The Predictive Effect of Some Variables on Fifth and Sixth Grade Students’ Scientific Process Skills

Year 2020, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 10 - 23, 15.01.2020

Cemal Tosun

https://doi.org/10.21891/jeseh.657339

Cited By: 1

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate whether there was a predictive effect of the frequency of laboratory use of students, their academic success and attending various opportunities to learn science outside the classroom on the fifth and sixth grade students’ scientific process skills performance (SPSP). Also, it was investigated whether there was a significant relationship between the students’ SPSP and the grade level in which the concepts included in the test items were appropriate. The quantitative research methods were used in this study. Data were collected from 458 fifth and sixth grade students. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the effects of the frequency of laboratory use of students, their academic success and attending various opportunities to learn science outside the classroom on students’ SPSP. As a result, it was determined that students’ academic success was important predictor variables that affect the fifth and sixth grade students’ SPSP. It was also determined that the frequency of laboratory use of students had an important predictive effect on students’ causal scientific process skills performance (C-SPSP). Additionally, it was determined that various opportunities to learn science outside the classroom such as attending in science fairs and reading scientific journals had an important predictive effect on students’ SPSP. Although, it was also determined that the students’ SPSP differs according to the grade level, statistically significant relationship was not found between the students’ SPSP and the grade level in which the concepts included in the test items were appropriate.

Keywords

Academic success, Laboratory practice, Scientific process skills performance, Opportunities to learn science outside the classroom

Supporting Institution

Bartın University

Project Number

2016 SOS-A-005

Thanks

The author would like to thank the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Bartın University for financial support (Project Number 2016 SOS-A-005).

References

• Akben, N. (2015). Improving science process skills in science and technology course activities using the inquiry method. Education and Science, 40(179), 111 -132. Ango, M. L. (2002). Mastery of science process skills and their effective use in the teaching of science: An educology of science education in the Nigerian context. International Journal of Educology, 16(1), 11-30. Böyük, U., Tanık, N., & Saraçoğlu, S. (2011). Analysis of the scientific process skill levels of secondary school students based on different variables. Journal of TUBAV Science, 4(1), 20-30. Buck, L. B., Bretz, S. L. & Towns, M. H. (2008). Characterizing the level of inquiry in the undergraduate laboratory. Research and Teaching, 38(1), 52-58. Brown T. A. (2006). Confirmatory factor analysis: for applied research, New York: Guilford. Carrier, S. J., (2009). The effects of outdoor science lessons with elementary school students on preservice teachers’ self-efficacy. Journal of Elementary Science Education, 21(2), 35–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03173683 Cuevas, P., Lee, O., Hart, J. & Deaktor, R. (2005). Improving science inquiry with elementary studets of diverse backgrounds. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 42(3), 337-357. Çepni, S., Ayas, A., Johnson, D., & Turgut, M. F. (1997). Fizik öğretimi: Milli eğitimi geliştirme projesi [Physics teaching: National education development project]. Ankara. Downing, J. E. & Filer, J.D. (1999). Science process skills and attitudes of preservice elementary teachers, Journal of Elementary Science Education, 11(2), 57-64. Ercan, E. B. (1996). The perceptions of teachers on the development of the science process skills at 4 and 5 grades. Master Thesis, Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Ergin, Ö., Şahin-Pekmez, E. & Öngel-Erdal, S. (2005). Kuramdan uygulamaya deney yoluyla fen öğretimi [Teaching science through experimentation from theory to practice]. İzmir: Dinazor kitapevi. Field, A. (2005), Discovering statistics using SPSS. London: Sage Publication. Fraenkel, J. R., & Wallen, N. E. (2006). How to design and evaluate research in education (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw Hill Higher Education. Foulds, W. & Rowe, J. (1996). The enhancement of science process skills in primary teacher education students. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 21(1), 16-23. Germann, P. J. (1989). Directed-inquiry approach to learning science process skills: treatment effects and aptitude-treatment interactions. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 26(3), 237-250. Germann, P. J. & Aram, R.J. (1996). Student performances on the science process of recording data, drawing conclusions and providing evidence. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 33(7), 773-798. Germann, P. J., (1994). Testing a model of science process skills acquisition: An interaction with parents, education, preffered language, gender, science attitude, cognitive development, academic ability, and biology knowledge. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 31(7), 749-783. Griffiths, A. & Thompson, J. (1993). Secondary school students’ understandings of scientific process: An interview study, Research in Science & Technological Education, 11(1), 15-26. Güden, C., & Timur, B. (2016). Ortaokul öğrencilerinin bilimsel süreç becerilerinin incelenmesi (Çanakkale örneği) [Examining secondary school students’ cognitive process skills (Çanakkale sample)]. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 16(1), 163-182. Harlen, W. (1999). Purposes and procedures for assessing science process skills. Assessment in Education, 6(1), 129-144. Huppert, J., Lomask, S. M. & Lazarorcitz, R. (2002). Computer simulations in the high school: students’ cognitive stages, science process skills and academic achievement in microbiology. International Journal of Science Education, 24(8), 803-821. Jöreskog K. G., & Sörbom D., (1993). Lisrel 8: Structural equation modeling with the SIMPLIS command language, Lincolnwood: Scientific Software International, Inc. Karar, E. E., & Yenice, N. (2012a). The investigation of scientific process skill level of elementary education 8th grade students in view of demographic features. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 46, 3885-3889. Karar, E. E., & Yenice, N. (2012b). Analysis of the scientific process skill level of primary school 8th grade students based on different variables. Çukurova University Faculty of Education Journal, 21(1), 83-100. Keith, T. (2006). Multiple regression and beyond. Boston, MA: Pearson. Klemm, E. B. & Plourde, L. A. (2003). Examining the multi-sensory charectiristics of hands-on science activities. The Annual Meeting of the Association for the Education of Teachers of Science, Sn.Louise (January 29-February 2, 2003). Kline R. B. (2005). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling, 2nd edn, NY: Guilford Publications, Inc. Koslowski, B. (1996). Theory and evidence: The development of scientific reasoning. Cambridge: MIT Press. Lavinghousez, W.E.Jr. (1973). The analysis of the biology readiness scale (BRS), as a measure of inquiry skills required. Paper presented at BSCS Biology, College of Education, University of Central Florida. Lee, O., Eichinger, D. C., Anderson, C. W., Berkheimer, G. D. & Blakeslee, T. S. (1993). Changing middle scholl students’ conceptions of matter and molecules. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 30(3), 249-270. Martin, D. J. (2003). Elementary science methods: a constructivist approach (3rd ed.). USA: Thomson Publishing Company. Martina E. N., (2007), Determinants of J.S.S. students’ level of acquisition of science process skills, Master Thesis, Nsukka: University of Nigeria. Ministry of National Education (MoNE), (2017). Ortaöğretim fen bilimleri dersi öğretim programı [Secondary science curriculum], Ankara. McMillan, J.H. & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in education: Evidence-based inquiry (7th edn), Boston: Pearson. Morgan G. A., Leech N. L., Gloeckner G. W. & Barret K. C. (2004). SPSS for introductory statistics: use and interpretation, 2nd edn, London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Myers, B. E., Washburn, S. G. & Dyer, J. E. (2004). Assessing agriculture teachers’ capacity for teaching science integrated process skills. Journal of Southern Agricultural Education Research, 54(1), 74-85. National Research Council (NRC). (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. NGSS Lead States, (2013). Next generation science standards: for states, by states, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Nwosu, N. M. (1991). The effects of teacher sensitization on secondary school students’ level of acquisition of science process skills. Unpublished PhD dissertation, Nsukka: University of Nigeria. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), (2007). PISA 2006: Science competencies for tomorrow’s world: volume 1-Analysis. Retrieved from http://www. oecd. ilibrary.org/education/pisa2006_9789264040014-en. Orion, N., & Hofstein A., (1994). Factors that influence learning during a scientific field trip in a natural environment. Journal of Research Science Teaching, 31(10), 1097–1119 Ostlund, K. L. (1998). What the research says about science process skills. Electronic Journal of Science Education, 2(4), 1-8. Pyle, E. J. (2008). A model of inquiry for teaching earth science. Electronic Journal of Science Education. 12(2), 3-21. Rambuda, A.M. & Fraser, W.J. (2004). Perceptions of teachers of the application of science process skills in the teaching of geography in secondary schools in the Free State province. South African Journal of Education, 24(1), 10-17. Rezba, R. J., Sprague, C., McDonnough, J. T. & Matkins, J. J. (2007). Learning and assessing science process skills. Iowa: Kenndall/Hunt Publishing Company. Rillero, P. (1998). Process skills and content knowledge. Science Activities, 35(3), 3-4. Saat, R. M. (2004). The acquisition of integrated science process skills in a web-based learning environment. Research in Science & Technological Education, 33(1), 23-40. Settlage, J. & Southerland, S. (2007). Teaching science to every child. New York: Routledge Taylor & Francais Group. Shahali, E.H.M. & Halim, L. (2010). Development and validation of a test of integrated science process skills. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 9, 142-146. Shum, D., O’Gorman, J., & Myors, B. (2006). Psychological testing and assessment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Sipahi, B., Yurtkoru, E. S., & Çinko, M. (2008). Sosyal bilimlerde SPSS’le veri analizi. [Data analysis with SPSS in social sciences] İstanbul: Beta yayınları. Sittirug, H. (1997). The predictive value of science process skills, attitude toward science, and cognitive development on achievement in a Thai teacher institution. Unpublished PhD. Thesis, University of Missouri-Columbia. Soyibo, K. (1998). An assessment of caribbean integrated science textbooks’ practical tasks. Research in Science & Technological Education, 16(1), 31-41. Şen, A. Z. & Nakiboğlu, C. (2012). Ortaöğretim kimya ders kitaplarının bilimsel süreç becerileri açısından incelenmesi [Analyze of high school chemistry textbooks’ in terms of science process skills]. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Kırşehir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi (KEFAD), 13(3), 47-65. Tamir, P. & Lunetta, V.N. (1981). Inquiry-related tasks in high school science laboratory handbooks. Science Education, 65(5), 477-484. Temiz, B. K. (2010). The importance of the item’s contents at assessment of the science process skills. E-Journal of New World Sciences Academy, 5(2), 614-628. Tosun, (2017). Madde ve değişim öğrenme alanı kapsamında 5. ve 6. sınıf düzeyine uygun bilimsel süreç beceri testi geliştirilmesi: Geçerlik ve güvenirlik çalışması [Scientific process skills test development within the topic “Matter and its Nature” for 7th and 8th grade students: Validity and reliability study]. Paper presented at 5th International Instructional Technologies & Teacher Education Symposium-ITTES 2017, Abstract Proceedings, p.231. Tosun, (2019). Scientific process skills test development within the topic “Matter and its Nature” and the predictive effect of different variables on 7th and 8th grade students’ scientific process skill levels. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 20, 160-174. Walters, B. & Soyibo, K. (2001). An analysis of high school student’s performance on five integrated science process skills, Research in Science & Techological Education, 19(2), 133-143. Williams, M. W., Papierrno, P. B., Makel, M. C. & Ceci, S. J. (2004). Thinking like a scientist about real world problems: The Cornell institute for research on children science education program. Applied Developmental Psychology, 25, 107-126. Yu, S. M. & Bethel, L. J. (1991). The influence of hands on science process skills training on preservice elementary teachers’ anxiety and concerns about teaching science activities in Taiwan, republic of China. The Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Lake Geneva (April 7-10, 1991). Zeidan, A. H. & Jayosi, M.R. (2015). Science process skills and attitudes toward science among Palestinian secondary school students. World Journal of Education, 5(1), 13-24