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Chapter I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Science begins for children when they realize that they can learn about

the world and construct their own interpretations of events through their actions

and experience. “A child best learns to swim by getting into water; likewise, a

child best learns science by doing science” (Rillero, 2004, p.1). As different to

just simply hearing or reading the lessons, it engages students and allows them

to test their own ideas and build their own understanding (Ewers, 2001).

Therefore, it is difficult to imagine a science-teaching program without doing any

hands-on experiences.

Hands-on experience is defined mainly as any instructional approach

involving activity and direct experience of the students with any educational

experience that actively involve students in manipulating objects for better

understanding. According to Jodl and Eckert (2003), some of the hands-on

activities are based on the use of everyday gadgets, simple set-ups or low-cost

items that can be found and assembled very easily. It also states that “some

hands-on activities can be done for cheaper cost. Thus, there will be no disaster

if a piece breaks or disappears” (p. 238).

Several studies in the literature show that hands-on activities help

students to outperform students who follow traditional, text-based programs

(Turpin, 2000), to enhance their understanding and replace their misconceptions

with the scientific ones (Coştu, Ünal & Ayas 2007; Ünal, 2008), to develop
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attitudes toward science positively (Bilgin, 2006), and to encourage their

creativity in problem solving, promote student independence, improves skills

such as specifically reading, arithmetic computation, and communication (Haury

& Rillero, 2004). It also emphasizes that students learn better when they can

touch, feel, measure, manipulate, draw, make charts, record data and when they

find answers for themselves rather than being given the answer in a textbook or

lecture.

For students to truly learn science concepts, they both need practical

opportunities to apply knowledge and also need help in integrating or exchanging

the knowledge they gain. Students should also have minds-on and/or heads-on

experiences to better understand the lessons during hands-on activities. While

doing hands-on activity, the learner is learning by doing but while minds-on

learning, the learner is thinking about what she or he is learning and doing.

Hofstein and Lunetta (2003), state that a minds-on science activity includes the

use of higher order thinking, such as problem solving compared to the hands-on

activity. Therefore, students should be both physically and mentally engaged in

activities that encourage learners to question and devise temporarily satisfactory

answers to their questions.

This study claims that hands-on activities have the effect on students

understanding about the chemistry lessons. Therefore, the main purpose of this

study is to determine how effective the hands-on activities on the understanding

of the students that were given to them. The results of this study are very

important because the researchers will be able to identify the effect of the hands-
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on activities on the understanding of students in terms of the given activities

based on its level and frequency.

Background of the Study

The ability to design and interpret controlled experiments is an important

scientific process skill and a common curricular objective of science. Many utilize

hands-on tasks to train students’ experimentation skills because it has been

assumed that students should benefit from hands-on experiences, particularly in

the world of virtual laboratories and online learning. This may be especially true

for the initial stages of learning and in areas of science education that lend

themselves to physical experiences.

“In many situations, when we allow our bodies to become part of the

learning process, we understand better. We need to rethink how we are teaching

math and science because our actions matter for how and what we learn.” (Prof.

Beilock,2015). Reading about a concept in a textbook or even seeing a

demonstration in class is not the same as physically experiencing what students

are learning about.

This study seeks to examine whether the students can easily understand

the lessons and if students can catch up in hard topics when they were given

hands-on activities in Chemistry lessons. It will be conducted at Marinduque

National High School. As educational institutions aim to have higher-level

learning outcomes such as critical thinking and problem-solving, engaging

students in hands-on activities becomes progressively more important. Most

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students like learning this way and learn more. It has repeatedly demonstrated

that establishing the relevance of class and outside work increases interest and

persistence of effort to achieve goals. Other investigation supports this by

showing that if students value assigned work and understand its relevance to

classroom instruction and its application to real-life situations, students do not

only invest time and effort in their activities.

Different strategies are used by the teachers for their students to learn and

be active in a discussion. However, this study aims to identify the relationship

between perceptions of the students on hands-on activities and STEM student's

understanding in chemistry lessons.

Theoretical Framework of the Study

Constructivism theory is based on observation and scientific study about

how people learn. It states that people construct their own understanding and

knowledge through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. In

every case, people are active creators of their own knowledge. To do this, one

must ask questions, explore and assess what they know. The constructivist view

of learning can point towards a number of different teaching practices. In the

most general sense, it usually means encouraging students to use active

techniques such as experiments and real-world problem solving to create more

knowledge and then to reflect on and talk about what they are doing and how

their understanding is changing.

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According to Dada (2006), improvised instructional materials involve the

act of producing and using alternative resources aimed at facilitating instruction.

Again, Ikwuas and Onwiodiket (2006) state that improvise materials involve

selection and deployment of relevant instructional elements of the teaching and

learning process in absence or shortage of standard teaching and learning

materials for meaningful realization of specified educational goals and objectives.

Abimbade (2004) had earlier noted that the approach of using materials in

teaching assist in proper introduction of new skills, develop understanding as well

as show the appropriate way of doing things. It was on this ground that Kurumeh

(2006) observed that the utilization of instructional materials take adequate care

of the three domains, the cognitive, affective and Psychomotor, this helps in

reducing the abstractness of the lesson concepts.

Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development suggests that children

move through four different stages of mental development. This theory focuses

not only on understanding how children acquire knowledge but also on

understanding the nature of intelligence. Piaget believed that students took an

active role in the learning process, as they perform experiments, make

observations and learn about the concepts of the things that they do in hands-on

activities. As students interact with the world around them, it continually add new

knowledge, build upon existing knowledge and adapt on previously held ideas to

accommodate new information. It allows students to work in groups or pairs and

research topics which they present to the class.

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Cognitive Learning Theory explains why the brain is the most incredible

network of information processing and interpretation in the body as we learn

things. Developmental psychologists who adopt the information-processing

perspective account for mental development in terms of maturational changes in

basic components of a child's mind. This theory is based on the idea that humans

process the information they receive, rather than merely responding to stimuli

According to John Dewey's Theory Pragmatism, it explains that through a

'Hands-on' approach human beings learn and it believe that the reality must be

experienced to be able to learn.

Conceptual Framework of the Study

Kumar (2011) said that conceptual framework serves us the basis of the

research problem. It is connected to theoretical framework and relates to the

specific research problem.

Inquiry-based Approach Descriptive Survey Approach

Significant
relation
between Understan
Perceptions perceptions ding of
EVALUATION ASSESSMENT
on on hand-on students
Chemistry activities and in
understanding Chemistry
Hands-on of students in
Activities Chemistry lessons
lessons

IMPLICATIONS
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Figure 1. Research Paradigm

The conceptual framework of the study is an Input-Process-Output-

Feedback model. Independent Variable is presented on the left side of the venn

diagram which is the perceptions of the students on hands-on activities while the

dependent variable is on the right side which is the level of understanding of

students in Chemistry lesson. The process for the study is to evaluate and

assess. Venn diagram was used to present the relationship of the two variables.

The circular shape represents the continuous process. The two arrows beside

the venn diagram represent the direction where the process will be applied.

Statement of the Problem

Chemistry is a branch of science that deals with the composition,

properties and structure of matter. Students find this difficult to understand

because it requires a lot of effort, it is very complicated, and supplementary

activities are needed to comprehend the lesson well. In relation to this, this

project aims to identify the relationship between perception on hands-on activities

and STEM student’s understanding in Chemistry lessons.

Moreover, this research sought to answer the following questions:

1. What are the perceptions on hands-on activities in chemistry lessons of

students?

2. What is the level of understanding of students in chemistry lessons?

3. Is there a significant relationship between perceptions on hands-on activities

and level of understanding of students in Chemistry lessons?

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Research Objectives

The general objective of the research is to identify the relationship of

perceptions on hands-on activities with the understanding of STEM Senior High

School students in Chemistry Lessons.

The specific objectives are as follows:

1. To determine the perceptions of students on hands-on activities in Chemistry

2. Identify the effect of the student’s perceptions on hands-on activities on the

understanding of students

3. To determine if there is a significant relation on the understanding of students

in Chemistry and their perceptions on hands-on activities.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will benefit the Marinduque National High School

community in considering the perceptions of the students about hands-on

activities to understand the lessons on Chemistry. Engagement to hands on

activities increase learning experience and enables to retain more information.

This study will aid science teachers to a new learning approach wherein it will be

effective to students learning. This study will be applied on STEM students and

will be guided by teachers to improve students understanding.

Scope and Delimitations

The study seeks to assess the relationship between perceptions on

hands-on activities and the understanding of STEM students in Chemistry

lessons in the academic year 2017-2018. It will be conducted at Marinduque

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National High School. The said school is selected based on the proximity of its

location to the researchers and on the kind of teaching strategies used by the

chemistry teachers. The researchers considered the Grade 12 STEM students as

the respondents since they are the only track which has chemistry lessons.