Effect of Chemistry Laboratory Alternative Work (CLAW) on Students Cognitive Skills and Self-efficacy in Chemistry

Abstract

The educational shift in instructional delivery from conventional settings to flexible learning systems such as online learning and blended learning affected the conduct of laboratory investigation in science classrooms. This study utilized Chemistry Laboratory Alternative Work (CLAW) as a home-based laboratory to provide an alternative learning method for conducting laboratory activities in chemistry. Furthermore, this study investigated the impact of using CLAW in enhancing the students’ cognitive skills (remembering, understanding, applying, and analyzing) and Chemistry self-efficacy (cognitive, psychomotor, and everyday application). The study used a one-group pre-test/post-test design to collect and interpret the data. The participants were 30 senior high school students in a public school in Laguna, Philippines. The expert-validated instruments, the Acid and Base Achievements Test (ABAT) and Chemistry Self-efficacy Scale (CSS), were administered before and after eight sessions of performing the CLAW.  Findings revealed that the student’s cognitive skills and self-efficacy in chemistry significantly improved based on p-value (p<0.05) at a 95% confidence interval. The results support CLAW as an effective tool for fostering students’ cognitive skills and self-efficacy in Chemistry. It shows that CLAW provides an active learning environment that fosters multi-sensory experience and self-regulated learning towards enhancing cognitive and self-efficacy skills. This study suggests adapting home-based learning activities to create more learning opportunities for the students in a hybrid learning set-up and to encourage students to engage in independent learning.