The Mobile Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) Legend was developed in order to help students master the skills in balancing chemical equations which is one of the least learned skills in Grade 10 Science. Its effectiveness was tested by determining if there was a significant difference on the pretest and posttest scores of the learners. Further, the students respond towards the SIM was also analyzed through thematic analysis to see whether students prefer using the intervention. The research was conducted last February 2019 at Matlang National High School of DepEd Leyte Division located at Isabel making use of the Sequential Explanatory Design with 46 Grade 10 student-respondents. Researcher which is also the Grade 10 Science Teacher introduced the Mobile SIM Legend within 5 sessions for 1 hour each. Prior to the SIM utilization, a pre-test was administered to the learners and after fifth session, the post-test was given. The mean, standard deviation, dependent sample t-test, and thematic analysis were the statistical tools used in the data analysis. Student-respondents manifested an Average Level of the skill on balancing chemical equation in the pre-test and increases to Moving Towards Mastery in the posttest. Moreover, a significant difference on the pretest and posttest scores was determined using the dependent t-test implying that the intervention was instrumental in helping students understand better the concept on balancing chemical equation. Participants’ responses in this study yielded three major themes to answer the question on the personal perception about the SIM intervention: provides motivating approach, promotes autonomous learning, and knowledge-bridge tool. The Mobile SIM Legend aided the students to improve their skill in balancing chemical equations, thus, effect a positive impact on students’ performance.
Keywords: Strategic Intervention Material, Balancing Chemical Equations, Mobile Legend, Performance Level, Average Level, Moving Towards Mastery Level
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The researcher would like to extend her warmest thanks and deepest gratitude to the following:
To her beloved parents, family and husband, for their never-ending support, understanding and their unfading love and concern which serve as her strong foundation towards the achievement of her goals in life. They were the one who made this whole thing possible in terms of moral and financial support and encouragement which the researcher drew inspirations and enthusiasms for this action research.
To the energetic members of DepEd Leyte Division Research Team headed by Dr. Mauricio M. Catan, to the supportive speakers and facilitators of Project BEST, and to her active School Principal, Dr. Vevian D. Salahid, whose guidance, patience, suggestions and deep concern encourages her to continue and preserve and for giving their intellectual capacity through valuable insights and extra time for giving technical assistance and editing the work that made this action research paper a very successful one.
Above all, to the Almighty God and Savior Jesus Christ, for giving her the knowledge, patience, strength, courage and love that led to the realization of this endeavor.
To all, a million of thanks and sincere appreciation for the concern and support.
CONTEXT AND RATIONALE
Science is an important part of the foundation for education for all children (Cook, n.d.). But with the problems persisting today in Philippine education system, our stand for functional literacy to empower learners is at stake. In an article entitled “The Sorry State of RP Public Education”, former Education Secretary Florencio Abad stated at the National Educators Congress that the Philippines is no. 41 in Science and No. 42 in Mathematics among 45 countries (Manila Times, 2004).
Students’ performance in the National Achievement Test (NAT) shows that Science continues to be the most difficult field of study in basic education. The results are intended to guide the Department of Education in its efforts towards the improvement of the quality of education in public schools and to provide appropriate intervention for the students.
Matlang National High School is a public secondary school located in Matlang, Isabel, Leyte. It has a total number of 52 teachers (as of this school year) with a classroom to student ratio of 1:45 and 1:1 learner-seat ratio. In terms of enrolment, the population of the school is increasing. In the school year 2016-2017, the population of the school was 1,084 students composed of 588 males and 496 female students. In the year 2017-2018, the enrolment increased to 1,262 composed of 677 males and 585 female students. While in this present school year, the enrolment increased to 1,465 composed of 784 males and 681 female students.
In the School Monitoring and Evaluation Assessment (SMEA) results last S.Y. 2017-2018, the Mean Percentage Score in Science (MPS) of Matlang National High School (MNHS) was 71.48 with a gap of 3.52 from the standard 75 MPS standard set by the Department of Education (DepEd). The said MPS was within the Moving Towards Mastery level (NETRC, 2012).
The SMEA conducted its quarterly meeting and review on the academic performance of MNHS students. Based on the initial findings, balancing chemical equations continued to be one of the top list under least learned competency in Science 10.
The Department of Education (DepEd) had employed a solution for the deteriorating academic performance of students in the field of science and technology. With the foregoing concerns of educators, the Department of Education developed a system of teaching learners with special needs called Strategic Intervention Material (SIM). As stipulated in the DepEd Order No. 39, S. 2012, interventions have to be made in order to address learning gaps. The use of SIM, is identified as one of the suggested various intervention form that can bridge learning gaps.
It is for these reasons that the researcher embarks on developing SIM in Science entitled “Mobile SIM Legend: Bang of Chemical Equations- Victory in Balancing!” which is about Balancing Chemical Equations for Grade 10 students that will enhance learning and remedy the least mastered skills of the students, thus attain improvement in their academic performance.
In an overview, it is the intent of this research to investigate the effectiveness of using the Teacher-Made Science SIM which is the Mobile SIM Legend in enhancing the academic performance of the Grade 10 students with regards to balancing chemical equations.
INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY
The Mobile SIM Legend followed the basic parts of the SIM which is composed of various cards such as Guide Card, Activity Card, Assessment Card, Enrichment Card, Answer Card, and Reference Card. The Guide Card contained what is expected to be done and performed by the students on each activity. The Activity Card is composed of five levels which are the following: Level 1: Defense Control Technique; Level 2: Fair Competition: Balance the See-saw Challenge! Level 3: Levelling Up in Balancing Chemical Equations!; Level 4: League of Numbers- Balancing Mission!; and, Level 5: Destroy the Main Turret- Balancing Chemical Equations! These were arranged according to increasing level of difficulty wherein student could not proceed to the next mission without accomplishing the task from the previous level. The activities were based on the following subtasks: 1) Understand the concept of Law of Conservation of Mass; and 2) Balancing chemical equations through adding coefficients in front of the elements or chemical formulas. The activities in each card provided Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions and problems. The Assessment Card contained a five-item multiple choice type of test. Enrichment contained key points and summary of the important concepts about Balancing Chemical Equations. Last is the Reference Card that showed the books and online sources that were used as reference in constructing the activities and other parts of the SIM. The students answered the activity cards with background music from the soundtrack of online game Mobile Legend to make them felt that they were really playing the said trending online game while they were answering the SIM. Hence, the Mobile SIM Legend was utilized within 5 sessions for 1 hour each.
ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This study aimed to determine the effectivity of using the teacher-made SIM “Mobile SIM Legend” on balancing chemical equations for Grade 10 in enhancing learning and remedy the least mastered skills of the students, thus attain improvement in their academic performance.
Specifically, it attempted to answer the following questions:
1. What is the pretest and post-test mean scores of the students before and after the intervention?
2. Is there a significant difference between the pretest and post-test scores of the students?
3. How do the students respond towards the SIM?
Research Hypotheses
- Alternative Hypothesis
There is a significant difference between the pretest and post-test scores of the students.
- Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference between the pretest and post-test scores of the students.