EVALUATION OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF IBSE PILOT PROJECT AT 4 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

IN MALAYSIA

Academician Datuk Dr Abdul Aziz Sheikh Abdul Kadir FASc

26 May 2015 | Tuesday | Hotel Istana Kuala Lumpur

Introduction

• A study on the implementation of hands-on Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) at 4 selected primary schools was conducted from 2012 - 2013.

• Aims: To look into the feasibility of implementing IBSE towards enhancing the effectiveness of teaching and learning of science in primary schools in Malaysia.

• The study was carried out through a qualitative and quantitative approach.

Objectives

To assess teachers’ understanding of IBSE pre- and post - training

To assess teachers’ capability in IBSE and developing science process skills among pupils

To assess pupil's performance in science –process skills and problem solving

To assess pupil's behavior change – motivation and interest at the end of pilot project

Study Methodology

1) Qualitative: • Observation • Fibonacci IBSE Self-Reflection Tool for Teachers • Interview sessions with teachers

2) Quantitative: • Students year-end examination assessment analysis • The Trends of International Mathematics and Science

Study (TIMSS) assessment analysis

3) Additional: • Analysis of UPSR 2014 results

Pilot Schools

SK Bandar Seri Putra

SK Semenyih

SK Seksyen 7 Bandar Baru Bangi

SK Bandar Tasik Kesuma

Primary rural schools at Hulu Langat District

Participants

4 schools

2-year project (2012-2013)

20 teachers were trained

2 classes per school

(346 pupils)

Teachers

1 1 1

0

2

1

2

1

4

2

1

0

1

2

3

4

5

G NG G NG G NG G NG

School A School B School C School D

Male

Female

G – Graduate; NG – Non graduate

16 teachers & 4 principals involved in pilot project

No

. of

teac

he

rs

School

SK Semenyih SK Bandar Tasik Kesuma

SK Bandar Sri Putra SK Seksyen 7, Bandar Baru Bangi

Methodology

DISCUSS

RECORD

SHA

RE

REF

LEC

T

DEB

ATE

CO

OP

ERA

TE

IBSE Skills Component

Science Process

Skills

Manipulative Skills

Thinking Skills

• Observing • Interpreting data • Hypothesising • Experimenting • Handle science apparatus

• Observe, record & measure accurately

• Critical & creative thinking skills

• Problem Solving

Teachers’ trainings

Food chain

Activities

Mirco-organism Changing position of source

of light

1

Practical lessons 2

• 1 week course at SEAMEO RECSAM, Penang

• 4 weekend workshops at schools

Prototype development Group discussion

Prototype test

Science Competition on problem solving 3

Findings 1) Teachers have better understanding of IBSE

after participating in the training workshops

2) Teachers are now capable of developing science process skills among pupils through IBSE method

3) Pupils’ performance in science especially science process skills and problem solving has increased

4) Pupils showed a positive behavior change especially in their motivation and interest in science at the end of pilot study

Finding 1: Teachers have better understanding of IBSE after participating in the training workshops

• Able to differentiate prescriptive teaching approach in

workbooks and textbooks

• Able to carry out most aspects of IBSE based on La Main á la Pâte approach

• More pupil-centered approach

• Posed more challenging questions and investigative questions

• Use of diversified support materials

• Encouraged collaborative learning

Finding 2: Teachers are now capable of developing science process skills among pupils through IBSE method

Teacher’s perception on IBSE implementation based on Fibonacci IBSE Self-Reflection Tool

RESPONSE ITEMS %

Teacher’s Role 89.1

1. Building on pupils’ ideas 92.9

2. Supporting pupils’ own investigation 93.9

3. Guiding analysis and conclusion 80.6

Pupil Activities 80.8

4. Carrying out investigations 68.6

5. Working with others 92.9

Pupil’s Records 75.0

6. Records pupils’ make of their work 78.6

7. Pupils’ written records 71.4

Overall 82.7

Finding 3: Pupils’ performance in science has increased (based on year-end school assessment)

Academic year

Year English B. Malaysia 1

B. Malaysia 2

Mathematics Science

2012 4 55.7 (3) 69.6 (1) 62.3 (2) 50.6 (4) 46.6 (5)

2013 5 55.6 (4) 74.2 (1) 62.3 (2) 50.3(5) 58.0 (3)

Notes: B. Malaysia 1 - comprehension, B. Malaysia 2 – writing Number is brackets show position, 1 being highest

Improvements shown for the performance in science subject from 5th position (2012) to 3rd position (2013)

Mean score of 5 major subjects in 2012 & 2013 (based on 346 sample pupils)

Finding 4: Pupils showed a positive behavior change especially in their motivation and interest in science at the end of pilot study

• Active participation in experiments

• Active participation in discussion

• Excited with the activities

TIMSS Assessment in 4 Pilot Schools (30 October 2014) • To assess the effectiveness of IBSE method in comparison with

non-IBSE pupils

Instrument:

• 50 questions of Grade 4 Released Items of TIMSS Assessment

• Questions were translated to Bahasa Malaysia and vetted by the ASM Questions Commitee

Sample:

• 293 pupils who were previously involved in the IBSE study

• 280 pupils who were not involved in the IBSE study

Comparison of Performance Between IBSE & Non-IBSE Pupils

(Questions on knowing, applying & reasoning)

RESULTS :

QUESTION TOTAL KNOWING

APPLYING

REASONING

ALL IBSE NON IBSE ALL IBSE NON-IBSE ALL IBSE NON-IBSE ALL IBSE NON-IBSE

Mean 34.86 36.94 32.68 13.01 13.85 12.13 15.54 16.37 14.66 6.31 6.72 5.89

Median 35 37 33 13 14 12 16 17 15 6 7 6

Std. Deviation 6.367 5.718 6.292 3.037 2.721 3.107 2.965 2.782 2.901 1.676 1.576 1.675

The full score for: a) Questions on Knowing = 21 (39.62%) b) Questions on Applying = 23 (43.40%) c) Questions on Reasoning = 9 (16.98%) Total Score = 53 (100%)

Pupils’ Scores

NOTE: Based on the mean & median of pupils’ scores and supported by SD: IBSE pupils performed better than non IBSE pupils

PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS SCORES FOR QUESTIONS ON KNOWING (Total marks - 21) % of no. of students

SCORE

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

14.00

16.00

18.00

20.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

IBSE NON IBSE

Based on scores for questions on “knowing”, IBSE pupils shows higher performance

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

IBSE

NON IBSE

PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS SCORES FOR QUESTIONS ON APPLYING (Full marks = 23)

SCORE

Based on scores for questions on applying, IBSE pupils shows higher performance

% of no. of students

PERCENTAGE OF PUPILS SCORES FOR QUESTIONS ON REASONING (Total marks - 9)

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

IBSE

NON IBSE

Based on scores for questions on reasoning, IBSE pupils shows higher performance

SCORE

% of no. of students

IBSE Non-IBSE

Percentage of Mean of questions

answered correctly

Objective 69.14% 61.29%

Subjective 73.52% 64.96%

• There were 29 objective questions and 21 subjective questions.

• For both types of questions, IBSE pupils outperformed non-IBSE pupils.

• It can be inferred from the data for subjective questions that IBSE pupils have better understanding and ability to articulate answers compared to non-IBSE pupils.

Objective VS Subjective Questions

IBSE Pupils’ Performance in 2014 UPSR • Following are the science subject results in 2014 UPSR among the IBSE & non-IBSE pupils:

GRADE

A B C D E

IBSE (N=78)

11 57 10 - -

Non-IBSE (N=80)

2 41 34 2 1

SK Semenyih

GRADE

A B C D E

IBSE (N=75)

23 51 1 - -

Non-IBSE (N=77)

3 48 26 - -

GRADE

A B C D E

IBSE (N=74)

15 26 32 1 -

Non-IBSE (N=70)

7 35 28 - -

GRADE

A B C D E

IBSE (N=66)

29 31 6 - -

Non-IBSE (N=53)

2 30 16 3 2

SK Bandar Tasik Kesuma SK Bandar Sri Putra

SK Seksyen 7, Bandar Baru Bangi

Conclusion IBSE is the way forward in teaching and learning of

science because it creates motivation, interest and excitement in learning;

IBSE develops students’ thinking through argumentation, hypothesizing, designing, conducting investigation and making final conclusion;

IBSE is very relevant to new emphasis on development of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) by the Ministry of Education Malaysia as well as the new Primary School Standard Curriculum (KSSR);

THE END