Exploring the influencing factors in students’ acquisition of manipulative skills during transition from primary to secondary school

For centuries, people have realized the role of science as a catalyst in unveiling the secrets of nature and the resources it is endowed with, transforming them into beneficial products and services through human creativity and innovations in science and technology. With the advent of information technology and knowledge-based economies, mastery of science and technology among school students has become vital to the production of knowledgeable and competent human capital with adequate capabilities and creativity. Science curriculums in Malaysia are aimed at producing students who are able to master scientific knowledge and technological competency. The government has realized that science subjects are crucial and students at early age must be made familiar with it. Thus science has become one of the core subjects in Malaysia primary and secondary schools. Science has been taught to students as early as Year 1 (7 years old) at primary school till upper secondary school, as a compulsory subject (Grade 7 – Grade 11).

Scientific skills are essential part of scientific investigation. Among the skills required for scientific investigation at primary and secondary schools are the science process skills, manipulative skills and thinking skills. Science process skills enable students to carry out investigations systematically. Students can formulate questions and carry out experiments to get answers empirically. Manipulative skills in scientific investigations are psychomotor skills that enable students to use and handle science apparatus, laboratory substances and specimens in an approved manner. Thinking skills, on the other hand, act as a foundation for thoughtful learning that can be developed through students’ active participation in the process of teaching and learning (Ministry of Education, 2006).

One of the most distinctive features of science that can ignite students’ interest is practical work (Sorgo & Spernjak, 2012). Practical work in this context is defined as any scientific activity in which learners need to be actively involved, hands-on and minds-on, to observe physical phenomena (Allen, 2012). One of the aims of practical work is to develop practical skills that include science manipulative skills. Manipulative skills play an important role in science education, especially in higher level sciences (e.g., biology, chemistry and physics) and these skills can only be obtained through ‘hands-on’ practical work. According to past studies (e.g. Ferris & Aziz, 2005; Trowbridge, Bybee & Powell, 2000), however, manipulative skills are generally given the least amount of attention in the course of academic instruction even though important aspects of learning can occur in this area. According to Delargey (2001) and Buffler, Allei and Lubben (2001), student progression to the more advanced levels of skills acquisition depends on their progression in the lower levels. Thus it is clear that developing these skills is a worthy goal for students to attain.