Fostering science process skills through constructivist-based module among form two students of different cognitive levels

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the 7E-inquiry integrated module (7E-IIM) effect in fostering form two junior secondary school students’ science process skills (SPS). This study employed pre-test, post-test, and delayed post-test quasi-experimental design. 73 students aged 12 years on average constitute the sample of this study. The science process skills test was used to measure the participants’ process skills; meanwhile, the Lawson classroom test of scientific reasoning was administered to classify the participants into the concrete and formal cognitive developmental levels. Repeated measure ANOVA and independent Mann-Whitney U test were used for data analysis. The repeated measure ANOVA findings indicated a significant mean difference between experimental and control groups (p<0.05). However, no significant difference existed in student’s SPS between concrete and formal cognitive levels in the experimental group (p>0.05). On the contrary, there is a significant difference in student’s SPS between concrete and formal cognitive levels in the control group (p<0.05). Overall, the 7E-IIM effectively promotes students’ SPS regardless of their cognitive developmental level. Instructors are therefore recommended to adopt the 7E-IIM in fostering students’ process skills to close the gap in students’ learning differences and difficulties.