Students’ science process skills on their acid base learning

Tiara Lestari Paembonan1, a), and Jaslin Ikhsan2

1
Graduate School, Yogyakarta State University, Jl. Colombo No.1, Yogyakarta 55281,
Indonesia
2
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Yogyakarta
State University, Jl. Colombo No.1, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia

Corresponding author e-mail: a) paembonantiara@gmail.com

Abstract. Science process skills is one of the factors that positively influence students
in understanding science concepts, such as chemistry. Science process skills divided
into two levels; basic and integrated. This study aims to describe the levels of students'
science process skills in acid base learning with use a quantitative descriptive research
method. Students in a high school at Rantepao, Toraja Utara who learned acid base are
participants in this study. Research data were collected using a validated test
technique. Data were analyzed by categorizing the scores gained from the science
process skills test into the ideal rating category. The results showed that students'
science process skills in the poor category. Inferring as the highest and classifying as
the lowest percentage of students’ basic process skills indicators. While formulating
hypotheses as the highest and interpreting data as the lowest percentage of students’
integrated process skills indicators.

1. Introduction
Chemistry learning on its implementation sometimes facing obstacles that inhibit students’ learning
process and caused poor understanding of concepts [1]. These obstacles can originate from the
chemical concept itself which is abstract [2] then the educator presents the concept and assumes that
students will understand the concept just by memorizing [3]. However, it will make students see
science as a process that consists of memorization only and develops a perception of science that is not
real.
Acid base is very important in chemistry learning, because most of the reactions that exist
included in acid base reactions [4]. Acid base include complex calculations and concepts so it is
considered as one of the difficult matter by students [5]. Therefore, to understand difficult chemical
concepts such as acid base, students must be able to master a various of skills needed in learning
chemistry [6]. There are a number of skills applied in the chemistry learning, one of them is the
science process skills.
 Science process skills is a skill that require students to be able to think and act like scientists [7] .
These skills provides a framework of how scientists act, think, and deepen the problem to find solution
scientifically [8]. Students need to improve their process skills in order to understand the chemical
concept completely. Students with high science process skills will have high mastery of concepts as
well [9]. Science process skills is very important for students as provision when using scientific
methods in developing science and are expected to acquire new knowledge or develop the knowledge
they already have [10].
Science process skills is divided into two levels, namely basic process skills and integrated
process skills [11] [12] [13] [14]. Basic process skills is usually aimed at the primary school level,
while integrated process skills can be achieved by medium and higher school students [15] [16] [17].
However, these process skills; basic and integrated are inter-correlated. Basic process skills include
observing, classifying, communicating, measuring, predicting, and inferring [18]. Integrated process
skills include formulating hypotheses, controlling variables, interpreting data, and experimenting [19]
[20].
Science process skills is not only about psychomotor ability but also about cognitive
understanding [21]. The individual science process skills is different, so understanding concepts can
have an impact on the used science process skills. Very invalid if assess the science process skills in
assignments that require understanding of the concept but the concept is not given to students [22].
Science process skills in the context of 21st century learning cannot be separated from science learning.
This skills is considered as a requirement that allows students to learn and understand science [23].
Thus, it can be concluded that science process skills have the potential to contribute to a positive effect
on the success of science learning.

2. Research Method
3. Research design and participants
This study use a quantitative descriptive research method. Quantitative descriptive method do not have
an intervention or treatment and are considered non experimental [24]. This study used a convenience
sampling for time efficient. A total of 106 high school students in Rantepao, Toraja Utara who learned
acid base consist of 80 female and 26 male students were participants in this study.

2.2 Instruments and data collection techniques

Students’ science process skills data were collected by using test technique which previously
validated. Science process skills questions test made in the form of essay based on indicators of
science process skills; six indicators of basic skills and four indicators of integrated skills. The test
consisted of 10 essay questions including ten indicators, namely observing, classifying,
communicating, measuring, predicting, inferring, formulating hypotheses, controlling variables,
interpreting data, and experimenting. The the grid of science process skills test are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Grid of science process skills test.

Science process skills

Main indicator Question indicator
indicator
Observing Collect data using the senses, Determine the right indicator
including recognizing and solution to be used in an
 comparing objects quantitatively
and qualitatively
Sort out various object of events
Classifying based on their specific nature to
obtain a group
Convey idea or finding to others
Communicating
verbally
Compare the measured object with
Measuring a certain predetermined unit of
measurement
Estimate based on interpolation
Predicting and extrapolation or repetitive
pattern
Decide the state of an object based
Inferring on the desired facts, concepts, and
principles
State the relation between two
variables, proposes an estimate of
Formulating hypotheses
the cause by expressing how to
solve the problem
Identify variables that affect the
result of the experiment
Controlling variables
Give conclusion from recorded
Interpreting data data
Design activities carried out to test
Experimenting
hypotheses
experiment
Distinguish between acid and
base solutions based on
Arrhenius’s theory
Describe a reaction that show
the superiority of Lewis’s
theory
Calculate the pH range solution
through the use of indicator
solution
Predict the color changes that
occur in a sample
Determine the solution that act
as a proton donor through
litmus paper experiment
Expresses an opinion on the
issue of acid-base
neutralization in the stomach
scientifically
Determine the color change of
the indicator based on pH
solution that has been
determined
Describe the solution acidity
with the result of experiment
using an indicator solution
Design an experiment of
natural indicator

The instrument test was examined firstly by testing the validity and reliability. Validity in this
study divided into two; theoretical and empirical validity. Theoretical validity was conducted with
judgement by the expert in content (acid base concept), construction, and language in the form of
assessing the appropriateness of instrument test questions to two experts from the Department of
Chemistry Education. After getting corrections and suggestions from the expert, revision are made and
the validation process is continued with empirical validity. The results of the analysis showed an
estimate of Cronbach's Alpha reliability of 0.70 which was included in the good category. It means
that the science process skills instrument test can be used to collect data.

2.3 Data analysis technique

The data analysis techniques used to calculate the students' process skills by categorizing the score
gained based on the ideal rating category. The steps that need to be done are recapitulating the score of
the test, making a range of score for the ideal rating category, and categorizing the score gained in
accordance with the ideal rating category [25]. Science process skills level are divided into 5
categories, which are very good, good, fair, poor, and very poor with the highest ideal score of 50 and
the lowest ideal score of 0. The ideal rating category are shown in Table 2.

Table 2. Ideal rating category.

Category Score Range

Very Good X > 40

Good 30 < X ≤ 40

Fair 20 < X ≤ 30

Poor 10 < X ≤ 20

Very Poor X ≤ 10

4. Results and Discussion

Data result calculation assessing students' science process skills test are shown in Figure 1.

45% 39.62%
40%
35% 31.13%
30%
23.58%
25%
20%
15%
10% 5.66%
5% 0.00%
0%
Very Good Good Fair Poor Very Poor
 Figure 1. Students' Science Process Skills

The figure above indicate that the greatest number of students' science process skills result in
acid base learning included in the poor category. It means the learning process in school especially on
chemistry class has not fully optimized science process skills of students. Students should be more
trained to develop their process skill, because with high science process skills they will have high
mastery of concepts as well. As we know that acid base is closely related to our daily life and students
should be introduced with chemistry learning related to the context of life.

3.1 Basic Process Skills

The calculation result for the basic process skills of students including six indicators, namely
observing, classifying, communicating, measuring, predicting, and inferring are shown in Figure 2.

Observing 27.92%

Classifying 12.83%

Communicating 22.74%

Measuring 38.68%

Predicting 42.74%

Inferring 55.85%

Figure 2. Students' Basic Process Skills

The basic process skills are an appropriate set of skills to implement on science learning for
students in primary school level [18]. Observing is the most basic activity conducted by a scientist that
can provides the basis for students to understand objects or events in science learning. Through the use
of these skill, students expected to use the gained new concepts as a framework in which they embed
new information. Observation requires the processing of information more than simply looking at
something. The process of observation provides a wealth of information, but that information takes on
meaning only when it is organized. Classifying is the skill used when the information will be
organized. This skill helps to make sense out of what observed by separating and grouping
information. Another essential skill in science learning is good communicating, because scientists rely
on communication during the process of verification. Scientific observations must be verifiable; that
means another person making the same observation should observe the same things which were
observed by the original observer. Then, measuring is a skill that used to improve the precision of an
observation. Measuring skills are used in all of the other process skills when quantify observations.
Measurement is essential to making the kinds of observations that allow scientists to find patterns
from what they do in science activity. The most important role of science for many people in live is to
provide a basis for predicting what will happen. Scientists use prediction to verify their understanding
of regularities in nature. Predicting is the forecasting of future observations. It is done by scientists to
see if their ideas on how the natural world behaves are correct. Scientists develop ideas about how the
natural world works by making observations and looking for patterns in what they observe. The
patterns are used to develop explanations of why something happened. Scientific curiosity leads to ask
questions about objects and events. The answers to many of these questions cannot be directly
observed. Inferences are explanations of observations that are supported by evidence. Inferences begin
with the observation of an effect and express a believed cause for that effect. The believed cause
comes from the author knowledge base acquired from prior experiences and observations.
The calculation result indicate that inferring as the highest and classifying as the lowest
percentage of students’ basic process skills indicators. Low percentage of classifying indicate that
students are difficult to differentiate or grouping objects or information based on specific
characteristics. In this case, science teacher should give more examples about an object in the learning
process so the students can be easily to detect similarities then grouping objects based on certain
criterion.

3.2 Integrated Process Skills

The calculation result for the integrated process skills of students including four indicators, namely
formulating hypotheses, controlling variables, interpreting data, and experimenting are shown in
Figure 3.

Formulating hypotheses 62%

Controlling variables 25%

Interpreting data 20%

Experimenting 29%

Figure 3. Students' Integrated Process Skills

The integrated process skills are more suitable for higher education level [19] [20]. Formulating
hypotheses is a skill of make an assumption which will be verified upon investigations. Hypotheses is
also known as a tentative answer to a problem and it is different from prediction, because a prediction
has more elements of certainty which are usually based on available evidence than hypotheses .
Controlling variables is a skills to see patterns from keeping of one scientific variable constant, while
varying the others to obtain consistent changes in experiment. A variable is an event, happening,
phenomenon or anything that can change and affect the results of an investigation. Interpreting data is
a skill to read, make meaning and draw valued statements from gained data. Data gained during
investigations needed to be interpreted in concrete terms, so that reasonable conclusions and
generalizations could be made. Interpreting data leads us to reasonable conclusions and generalization
which would subsequently result in predictions of further experiments. Experimenting is the skill to
get involved in scientific investigations through scientific methods to obtain results. A scientific
knowledge is only accepted when relevant experimentation have been conducted and verified.
Therefore, experiment is carried out to investigate the correctness of what the scientists have found or
discovered.
The calculation result indicate that formulating hypotheses as the highest and interpreting data
as the lowest percentage of students’ integrated process skills indicators. Low percentage of
interpreting data indicate that students are not able to take the centre point of a data. Science teachers
should engage students in activities that would require the development of interpretive skill.
Information obtained from data can best be understood through interpretation to meaning. Both result
of science process skills; basic and integrated are mostly same. While participants of this study is
students in high school level. It means that their basic skill should be higher than integrated skill. It
can be conclude that students have to optimized their science process skills on the science learning
process before move to the higher education level.

5. Conclusion
Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the level of students' science process skills
in acid base learning is still relatively low or in the poor category at 39.62%. Inferring as the highest
and classifying as the lowest percentage of students’ basic process skills indicators. While formulating
hypotheses as the highest and interpreting data as the lowest percentage of students’ integrated process
skills indicators.

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