IMPACT OF HANDS-ON MANIPULATIVES ON ENHANCING CONCEPTUAL KNOWLEDGE  AND SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS IN GRADE 6 STUDENTS

TALASTAS JOHN ALEXIS D. MALLARI, KELVIN S.
Completed 2024

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the impact of hands-on manipulatives on enhancing conceptual knowledge and science process skills among Grade 6 students. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, 170 students participated in the pre-test, while 166 students completed the post-test due to four students transferring out. The students were divided into a control group and an experimental group. The experimental group engaged with hands-on manipulatives during science lessons, while the control group followed the standard curriculum. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess the students’ conceptual understanding and science process skills. The results indicated that the experimental group showed a remarkable increase in their mean percentage score from 43.27% in the pre-test to 80.79% in the post-test, highlighting the efficacy of hands-on manipulative interventions. In contrast, the control group, which did not receive the intervention, exhibited a smaller increase from 19.19% to 47.98%. These significant improvements in the experimental group’s scores suggest that the use of hands-on manipulatives effectively enhances students’ understanding of scientific concepts and their ability to perform science process skills. Statistical analysis confirmed that the differences observed between the two groups were significant, leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis stated that there would be no significant difference in conceptual knowledge and science process skills between students who used hands-on manipulatives and those who relied solely on traditional teaching methods. This study provides strong evidence that integrating hands-on manipulatives into science education not only improves academic performance but also engages students in active learning, making science more accessible and enjoyable.