Does Home-Based Experiment (HBE) Enhance Scientific Skills among Middle School Students?

Abstract

This research aims to explore the interrelationships among Science Process Skills (SPS) indicators through Home-Based Experiments (HBE) in science education. Employing a qualitative correlational study approach, the sample consisted of 77 seventh-grade students from Lhokseumawe, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Data were collected using test questions and observation sheets, analyzed with SPSS-25 through non-parametric Kendall’s correlation tests. To examine the relationship between HBE-based SPS and scientific concepts via science literacy questions, Spearman’s rank correlation tests were conducted at a 0.05 significance level. Findings revealed a moderate correlation between the skills of observing and making hypotheses. The correlation between conducting experiments and communication was weak, while interpreting data and concluding showed a moderate correlation. However, Spearman’s rank correlation indicated no significant correlation between science literacy and SPS, with a significance value of 0.281 > 0.05. Although HBE practical provide opportunities for direct application of SPS, science literacy and SPS focus differently. Science literacy emphasizes understanding scientific concepts through text, whereas SPS relates to applying these concepts in observation, experimentation, and data analysis.