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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 15, Issue 2, Article 3 (Dec., 2014) |
Exploring the influencing factors in students’ acquisition of manipulative skills during transition from primary to secondary school
Hidayah Mohd FADZIL
Corresponding Author E-mail: hidayahmohdfadzil@yahoo.com
Department of Mathematics and Science Education Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Rohaida Mohd SAAT
Department of Mathematics and Science Education Faculty of Education, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
E-mail: rohaida@um.edu.my
Received 23 Jun., 2014
Revised 10 Dec., 2014
This paper discusses the contributing factors that influence students’ acquisition of manipulative skills. Incompetence in manipulative skills in science at a primary level may impede science learning at secondary school. Thus, to confront these issues, an in-depth study was conducted. The research involved 10 primary school students who were interviewed again in secondary school. This paper gives an account of the factors that influence students’ manipulative skills during transition from primary to secondary school, namely the teacher, the performance of the students, teaching and learning aspects and the physical environment of the laboratory. The results suggest several issues to be considered when teaching manipulative skills. Primary school students need to be exposed to these skills in using scientific apparatus so that when they enter secondary school, attention can be given in improving and strengthening those skills.
Keywords: practical work, transition from primary to secondary school, manipulative skills, science teaching
