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

A student’s ability to manipulate scientific apparatus is an important issue. A study conducted in United Kingdom found that students not only lack appropriate manipulative skills but also lack confidence in conducting practical work due to a lack of practice (Abrahams, Reiss & Sharpe, 2013). Reading about skills and concepts is not sufficient, thus students need to manipulate scientific apparatus in the laboratory (Hofstein & Mamlok, 2007; Lunetta et al., 2007). Consequently a lack of student exposure to hands-on activities at the primary level could lead to a deficiency in manipulative skills. Students will carry this problem to the secondary school level and possibly to higher levels of education, as Ferris and Aziz (2005) claim. In their research on students’ manipulative skills at tertiary level institutions, Ferris and Aziz (2005) found that students displayed a lack of skills during practical work, while even those who performed well in examination did not show competency in manipulative skills.

The challenges in acquiring manipulative skills become greater during the transition between primary and secondary school, where students are growing in the physical, intellectual, social and emotional aspects of their adolescent life. This transition is not only a period of growth, but also a period of instability and vulnerability. At this stage students are easily influenced by changes in their environment (Hurd, 2000). In this paper, ‘transition’ refers to the process of moving from primary school (end of Year 6), to secondary school (early Form 1). Transitioning schools is a process of moving from a familiar to an unknown environment, which will be experienced by every student in their educational journey. It is an ongoing process that requires time and effort for students to adjust to. The paper will focus on the acquisition of manipulative skills in science during this time. Studies have shown a significant negative impact on students’ attitudes towards and attainment of science education during the transition from primary to secondary school (Braund, Crompton, Driver & Parvin, 2003; Diack, 2009; Thurston et al., 2010); an increased tendency to be negative about school was manifested in the middle of the transition to secondary school. In science subjects, this phenomenon can be demonstrated by the decline in achievement and eroded interest in learning in the middle of the school year following this transition (Braund et al., 2003; Galton, Gray & Ruddock, 2003).

Issues that arise during transition have been considered global phenomena. Substantive progress has been achieved by developed countries in formulating and implementing specific programs to ensure a smooth progression during transition. For instance, in the United Kingdom, Braund et al. (2003) reported that the erosion of student interest was rooted in their high expectations for science prior to transfer, the lack of curriculum continuity and non-harmonisation of teaching approaches. In New Zealand, Hawk and Hill (2004) reported that students found their school transition very stressful, and that it got worse as students went along. Campbell (2001) found that U.S. students reflected less positively on their experience in science education because their expectations, i.e. that they would learn science through a practical approach, were not fulfilled.

By the time adolescents get to secondary school, a specialization of interest and abilities has often occurred, resulting in the selection of some courses of study and the avoidance of others. Some will prefer subjects such as languages, mathematics, history or science. If students had negative experiences with science before they got to secondary school and during transition, they will cut themselves off from many science-related careers (Braund et al., 2003). According to Howe and Jones (1993), the low interest in science may also lead to the poor scientific understanding needed by every citizen. Thus, poor opinions about school may lead to negative educational experiences. Saat (2010) found that students entering secondary school were disillusioned with secondary science education. Primary school students were enthusiastic about science because of its distinctiveness and its exciting experiments. After moving to secondary school, however, expectations of continuing to learn science through a largely practical approach were not fulfilled. Teaching and learning at secondary school were similar to primary school approaches, where the students did not get much opportunity to conduct scientific experiments.

Research in manipulative skills is still limited and much can be done to improve students’ skills. Despite the national curriculum’s that emphasis on the acquisition of scientific skills, students still have difficulty using and handling scientific apparatus during practical work (Fadzil & Saat, 2013). Thus, this research focuses on the factors contributing to the poor performance of manipulative skills during the transition from primary to secondary school. This study will therefore address the following research question: what are the factors influencing the acquisition of manipulative skills among students during transition?