IOER INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH JOURNAL, VOL. 5, NO. 3, SEPT.

2023

SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS AND PROFICIENCY LEVELS AMONG THE

JUNIOR AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE TEACHERS

EDILYN A. TOMAS
[email protected]
Quirino General High School, Cabarroguis, Quirino, Philippines +
Philippine Normal University, Taft Avenue, Manila, Philippines

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54476/ioer-imrj/231565

ABSTRACT

This research advocates for the integration of scientific literacy into teachers' instructional methodologies
to enhance critical thinking skills for both educators and students. The study aims to identify deficiencies
in science education in the Philippines and assess gaps in science process skills among teachers across
various educational levels. Employing a descriptive-comparative research design, the study utilizes a
validated instrument with five independent variables and two dependent variables. The reliability of the
Science Process Skills (SPS) test was evaluated using the Kuder-Richardson formula 20 (KR_20).
Additionally, proficiency levels of participants were compared through a Multivariate Analysis of Variance
(MANOVA) across educational attainment and career stages. Respondents were selected through
clustered sampling based on career stages outlined by the Philippine Professional Standard for
Teachers. Findings reveal a highly reliable Science Process Skills standardized test, with no correlation
between SPS levels and academic attainment. Teachers demonstrated consistent science process skills
across various career phases, indicating effectiveness in science instruction. The Department of
Education is encouraged to support teachers' professional development, aligning with the Reskilling and
Upskilling program under the Sulong Edukalidad initiative, considering the majority of teachers have
completed master's degree units. Moreover, this study recommends conducting a comparative analysis
of response rates across different professional phases. A notable issue identified is the shortage of
master teachers nationwide. Therefore, it is suggested to allocate additional resources to empower
scientific master teachers, enhancing their capacity to mentor and support fellow science educators.

Keywords: Educational Attainment, Science Process Skills, STEM teachers, Standardized Test

enhancing the quality of education is underscored

INTRODUCTION by the findings of Cordon & Polong (2020). Their
study emphasizes the imperative of educational
In 2003, the Philippines became a reform, capacity building for teachers through
participant in the Programme for International professional programs, and a transformation in
Assessment (PISA), a significant International school leadership. These proposed solutions are
Large-Scale Assessment designed to evaluate crucial for addressing the challenges and
the effectiveness of educational policies and shortcomings within the Philippine education
curricula across nations. Over the past two framework.
decades, the Philippine education system has One of the problems of STEM education in
exhibited minimal improvement in implementing the Philippines is the lack of STEM teachers in the
diverse curricula. This stagnation is evident in the country. According to the study by Anito and
country's performance in Science, Mathematics, Morales (2019), the low performance of Science
and Reading Comprehension, as reflected in the Education was due to the insufficient STEM
PISA scores since 2003. The urgency for teachers that were crucial in the global
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TOMAS, E.A., Science Process Skills and Proficiency Levels Among the Junior and Senior High School Science
Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
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development and economic growth of the country. pursuit of knowledge. Within this context, the
Moreover, it was found that there is a need for integration of Science Process Skills (SPS) into
qualified science teachers teaching science in the the science curriculum emerges as a pivotal
Philippines. According to the OECD, most element for enhancing the application of
teachers have attained master’s degrees in knowledge and skills among students. This
science education which is one of the needs of integration aligns with the current science
the teachers in pursuing professional growth. It curriculum design, emphasizing the
was suggested in their study that pursuing comprehension and application of scientific
professional growth may contribute to improving knowledge across diverse learning domains while
scientific literacy among teachers. It implies that fostering scientific attitudes and values (Pawilen,
teachers should be aligned with the educational 2021).
background of the subjects being taught. This will Science Process Skills encompass two
rapidly increase the quality of the teaching- distinct categories: basic and integrated
learning process in the public institutions. The processes. The basic processes constitute
insufficient number of STEM practitioners led to essential skills for scientific investigations,
the poor performance of Filipino learners in including observation, communication,
science, which was also supported by the result of classification, the use of measurement scales,
PISA last 2018. Moreover, the Basic Education inference, and prediction of phenomena.
Exit Assessment (BEEA), administered to all or Proficiency in these skills enables learners to
any graduating SHS Grade 12 students, has master the foundational aspects of scientific
received reports of subpar performance. On the inquiry. On the other hand, integrated skills
2019 BEEA, the mean percentage score for involve the ability to address problem-based
science was 36.2%, and the mean percentage phenomena, conduct scientific investigations,
score for mathematics was 27.9%. STEM sectors identify and control variables, formulate and test
like agriculture, forestry, fisheries, sciences, and hypotheses, and interpret data. Thus, Science
mathematics, engineering, and technology are Process Skills are deemed intellectual
where 28.7% of the 2 million college and competencies that both teachers and students
university students studying pedagogy are should possess (Santos & David, 2017).
majoring (CHED Statistics, 2019). The The significance of Science Process Skills
Department of Education already offers a is further underscored by the interconnection
substantial platform for the development of human between categorization ability and understanding
capital in the areas of creativity and collaboration relationships among elements, as noted by
through its STEM curriculum in high school. Mustafa et al. (2021). Moreover, Rauf et al.'s
Moreover, teachers should also undergo (2013) study highlights the benefits of
professional development that will benefit them in incorporating diverse teaching pedagogies within
terms of content, pedagogy as well and the a single science session for the development of
personal growth of teachers in the Philippines. science process skills. Every student and teacher
Science Framework for teachers should also be must acquire fundamental science process
reformed and policies that will help science abilities, enabling the application of scientific
teachers to practice their expertise and give methods to generate new knowledge or build
assistance that will support their needs (Cordon & upon existing understanding (Prajoko et al.,
Polong, 2020). Institutional Policies should also 2017).
be reformed to eliminate job exploitation among In this context, the cultivation of scientific
teachers and school leaders. This will help the literacy among teachers becomes crucial for
teachers and leaders to play their role in nation- effective teaching practices, fostering thinking
building effectively (Ramos, 2018). skills in both educators and students. This
STEM education is recognized for underscores the need for educational policies and
providing authentic experiences that cultivate institutional practices to evolve in response to the
essential skills, preparing learners for a lifelong specific requirements of learners and teachers,
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TOMAS, E.A., Science Process Skills and Proficiency Levels Among the Junior and Senior High School Science
Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
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considering cultural nuances and institutional Stage 3, and 6 for Career Stage 3. Clustered
gaps. This study aims to identify disparities in sampling was used to determine the samples,
Science Process Skills among teachers, Career Stage 2 and Career Stage 3 of PPST were
irrespective of their educational attainment, and the basis of determining the samples. Clustered
pinpoint weaknesses in science education within sampling is being used to determine the samples
the Philippines. from Career Stages of the Philippine Professional
Standard for Teachers (PPST).
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Kuder-Richardson formula 20 𝐾𝑅20 ) was
used to assess the reliability of the SPS test. This
This study seeks to assess Science
Process Skills (SPS) among teachers with a focus statistic was computed manually using Equation
1. The computation was automated using
on the following objectives:
Microsoft Excel. Values above .70 are considered
1. Identify the potential highest level of reliable (Glen, n.d.). For the second and third
educational attainment among the objectives, multivariate analysis of variance
respondents. (MANOVA) was used to compare the proficiency
2. Validate the Science Process Skills (SPS) level of the participants across educational
standardized test employed in the study. attainment and career stage. This procedure was
3. Analyze and compare proficiency levels in appropriate for the data since there were five
Science Process Skills across different dependent variables (i.e., proficiency level in
levels of educational attainment. observing, classifying, inferring, measuring, and
4. Examine and compare the proficiency predicting) and two dependent variables (i.e.,
levels of Science Process Skills among educational attainment and career stage). Pillai-
respondents in career stages 2 and 3. Bartlett’s test (𝑉) was used to quantify the
multivariate difference across each independent
METHODOLOGY variable, the significance of which was determined
using the 𝐹-statistic. As a follow-up, univariate
This study uses a descriptive-comparative analysis of variance (ANOVA) for each dependent
research design. The level of educational variable across each independent variable was
attainment was described based on the highest used to explore the multivariate differences. Also,
educational attainment of teachers and the SPS 𝐹-statistics was used to determine its significance.
standardized test was tested on its validity. The Partial eta squared (𝜂𝑝2 ) was used as an effect
proficiency level was also compared to its size index. Cohen’s (1988) guidelines were used
educational attainment and the teachers' Career in describing the effect size: .01 means small
stages. Inferential statistics were employed to difference; .06 means moderately large
analyze data from the experiment's sample of difference; and .14 means large difference.
participants to compare the treatment groups and
draw conclusions about the subject population. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Inferential statistics come in a wide variety, and
each form is suitable for a particular study 1. Profile of the Respondents
methodology and set of sample characteristics.
The instrument was validated by three experts in
the field of science education. This study has five
dependent variables (i.e., proficiency level in
observing, classifying, inferring, measuring, and
predicting) and two dependent variables (i.e.,
educational attainment and career stage) that
were being compared to determine the level of
educational attainment and their proficiency level. Figure 1. Educational Attainment of Career Stage 2
In total, there are 35 respondents, 29 for Career and 3 respondents
P – ISSN 2651 - 7701 | E – ISSN 2651 – 771X | www.ioer-imrj.com
TOMAS, E.A., Science Process Skills and Proficiency Levels Among the Junior and Senior High School Science
Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
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IOER INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH JOURNAL, VOL. 5, NO. 3, SEPT. 2023
Most of the respondents finished their Based on the result of Table 1, there was
master’s degree units, followed by the master’s no statistically significant difference in the
degree graduates, bachelor’s degree graduates, proficiency level in SPS across the respondents’
and lastly, the Doctorate Degree units. This educational attainment, 𝑉 = 0.45, 𝐹(15, 84) =
implies that most of the science teachers finished 1.00, 𝑝 = .467, 𝜂𝑝2 = .151, and career stage, 𝑉 =
Master’s degree units or master’s degree 0.17, 𝐹(5, 26) = 1.06, 𝑝 = .406, 𝜂𝑝2 = .169.
programs. Most teachers, according to OECD The effect size indices, however, indicate
(2018), hold master's degrees in scientific that there were large differences in some of the
education, which is one of the requirements for science process skills. One of the possible
instructors looking to further their careers. In their reasons for non-significance is the association of
study, it was hypothesized that pursuing the small group of sample size across the
professional development may help teachers' independent variables.
scientific literacy. It suggests that the educational
background of instructors should match the Table 2
subjects they are teaching (Cordon & Polong, Inferential Statistics on the Difference in the Proficiency
2020). Level in the Five Science Process Skills Across the
educational attainment of the Respondents
2. Validity of the Science Process Skills

Kuder- Richardson formula 𝐾𝑅20 was used to

assess the reliability of the SPS test. According to
Glen, n. d. values above are considered reliable.
The reliability was analyzed using the formula
below.

Effect size indices, on the other hand,

detected moderately large differences in the
observing, classifying, inferring, and measuring
Based on the result, the test was
skills and a small difference in the predicting skill
conducted using 𝐾𝑅20 and was interpreted as
across the educational attainment of the
highly reliable which has a .924 value. Thus, the
respondents. Once again, the non-significance
reliability of the instrument is highly reliable.
may be associated with the small group sample
3. Proficiency level across educational sizes across each level of educational attainment.
attainment
4. Proficiency Level in the Five Science
Process Skills Across the Career Stages of
Table 1
Multivariate Inferential Statistics on the Difference in the
the Respondents
Proficiency Level in Science Process Skills Across the Profile
of the respondents Table 3
Inferential Statistics on the Difference in the Proficiency
Level in the Five Science Process Skills Across the Career
Stage of the Respondents

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TOMAS, E.A., Science Process Skills and Proficiency Levels Among the Junior and Senior High School Science
Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
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IOER INTERNATIONAL MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH JOURNAL, VOL. 5, NO. 3, SEPT. 2023
recommend creating more items for the Science
master teachers to aid and mentoring among the
science teachers in the country.

Based on the results in Table 3, there was REFERENCES

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Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
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AUTHOR’S PROFILE

Edilyn A. Tomas is a Senior

High School teacher in Quirino
General High School,
Cabarroguis, Quirino. She
graduated from Philippine
Normal University- North Luzon
Campus with the course of
Bachelor of Secondary Education major in
General Science, she also finished her Master of
Arts in Education – Science Education in the
same institution. She also published works in
different journals in the field of science education.
She presented her works at various regional,
national, and international conferences. At
present, she is pursuing the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in Science Education at Philippine
Normal University, Philippines.

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TOMAS, E.A., Science Process Skills and Proficiency Levels Among the Junior and Senior High School Science
Teachers, pp. 59 - 64
64