquired, enables students to use science
information in daily life personal, social and global (Harlen, 2001). Science process
skills are based on scientific inquiry and teaching science by inquiry involves teaching
students Science process skills, critical thinking, scientific reasoning skills (Pratt &
Hackett, 2001). Inquiry is defined as an approach to teaching, the acts scientists use in
doing Science. It can be a highly effective teaching method that helps students to
understanding methods and use of process skills (Yager & Akcay, 2010).
curriculum. Without the content, learners will have difficulty utilizing Science process
skills since these processes are best learned in context. Organizing the curriculum on
situations and problems that challenge and arouse students’ curiosity motivates them
to learn and appreciate Science as relevant and useful. Rather than relying solely on
textbooks, scheme teachers can use, varied hands-on, minds-on, and hearts-on activities
Concepts and skills in Life Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, and Earth Sciences
are presented with increasing levels of complexity from grade one level to another
(spiral progression), thus paving the way to deeper understanding of a few concepts.
These concepts and skills are integrated rather than discipline based, stressing the
believed that learning occurs when students solve real world problems in the
community. Sarker and Frazier took the idea of hands-on learning to another level.
level when the questions investigated come from students (2008). Hands-on learning is
their own learning through hands-on activities, internet and computer activities and
simulations foster interest and encourages participation which ultimately results in the
classrooms is once again becoming more popular; however, it is not always used
correctly or to its full potential due to lack of knowledge on the part of the teacher
regarding how best to implement this strategy, according to Keys and Kennedy (2000).
differently depending on the teacher. Teachers have trouble teaching with this method
due to issues with supplies, behavior, and a fear that actual facts will not be learned. In
the Philippines similar issues are also encountered. The researcher then investigated
the effects of inquiry based Science teaching as a way of developing students’ scientific
process skills and attitudes for those who are enrolled at Tibag High School.
Furthermore, students were described based on the use of the inquiry-based approach
focusing on their scientific skills, attitudes and performance towards Chemistry. The
pre-test/post-test control group design was used to attain of a more effective strategy
21
on students’ retention of knowledge. This is the very reason why the researcher
Related Studies
A. Foreign
learning and continued interest in the curriculum and subject as opposed as to textbook
learning. The study consisted of 1000 fifth grade students in nine different school
districts that spanned all socio-economic levels. The hypothesis of the study was the
majority of the students would find more success with hands-on, inquiry-based
learning. The belief was that the students would prove to have many shortcomings such
as performing the task and completely understanding the scientific process and the
topic taught after traditional textbook learning. In the end, assessment scores did not
show a significant difference between the learning acquired in the two types of
programs. The average score attained by the students involved in the study was 45%.
On the assessment questions that required 13 higher-level thinking skills, the students
only achieved an average score of 32%. In addition to the poor assessment scores, the
study showed that there was not a significant difference in achievement in the hands-
on learning compared to the textbook learning. The results of the various experiments
were disappointing and involved many variables. One of the findings showed that the
achievement scores of all students were at the same level, despite their socioeconomic
22
status. Overall, only nine of the sixty-eight students who completed the program
Brackett affirms that he realized that one type of learning style was not superior to
another. Students have a variety of strengths and various ways of showing their abilities
academically. Teachers must be aware in order to tailor lessons and activities to the
learning styles and needs of the students. If students are engaged, encouraged, invested
in the learning, and given the opportunity to apply their understanding, the learning will
be balanced and the students will be more likely to succeed. Evident hands-on activities
should be conducted in science classes to improve their scientific process and attitude.
Stipect (2002) examined the effects of the inquiry teaching method on Geology
this study, the effects of inquiry teaching method on the attitudes of the students
program and inquiry oriented Science program report that in favor of those following
inquiry oriented Science programs, and he found a 75% difference in terms of the
course. On the retention he discovered that those students taught using inquiry method
had better retention level than those taught with traditional lecture method. There were
23
similarities in terms of the present study conducted since inquiry- based learning was
topics. In their study, the researchers investigated the relationships and the possible
understanding of Biology topics. The sample consisted of 140 tenth grade students
attending a public, suburban high school in Central New York State. A 24-item
Learning Approach Questionnaire was used in order to categorize the students as more
meaningful learners, less meaningful learners, less rote learners and more rote learners.
Teachers of the students also rated their students according to perception of each
students’ self-ratings and teachers’ observation based ratings were analyzed for
matches and mismatches, 94 matches were found. As a result, 94 students out of 140
students were analyzed during the study. This shows that improvements can be possible
with the use of inquiry-based learning. Differential Aptitude Test scores were obtained
from the school guidance counselor in order to have information about students’
towards performance goals such as high grades, praise and favorable judgements of
their work. Mental Model Assessment was used in order to assess the students’
24
understanding about the meiosis, the use of Punnett-square diagrams and the
Pretest mental models were used in order to assess the students’ prior knowledge of
meiosis, then the students were given instruction on meiosis and later on two types of
One of the packets consisted of highlighted questions and problems about the
relationships between meiosis and the Punnett-square method with the answers to the
questions and the other packet consisted of the same questions and problems. Students
were wanted to generate the answers to the questions themselves. About 53 students
had the perception form of instruction and 41 students had generative form of
instruction. After the administration of the instructional packets, the students were
given mental model post-test on meiosis, the Punnett-square method and the
relationship between them. Results indicated that meaningful learning orientation was
Photosynthesis and Respiration in Plants Concept Test, Test of Logical Thinking and
Learning Approach Questionnaire was applied to 233 eight-grade students. The results
of the study showed that students hold several misconceptions about photosynthesis
and respiration in plant concepts and had a low level of conceptual understanding. The
25
achievements of the students in the experimental group were found to be higher than
the ones in the control group. Prior knowledge was the most important determinant of
the students’ ability to learn photosynthesis and respiration in plants than in formal
total of 472 ninth-grade students in Ankara participated the study. Data were collected
active learning strategies and rote learning in National Program classes. Self-efficacy
reasoning ability for both International Baccalaureate and National Program students,
explaining 4.7% and 10.9% variance respectively. All the students were found to use
active strategies like finding relevant sources, discussing with other students, trying to
form connection between new and previous knowledge. Moreover, the students also
thought that the materials learned in biology lessons were relevant to their daily lives
26
and beneficial for developing problem solving and inquiry skills while satisfying their
curiosity.
The studies of Pine, et al (2005) and Stipect (2002) were on the inquiry
approach. They differed from the present study on the subject matter. The former study
dealt with general education while the latter on geology. The present study was in
Chemistry.
While, Douglas (2003) and Webster (2002) focused on inquiry based Science
teaching being favorable to Science education, which the present study tried to establish
Also, AktamOu & Ergin (2008) was similar to the present study because it also
measured the scientific process and attitudes of the learners. Likewise, Donald (2000)
was similar with the present study as it dealt with the same subject: Chemistry but
The studies of Schafer, et al (2004), Yemilnez (2006) and Baser (2007) all dealt
with general education and its meaningful learning orientation making these different
from the present study. The current study was focused on the effects of inquiry
B. Local
Tolentino and Ramos (2004) found in their study that the activity-based
methods had some effects on achievement in SPS but they did not find any changes in
attitudes towards Science courses, and they concluded that teacher behaviors are more
27
influential on attitudes. The study emphasized the importance of teachers’ attitude in
teaching that could affect the students’ achievement. The present study however
Walter & Soyibo (2001) found in their study that the change in the Science
programs was mainly based on hands-on and minds-on activities done in laboratories,
and such programs are based on BSPS and ISPS. Their study suggested that the first,
second, and third year students in the schools following the new program were more
successful than those who were in schools adopting traditional methods. This shows
the advantages of using the contemporary strategies to enhance teaching similar to the
present study. Burgos (2006) found that when hands-on learning activities were used
together with cooperative learning approach, second year students were more
successful in SPS and had more positive attitudes towards Science than the control
Butts et al. (2000) in the study they conducted found out that students needed
more practice to be done in laboratories to improve their problem solving skills and
SPS. The researchers sought an answer to the question “Why the scientific skills are
not familiar to pupils?” What they suggested as answer was that teachers do not teach
about Science process skills first and do not encourage students to search. They offered
some solutions for it, and some well-defined research problems, completed questions,
possibility to plan their own investigations, where they make their own questions and
hypotheses, choose methods and necessary equipment, discuss about the means for
28
ensuring reliability and the ways of scientific reporting. In that way, the students can
adopt a scientific skill, which means learning some fundamental features of the nature
natural phenomena.
Science skills and concepts in the inquiry sections increased significantly more than
they did for students enrolled in a typical section in terms of process skills, creativity
skills, ability to apply Science concepts, and the development of more positive
attitudes.
The study of Johnson and Johnson (2004) found out that the effectiveness of
inquiry teaching method or retention ability of the students. This method could aid
based methods had some effects on achievement in SPS but did not have any
relationships as to the students’ attitude in the Science subject. Burgos (2006) in his
study explained that hands-on learning activities were used together with cooperative
learning approach. The high schools students in SPS had improved more in terms of
their attitudes towards Science as compared to the control group who were under the
traditional methods.
The studies of Tolentino and Ramos (2004), Walter and Soyibo (2001), Burgos
Science process skills and attitudes. The present study tried the same through the
inquiry approach.
29
However, Johnson and Johnson (2004) and Mabie (2003) had similarities with
the present study as they sought to explain the effects of inquiry teaching on retention
ability of students. The current study used inquiry approach to establish its
for the latter, it investigated the advantages of inquiry method in teaching Science that
Finally, Yasay (2010) dealt with understanding of Science skills and concepts
in the inquiry sections. It then becomes similar to the present study because both studies
Indeed the reviewed studies above strongly support the framework of the
present study. All the studies cited have relevance to the present study because they all
dealt with the inquiry approach and looked into strategies that could improve the
Conceptual Framework
The study investigated the effectiveness of the inquiry based Science teaching
as a way of developing students’ scientific process skills and attitudes for those who
were enrolled at Tibag High School. Effectiveness was established by the experimental
design, by comparing the experimental and control group on their scientific skills,
attitudes towards Science and performance in Chemistry. The experimental group was
taught using the inquiry-based approach while the control group was taught using the
Students’
Characteristics
This chapter presents the methods of research and data collection processes.
The researcher used appropriate research method and procedure in the treatment and
Methods of Research
scientific skills, the pretest, post-test control group experimental design was used. The
Experimental and control groups were administered with Chemistry achievement test
(performance), Chemistry process skills test and Chemistry attitude scale. This was to
determine the characteristics of experimental and control groups before the treatment.
There were two sections which were randomly assigned to either experimental or
control group through a toss coin. Before the experiment, both groups were given
pretest to determine their initial level of performance in Science process skills and
Chemistry and they were also given an Attitude towards Chemistry Scale. The control
group was taught the same Science concepts using the traditional teaching strategy,
while experimental group was taught using the inquiry approach. After the experiment,
both groups were administered the posttest to measure the change in the students’
towards Chemistry.
32
The subjects of this study were the sixty third year students of Tibag High
School (formerly Maliwalo High School – Annex), during the school year 2013 – 2014.
In this study, the sample consisted of thirty (30) students each for the control and
prepared. Lesson plans for both the experimental and control groups were also
prepared. After the thorough evaluation of the achievement test, the final copy of this
test was used as pretest and posttest for the study. The Science Process Skills (SPS) test
and the Attitude towards Chemistry Scale were adopted from Padilla (1990) and
Skills (SPS) test and the Attitude towards Chemistry Scale a day after the class
orientation. The students in the control group were taught in the traditional method.
The students in the experimental group were taught using inquiry-based approach.
During the experiment, the researcher following the same content coverage handled
both groups.
33
The posttest, which comprised Chemistry Achievement Test, SPS test and the
Attitude towards Chemistry Scale, was administered to both groups the day after the
sessions. The results of the pretest and posttest were analyzed to evaluate the
The instruments used for the data collection were the Chemistry Achievement
A thirty-item teacher-made test was used for the pretest and posttest for the
Chemistry Achievement Test. To ensure the content validity of the test, a Table of
Specification was prepared (Appendix B). The test was presented to the thesis adviser
and statistician, and to three experienced high school Chemistry teachers to judge the
face validity of the test. Their corrections and suggestions were considered. The test
covered topics on gas laws, namely: Boyle’s law, Charles’ law, Gay-Lussac’s law,
The Chemistry Attitude Scale was adopted from Cheung (2009), which
strongly disagree (1), disagree (2), not sure (3), agree (4), or strongly agree (5). The
The Science Process Skills test is an assessment tool adopted from Padilla
recording and interpreting, formulating models, constructing tables of data and graphs,
while the integrated process skills were to be formulating hypotheses, identifying and
controlling.
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