Acquisition of Manipulative Skills in Chemistry

Acquisition of Manipulative Skills in Chemistry Practical or hands-on activity is an essential instrument of assessment in an active science teaching and learning process. Science practical is a hands-on activity where the students are given the opportunity to practice what they have learned in the theories of science. It is an instrument for the students to acquire Science Process Skills (SPS) and Manipulative Skills (MS). Through practical activities a student’s Science Process Skills, Manipulative Skills as well as critical thinking and learning are developed. Also, science practical is a student centered and active learning process, which prepares a student to learn how to think, analyse, solve problems and produce appropriate solutions to it. This science practical is said to be a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) Model. To identify and evaluate the level of the acquisition of SPS and MS, an assessment should be conducted on students. Assessments are important means of gaining dynamic picture of students academic developme nt. As an instrument of assessment, PEKA Chemistry was introduced in Malaysian school curricular. PEKA Chemistry is school-based practical assessment which was introduced in the year of 1999 to replace SPM Chemistry Practical Paper. This instrument is designed with a few constructs and criteria to assess student’s SPS and MS at the upper secondary level. The assessment is done continuously for two years, starting with the Form Four students and it is continued until the said students complete their Form Five. Students are assessed formatively by their chemistry subject teacher within the process of teaching and learning. LITERATURE REVIEW From other source of study, a few problems were identified in the implementation of PEKA. From the study by Siti Aloyah Alias (2002) ‘Evaluation Of The Implementation Of The PEKA Biology Program’ it is shown that even though the students enjoyed the assessment, many students are not sure of the skills they are suppose to master. With this, it is proven that the studied students have not mastered the SPS and MS skills as stated in the objective of PEKA. This study also shows that teachers are uncertain of using and designing their own scoring rubrics. They find it difficult to mark the students evidence as they do not have a proper standard marking guide. The study on Student Ability in PEKA Biology Among Form Four Science Stream Students by Nor Aziah Darus shows that time constraint in completing experiments was one of the main problem identified. This means the amount of experiments suggested by the ministry has got no proper time allocation. The amount of workload for teachers is too taxing. Teachers are under stress where they are suppose to finish the subject syllabus and the all the PEKA in a limited time of period. This in one way or other leads to lack of interest in teaching and learning of PEKA . Perlaksanaan Peka Kimia Di Sekolah Menengah di Sekitar Daerah Batu Pahat, Johor by Lee Soh Hoon   (2 007) showed that the frequency of the PEKA implementation is not sufficient. Faiza (2002) feels that the teachers are having problem in marking the practical report because the score scheme given by the ministry is too rubric. Additional to this, teachers in certain school are facing problem of insufficient lab apparatus which leads to limitation of experiment to assess. She also quoted that student’s excellent performance in PEKA (Biology) does not promise an excellent result in Biology theoretical examinations.