Chapter I: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
V. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
1. Cambodian Students’ Competency
Case of the research question on Cambodian students‟ competency in Chemistry, the data is collected quantitatively from Cambodian students at grade 8 (2nd year of lower secondary school) using the test paper designed by Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 2011 standard. The data is analyzed by SPSS program (PASW statistics 18, version 18.0.0, July 30, 2009) to run for data deviation in T-test comparing by genders, areas, as well as to regional countries and Japan whom also participated in TIMSS-2011 standard.
2. Development of Teaching and Learning Materials
The development of teaching and learning materials was carried out by following the six steps as shown in Fig. 1-5.
<Determining topics>
The first important starting point was to determine the topics for developing teaching and learning materials. As mentioned in the rational of the study, topics must be strongly linked to student‟s daily life and applicable in the secondary curriculum in Cambodia.
Furthermore, these topics are believed to be feasible and physically possible in typical Cambodian classrooms.
<Developing teaching and learning materials>
After the topics had been selected, the teaching and learning materials namely experimental apparatus to conduct the practical work was developed and then tested by conducting several experimental trials in the laboratory. The development was trying to use most of the apparatus is available and inexpensive. The ways to set up and use the apparatus were designed to be simple and uncomplicated for students. The apparatus was standardized
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with actual laboratory apparatus and so the experimental results obtained showed good consequence with theory.
Determining Topics
Developing teaching and learning
materials
Developing lesson activities
Conducting lesson in actual class
Evaluating feasibility in classroom
Teaching and learning materials
Available in Cambodia
Connect to daily life
Applicable by students
Inexpensive
Simple
Available in Cambodia
Standardized by actual lab-apparatus
Theoretically acceptable
Unit plans/worksheets
Lesson plans
Poster-teaching tools
Pre-post tests
Questionnaires
Japanese High School
Applicability
Understandability
Satisfactory
Comments and Revises
Simulating Lesson Lab colleagues
Undergraduate students
Fig. 1-5: Process of developing teaching and learning materials
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<Developing lesson activities>
The lesson activities were prepared after the experiments and apparatus had been developed and tested to see that they were usable in actual classrooms. Several necessary documents such as lesson summary, student worksheets, lesson plans, posters, pre/post test etc.
were produced for use in the classroom. Student worksheets and lesson plans were prepared using the inquiry based approach format, in which students formulate an experimental hypothesis, make observations, collect data, analyze results and make conclusions.
<Simulating lessons>
Before introducing the lessons to the actual classrooms, some simulation lessons were conducted. The participants were under-graduate and graduate students from the inorganic chemistry laboratory, as well as supervisor. The aim of this step was to collect ideas to improve the teaching and learning materials and the teaching approaches.
<Conducting lesson in actual classroom>
The learning materials were used by students in the classroom through a complete step of lesson instruction. Following the inquiry based approach, the students formulated their hypothesis, use the developed apparatus to investigate the hypothesis and present their results.
<Evaluating feasibility>
The feasibility of the developed teaching and learning materials in the classroom was measured based on the students‟ performance on pre/post tests and the students‟ perception on questionnaires. Before the lessons, the students were asked to complete the pre-test which consisted of multiple choice questions that were related to the lesson contents to be taught. At the end of the activities, students were requested to answer the post-test, consisting of the same questions as the pre-test, and to fill up the questionnaires. The pre/post tests assessed the students‟ understanding and improvement, whereas the questionnaires examined the feasibility and suitability of the developed apparatus and activities.
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