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Inter‐relationship among laboratory process skills in biology
Author(s) -
Tamir Pinchas,
Amir Ruth
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of research in science teaching
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.067
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1098-2736
pISSN - 0022-4308
DOI - 10.1002/tea.3660240206
Subject(s) - varimax rotation , matriculation , mathematics education , variance (accounting) , perspective (graphical) , process (computing) , psychology , science education , cognition , computer science , psychometrics , developmental psychology , cronbach's alpha , accounting , artificial intelligence , neuroscience , business , operating system
Inquiry oriented practical matriculation tests of 3650 12th grade biology students in Israel were analyzed to find out the interrelationships among 21 process skills. Using correlations and varimax factor analysis, seven factors were obtained. These factors are listed according to the relative percentage of the total variance accounted for from highest to lowest: handling quantitative relationships, explaining and assessing data, conceptualizing and planning investigations, summarizing results, interpreting and concluding, selecting form of presenting findings, designing experiments. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are briefly discussed. Theoretically, the associations as well as the dissociations identified provide important clues regarding the organization of process skills related knowledge in cognitive structure. From a practical perspective the findings offer guidance for teacher educators as well as biology teachers on more effective ways for developing science process skills.