SCIENCE LABORATORY INTEGRATED MANUAL OF EXPERIMENTS (SLIME) : KEY TO UNLEASH THE LOVE FOR EXPERIMENTS OF THE GRADE 6 PUPILS OF USANT
Introduction
Child’s curiosity and love for science is innate to them.
Every child is curious about science that is why parents and
teachers must be very patient in answering their queries
about science. Science is broad and is divided into many
different parts. Everything around us is a science that is why
we cannot blame the kids if they become interested in it.
There are also a lot of things that even today nobody can
answer. So, as educators, we are trying our best to help
especially in solving and answering pupil’s queries.
DepEd’s foremost program that aims to foster critical
thinking, creativity, and innovation among students, NSTF
promotes Science and technology consciousness among the
youth by enabling them to produce and present Science
researches and projects.1
DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones2 said
“Children in this digital age are very much into gadgets,
robotics, and technology that our generation could only
imagine, or see in films and read in books. Things have
changed, and it is challenging to catch up, but these
advancements are becoming indispensable not only in
education but practically in all aspects of life. Therefore, the
Department continuously advocates the cultivation of
curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and innovation among
our youth—to enable and nurture the country’s generation
of globally competitive innovators.” If at an early age the
pupils will be trained about the scientific process of
conducting research, soon we might develop those pupils
that we have today to become future researchers or scientists.
Science learning is practical-oriented and requires
practical activities in the laboratory. It requires broad -based
experiences to widen students' knowledge in a world of
abundance of choices and opportunities to give meaning to
learning. Science learning employs experiments using
enriching learning materials to equip learners with
appropriate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors .3
Achimugu4 stated that science learning involves
experimentation that uses hands -on and minds-on activities
for better understanding. This is because experimental
methods enable students to verify theories, laws, and
principles surrounding science phenomena. These
parameters help the students to build their capacity and
interest to attain the goal s of learning science.
Inquiry-based science adopts an investigative approach
to teaching and learning where students are provided with
opportunities to investigate a problem, search for possible
solutions, make observations, ask questions, test out ideas,and
think creatively and use their intuition. In this sense,
inquiry-based science involves students doing science where
they have opportunities to explore possible solutions,
develop explanations for the phenomena under
investigation, elaborate on concepts and processes, and
evaluate or assess their understandings in the light of
available evidence. This approach to teaching relies on
teachers recognizing the importance of presenting problems
to students that will challenge their current conceptual
understandings, so they are forced to reconcile anomalous
thinking and construct new understandings.5
Inquiry-based science challenges students' thinking by
engaging them in investigating scientifically orientated
questions where they learn to give priority to evidence,
evaluate explanations in the light of alternative explanations
and learn to communicate and justify their decisions. These
are dispositions needed to promote and justify their
decisions. In short, "Scientific inquiry requires the use of
evidence, logic, and imagination in developing explanations
about the natural world".6
A positive attitude toward school is important in today’s
environment. Inspiring and encouraging students to do well
in school can be achieved through inquiry -based science
activities and labs. Young children are naturally curious and
begin life as natural scientists.7 With the use of different
activities in science through experiments, pupils can answer
problems that will be useful to them. It is also a key point
in the part of both teachers and parents because through
experiments they can solve problems even by themselves
alone. Their attitude in solving experiments can also be used
by them especially in solving real-life problems. Their
experiences in solving problems can greatly help them in
solving their problems.
Having a manual that will serve as their guide in
conducting experiments will greatly help them in their
studies most especially in acquiring firsthand information
because they are the ones who will gathe r information to be
able to answer the different questions given to them. With
the help of the manual, it will be easier for them to see the
flow and procedure of their experiments, and since in the
manual only the materials, procedures and questions are
present, the teachers will be able to test the knowledge of
the pupils regarding the topic because they don’t have the
chance to browse or scan their book for additional answers.
This study was anchored on the theories of David A.
Kolb’s Experiential Theory, Albert Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory and Cognitive-Gestalt Approach
Theory by S. Burns. Figure 1 shows the theoretical paradigm
of the study.
According to the Experiential Learning of Kolb, it
focuses on the learning process for the individual. Thus, one
makes discoveries and experiments with knowledge
firsthand, instead of hearing or reading about other’s
experiences. Likewise, in school, internship and job -
shadowing, opportunities in a student’s field of interest can
provide valuable experiential learning which contributes
significantly to the student’s overall understanding o f the
real-time environment.8
Experiential learning can exist without a teacher and
relates solely to the meaning-making process of the
individual’s direct experience. However, though the gaining
of knowledge is an inherent process that occurs naturally, a
genuine learning experience requires certain elements.
Knowledge is continuously gained through both personal and
environmental experiences.9
To gain genuine knowledge from an experience, the
learner must have four abilities: be willing to actively
involved in the experience, be able to reflect on the
experience, possess and use analytical skills to
conceptualize the experience and must possess decision
making and problem-solving skills to use the new ideas
gained from the experience. Moreover, experiential learning
is specifically defined as ―learning through reflection on
doing.10
Pupils’ first-hand experiences are the best teacher. With
the use of the different activities, it will help the pupils to
retain in their minds the different processes used in the
different activities. Since the pupils have various activities,
it will help them to reflect on their mistakes that will help
them not to commit the same mistakes.
According to Albert Bandura, the capability that is
most ―distinctly human‖ is that of self-reflection, hence it
is a prominent feature of social cognitive theory. Through
self-reflection, people make sense of their experiences,
explore their cognitions and self-beliefs, engage in selfevaluation, and alter their thinking and behavior
accordingly. Of all the thoughts that affect human
functioning and standing at the very core of social cognitive
theory are self-efficacy beliefs, ―people’s judgments of their
capabilities to organize and execute courses of action
required to attain designated types of performances.11
Since the pupils have gained a lready different
experiences from the different activities they had answered,
they have already the belief that they have the capabilities
to do more challenging and enjoyable activities. With the
help of the self- efficacy theory, it can help them to boost
more their confidence that they can use in answering their
activities. Because everything is about mind over action, if
they have the confidence it will give them a positive result.
The Cognitive-Gestalt approaches by S. Burn
emphasized the importance of experience, meaning, problem
solving and development of insight. Burn noted that this
theory has developed the concept that an individual has
different needs and concerns at different times, and th at
they have subjective interpretations in different contexts.
Exposed to different situation will strengthen the acquired
knowledge and store in the memory.12
With the help of the different experiences gained by the
pupils and their efficiency in solving problems, it is a must
that they combined these all to become a problem solver.
Since a pupil has his/her own technique or even strategy,
he/she can be able to solve the problem.
Experiential Learning Theory is particularly useful in
this study because when pupils have already their firsthand
experience. They can solve and experiment with the
different problems given without the help of others. They
will use the process involved for each problem given. While
self- efficacy theory is about building and boosting selfconfidence because they can communicate well their
answers when they are asked to do it in front of others.
When they have already the experiences and the selfefficacy in solving problems, Cognitive - Gestalt Theory will
be of great help when the first two theories are achieved.
Through experience of analyzing and interpreting different
problems given to them. The pupils are led to become more
confident in solving different problems in mathematics.
With the insight gained from the theories, the
researchers theorized that every tas k or skill undergoes a
learning process, especially when it is coupled with
worthwhile learning activities. This theory is called “SLIME Theory”,
a teacher must be equipped with appropriate and
adequate experiment materials, apparatuses, and
intervention materials. These learning materials are
effective tools in helping the pupils learn and participate and
become more confident to prove their uniqueness and
abilities. With the use also of the said theory, the love for
experiments of the learners will be dev eloped because of the
series of activities made for the learners.
Conclusion
Based on the findings, the study conclude that:
- The pretest result in Science 6 of the control group is higher than the experimental group.
- Science Laboratory of Integrated Manual of Experiments (SLIME) was developed.
- The supplemental material in science 6 is curricularly valid.
- The posttest results of the control group is lower than the result of the experimental group.
- There is a significant difference in the posttest result of the control and experimental group. This implies that because of the supplemental material used, it helps to improve the performance of the pupils in the experimental group.
- Teaching science is not only about the different definitions of terms that can be found inside the book. But also other ways and strategies that can facilitate the learning process of the pupils by means of laboratory manual with different experiments.
Researchers
- Annalyn G. Corpin
- Noemi G. De la Justa
- April V. Dorosan
- Richard O. Nonato
- Regine Mae L. Quite
- Zephra A. Ramboyong
- Lorabelle M. Salvadora
- Sharon I. Tabayag