Comparative analysis of laboratory skills (chemistry) among freshmen engineering and B.S. Chemistry students of Pablo Borbon Memorial Institute of Technology

Date of Publication

1990

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Teaching Major in Chemistry

College

Br. Andrew Gonzalez FSC College of Education

Department/Unit

Science Education

Thesis Adviser

Elizabeth Ong

Defense Panel Chair

Melecio Deauna

Defense Panel Member

Gerardo C. Janairo
Paciano Manalo

Abstract/Summary

The main purpose of this study was to identify and compare the laboratory skills in chemistry among freshmen Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students of Pablo Borbon Memorial Institute of Technology during the second semester of the school year 1989-1990. Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions: 1. Which among the laboratory skills in the Test on Science Processes Skills are demonstrated by the freshmen Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students? 2. What is the relationship between the performance in the laboratory as measured by Practical Test and the performance in the Test on Science Processes Skills per group: Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students? 3. How do freshmen Engineering and freshmen B.S. Chemistry students compare in their abilities in 11 skills: measuring, using numbers, communications, predicting, inferring, interpreting, controlling variables, experimenting, classifying, observing and using space/time relationship? 4. How do freshmen Engineering and freshmen B.S. Chemistry students compare in their performance in the Practical Test in the laboratory? The descriptive-survey method of research was used in the study with correlation and regression analyses. The method and procedure included the construction, item analysis, and refinement of the test questionnaire (TSPS), field administering it and analyzing the data. A total of forty-two (42) freshmen Engineering students randomly selected from nine (9) sections of Engineering classes and all the ten (10) B.S. Chemistry students were used as samples of the study. They were given the Test on Science Processes Skills (TSPS) prepared and validated by the researcher and the Practical Test via Magno's Laboratory Skill Questionnaire in the laboratory. Their scores in the test on each skill in the TSPS were tabulated and compared. The Pearson-Product Moment Correlation was used to determine the relationship of the performance in the TSPS and the performance in the Practical Test of each group: Engineering and B.S. Chemistry student

Findings: From the data gathered and analyzed, the following findings emerged: 1. The Engineering students got the highest percent mean which was 73.8 percent in observing. This was followed by interpreting, communicating, classifying, measuring, and using numbers with percent means of 72.75 percent, 72 percent, 69.43 percent, 66.6 percent and 65.2 percent, respectively. Percent means of 58.33 percent, 57.2 percent, and 55.43 percent were obtained for controlling variables, experimenting and inferring, respectively. The percent means for Predicting and Using Space/Time Relationship were each less than 50 percent of the total number of items per skill. For B.S. Chemistry group the highest percent mean was 76 percent for Observing and Communicating. This was followed by Interpreting, Classifying, Experimenting and Inferring with percent means of 75 percent, 61.43 percent, and both 60 percent respectively. The percent means for using numbers and Using Space/Time Relationship were each 50 percent. 2. There is a significant relationship between the performance in the Practical Test and the performance in the TSPS of each group: Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students. The hypothesis of non-significant relationship between the performance in the Practical Test and the performance in the TSPS per group: Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students is therefore rejected. 3. There is no significant difference between the two groups regarding the students' achievement in the skills of observing, communicating, measuring, predicting, inferring, interpreting, controlling variables, classifying and experimenting. The hypothesis of non-significant difference in achieving these skills between the two groups: Engineering and B.S. Chemistry students is not rejected.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Print

Accession Number

TG01787

Shelf Location

Archives, The Learning Commons, 12F Henry Sy Sr. Hall

Physical Description

123 p., 28 cm.

Keywords

Chemistry -- Experiments; Chemisty -- Study and teaching (Higher)

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