Brief Full Version of a Research Study:

Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM)

Updated on November 30, 2014

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Strategic Intervention Materials (sim) in Teaching Science Iv

(physics): Its Effectiveness
JOCELYN O. DY, DepED
ABSTRACT
The main concern of this study was to prepare, validate and test the effectiveness of the Strategic
Intervention Materials (SIM) in Science IV (Physics).
The researcher made use of descriptive and experimental methods of research. Control and
experimental classes were used in determining the effectiveness of the Strategic Intervention Materials
(SIM). Data collected were treated through the mean, weighted mean, standard deviation, and t-test.
Findings revealed that the Average Mean Percentage Score (MPS) in Science of the Division of Albay
in the National Achievement Test for school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 was 34.25. The prepared
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) are curricularly valid with the curricular validation for all the
components which yielded an average weighted mean of 4.80 which is verbally interpreted as Very
Evident (VE). The Experimental Group has performed much better compared to the Control Group as
revealed in the scores obtained by the two groups in the Post-Test. The 75 percent
proficiency/performance level required in any subject area has been reached/attained in the
Experimental Group. There is a significant difference in the achievement of the students and learning is
higher on the part of the Experimental Group in the two grading periods. Finally, it suggests that the
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) be adopted as instructional materials for teaching Science to
facilitate learning and improve achievement of the students.
Keywords: Strategic Intervention Materials in Science Teaching
Introduction
Teaching is instrumental to learning. Teaching and learning in science is at the helm of the concerns of
every science educator today. Some educators suggest that a scientific curriculum should provide
transfer of knowledge and understanding from the classroom to wide realm of experiences. (Cordia,
2000). This means that teaching should not only be limited to acquisition of knowledge but also in the
development of thinking skills.
In teaching science, greater emphasis should be placed on science as a process and the development of
higher cognitive skills through science process skills, and the relevance of the concepts and principles
to daily life. Moreover, concept learning is inevitably involved in any science investigations. Real
science is both a process and product inseparably joined.
The Basic Education Curriculum (BEC) is learner-centered. As such, teachers have to give prior
attention to the characteristics of the students. For instance, to provide optimum instruction, it is
important to know the appropriate teaching-learning approaches and strategies applicable to a certain
group of students or learners. This knowledge will help the teachers design and tailor the activities to
be conducted in the classroom.
Science and technology plays a vital role in building a strong foundation for economic and social
progress. Physics, as one of the branches of science, has also an important part in this undertaking.
However, while there are those who prefer to enjoy the subject, there are also those who prefer to do
other things than to do the subject.
Some factors why students choose to continue physics or reject it, are related to what goes on in school
and in the science lessons, and thus can be controlled to some extent by the individual teacher. Most
students perceive the subject as very difficult, heavily content loaded, very dull and demanding passive
reception rather than active involvement with the learning process(Woolnough,1994).
With the above-mentioned problems, the teacher cannot expect much from the students in terms of the
application of concepts. This may even be the reason for obtaining low scores in science examinations,
as in the case of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) examination where
the Philippines ranked 36th in the Science test among the thirty-eight participating countries
(Tan,1999).
Lavia (2000) emphasized that the dismal result of the Third International Mathematics and Science
Study (TIMSS) was a much-needed wake up call for the country. Analysis of the test and the results
Condes-Tandong showed that the Filipino students have difficulty for the following reasons: 1) they
have not mastered the concepts needed to answer the items; (2) they do not understand the problem;
and (3) the content related to some items is not formally taken up in the curriculum (Tandong,
2000).This implies that students do not master the concepts and lack conceptual understanding
regarding the topics already covered. Enough content is covered but not much learning takes place. It is
for this reason why the teaching of science must be student-centered and equipped with a variety of
instructional learning strategies.
This dismal result gave evidence to the low performance of students in science. These students
performance did not fare well with the expectations of educators as well as in the target of the
Philippine Educational System. Some educators contend that teachers should train students in the
process which enable them to understand content and monitor their own learning. According to this
view, if students are trained to use comprehensive strategies and to monitor their application, the
practice will lead to more effective comprehension and in turn facilitate acquisition of knowledge.
Lawson (1985) stated that most central of all educational objectives is helping the students to think.
This is achieved with the use of instructional strategies and techniques to integrate the learning of
subject matter with learning how to learn.Grant, et al (1991) recognized that Science teaching need to
concentrate more on the content of Science and an expanded view of which the content of science
embraces.
In its continuing effort to raise the quality of education in the country, the Department of Education
(DepEd) continuously implements innovations particularly in Science. The focus of the Science
Education Program of the Basic Education Curriculum is to make learning meaningful for students, in
order to improve their achievement. In fact, most of the seminars, trainings and scholarships sponsored
by the DepEd and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for teachers teaching science
subjects have the objectives of furthering the enhancement of their knowledge and skills in delivering
goods to the students. Similarly, the Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) is exerting its efforts to
further enhance the skills and competencies of the teachers by sponsoring trainings and seminars. An
example of this is the National Training on Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) Development in
Summer 2005. The training workshop aimed to enhance teachers skill in test analysis and
interpretation and capacitate them in developing various intervention materials for remediation and
enrichment of learning (DepED Memorandum No.117 s. 2005).
Statement of the Problem
This study aimed to prepare, validate and determine the effectiveness of the Strategic Intervention
Materials (SIM) in Science IV (Physics). Specifically it sought to answer the following questions:
1. What is the Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of Albay Division in the National Achievement Test, for
school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005?
2. What Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) in teaching Physics can be prepared from the results of
the National Achievement Test?
3. Are the prepared Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) curricularly valid?
4. What are the achievements of the students exposed to the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM)
compared to the students taught in the
traditional approach?
5. Is there significant difference in the achievement of the students in the control group and
experimental group?
Null Hypothesis
The null hypothesis forwarded in this study, is that there is no significant difference in the achievement
of the students in the control group and experimental group.
Theoretical Background
This study is primarily based from Constructivist Theory of Learning of Dewey and Vigotsy. However,
there are other theories found to be applicable in this study, such as the Conversational Theory which
fit into the constructivist framework. The emphasis is on the learner as an active maker of meanings.
And the Behavioral theory of Watson is found to be applicable since its premise is on the change in the
behavior of an organism as product of learning.
Since the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) used by the students involved several parts wherein
the students worked on, it is in this context that learner-teacher dialogue was observed. It follows from
this; constructivists maintain that learners need to be empowered and to have control over the learning
process. So the teacher relinquishes a great deal of authority and becomes a facilitator.
And the researchers theory named as Strategic Intervention Theory (SIT) premises that the learning
environment should be deluged with new products, instructional media, curricular materials, tools and
modern equipment that can be utilized maximally to facilitate the presentation of science concepts with
ease and accuracy, and then the desired output on high performance level can be attained. To be able to
meet the challenges of modern science instruction, much of the development in science education has
to do with how science is taught. Students should be given a chance to learn in an environment where
there is no teacher dominance. It is worthwhile to try new modes of teaching where the center of
attraction is the student or the learner.
The interlinking relationships of the three famous learning theories above such as Constructivist theory,
Conversational theory, and the Behavioral theory as well as the researchers theory named as Strategic
Intervention Theory, where the achievement of the students basically evolved. It is in the use of the
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) where these theories would surface from among the students.

BRIEF REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Intervention Materials in Science Teaching
Researchers in Science teaching are trying to find out how science can be taught in such a way that
children will learn the fundamental concepts of both physical and biological science. At the same time,
they learn that while scientific ideas are based on the observation of natural phenomena, these are also
the product of human inventiveness and imagination. Problems in science will always arise as a child
observes nature. One may wonder or be astonished over a certain phenomenon and may even call it a
miracle. The child may be frustrated when he fails to find an adequate explanation.
Bruce, et al (2001) pointed out that the development of positive attitudes towards any school subject is
fundamental for several reasons. First, attitude is related to achievement and may enhance cognitive
development directly. Second, positive attitude toward a subject makes students more likely to engage
in lifelong learning both formally and informally. More specifically, in the area of science teaching,
positive attitude affects both course and career choices.
According to Bretz (2001), Novaks Theory of Human Constructivism states that a meaningful
learning underlies the constructive integration of thinking, feeling, and acting, leading to human
empowerment for commitment and responsibility. Meaningful learning will only occur when
education provides experience that requires students to connect knowledge across the three domains
either cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domain. Students must not only read concepts, but must also
design and carry out experiments in the laboratory which will allow them to connect these abstract
concepts to choices they must make in their daily lives.
The science teacher must design a learning experience which will attend to three domains. Science
students must have an understanding of and a commitment to the requisite conditions for meaningful
learning. Science teacher need an equally important obligation to inform themselves of what their
students already know, so that they can teach accordingly. Novaks theory gives the irreducible
commonplace - the evaluation. Evaluation is obviously important in measuring learning outcomes.
Test will assess students cognitive, practical and social skills.
According to Town (2000), experiential learning theory uses personal experience as the focal point for
learning because it gives meaning to abstract concepts. It characterizes learning as continuous process
grounded in experience. Concepts are derived from and continuously modified by experience
throughout life. Learning is a process where knowledge is created through the transformation of
experience. Thus, learning requires both perceiving and transforming an experience. Perception alone is
not enough because something must be done so that experience brings about learning.
Collette and Chiapette (1994)said that, there is a good match between students developmental stage
and the cognitive complexity of the instructional materials. Students have a greater chance to achieve
the desired learning outcomes. However, they continue when the materials are too abstract and
complex, many students may fail to comprehend the subject matter. If science teachers and curriculum
writers which to identify learning outcomes that students can attain, they must be aware of the
cognitive operations, scheme, or reasoning patterns required to learn a given amount of materials.
Bednar, et.al. (1995)in analysis of content of the Instructional Design, one system would see
components as facts, principles, concepts and procedures, while the goals would be to remember, use,
or find; and the other is the analysis of specific prerequisite learning. In essence, the analysis pre-
specifies all of the relevant contents and the logical dependencies in between the components of the
content. They anticipated that the development of a validated self-learning system, in almost every
content area, will be a major challenge for educational technologies during the coming decade.
According to Fraser and Giddings as cited by Wheatley (1995), in their study were able to investigate
the usefulness of the developed and validated New Personal Form of the Science Laboratory
Environment Inventory (SLEI) because some existing instruments were discovered to be unsuitable for
Science Laboratory classes. The study came up with a new, widely acceptable and class nationally
validated questionnaire and is made available for assessing, evaluating, and researching the unique and
important environment of Science Laboratory classes. Dechsri, et al (1997)conducted a study on the
effect of a laboratory manual incorporating visual information processing aids on student learning and
attitudes. Results showed that the manual incorporating visual information processing characteristics
helped students gain significantly higher scores in the achievement test and psychomotor skills and also
stimulated students to develop more favorable attitudes toward laboratory activities.
Synthesis of the State-of-the Art
The reviewed foreign literatures of Bednar (1995), Bruce (2001), Bretz (2001) and Town (2001) were
found relevant to the present study since they dealt on the improvement of the curriculum through the
use of the comprehensive instructional materials which is the central focus of this study that reinforced
the findings and conclusions. They provided theories and concepts on the science teaching, more
importantly on providing the students concrete experiences on the use of effective instructional
materials for a better schools achievement of the students. Collette and Chiapetta (1994) has the same
line of thinking, they said that there is a good match between students developmental stage and the
cognitive complexity of the instructional materials. Students have a greater chance to achieve the
desired learning outcomes. The foreign related studies conducted by Wheatley (1995), and Dechsri, et
al. (1997) were all related to the present study since they are focused on the development and validation
of instructional materials.
These studies are very much related to the present study since both studies covered development and
validation of instructional materials for science subject, but of different groups of students. The present
study is focused on the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) development, validation and the
effectiveness was determined.
Gap Bridged by the Study This study, therefore, is a modest attempt to fill the gap noted in previous
studies. Although there have been a number of literature and studies presented about instructional
preparation in Science yet not one covered the preparation of Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) in
Science IV (Physics). The validity and effectiveness of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) were
also determined.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design The descriptive and experimental methods of research were employed in this study.
Descriptive research is a purposive process of gathering, analyzing, classifying, and tabulating data
prevailing conditions, practices, beliefs, processes, trends, and cause-effect relationships and then
making adequate and accurate interpretation about such data with or without the aid of statistical
methods (Calderon, 1993). This method was used in determining the curricular validity of the Strategic
Intervention Materials (SIM).
The experimental method of research was employed in this study using two groups of subjects as the
control and experimental group, respectively. Experimental method of research is a method or
procedure involving the control or manipulation of conditions for the purpose of studying the relative
effects of various treatments applied to members of a sample, or of the same treatment applied to
members of different samples (Calmorin, 1995) It is a problem solving approach that embraces studies
of an experimental nature in which the systematic study of social life is carried out under conditions of
control and experiment.
According to Aquino (1993), this is a design to investigate possible cause-and-effect relationship by
exposing one or more experimental groups to one or more treatment conditions and comparing the
results to one or more control groups not receiving the treatment, random assignment being essential.
The Respondents
The students in the two classes in Science IV (Physics) handled by the researcher were the respondents
in this study. They were the fourth year High School students in Marcial O. Raola Memorial School,
Guinobatan, Albay during the first and second grading periods, school year 2006-2007.
Sevilla (1996) cited Gay that for experimental studies, 30 students make already a good sample. Thus,
there were 50 students involved in the whole study and this makes it a good sample for this research.
There were 25 students in each class during the pre-test. The basis in selecting as to who should belong
to the control or experimental class was through their average grade in Science III (Chemistry) and
Mathematics III in the third year equated with their age. Since Science IV (Physics) required pre-
requisite skills in Math and Science; hence, the average grade in Math III and Science III was
considered in selecting the students who were involved in the study.
Experimental Phase
There were two classes used by the researcher. Both classes were composed of 25 students, a total of 50
students involved in the study. The control class was composed of 25 students, too. The control class
did not use the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM). The researcher, therefore, used the traditional
approach or expository teaching in the control class while the strategies and activities included in the
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) were used in the experimental class.
Steps in the Preparation of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM)
This study started with the development of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) in secondary
Science IV (Physics). The procedure followed in gathering materials and information and in organizing
these materials included the following:
A. Preliminary Phase
B. Preparation Phase
C. Evaluation/Validation Phase
A. Preliminary Phase
The first part in the preparation of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) was the preliminary
phase. It covered the reading, surfing the internet and selection of books and other reference materials
in secondary Science IV (Physics) and the review of topics found in the Philippine Secondary Schools
Learning Competencies (PSSLC). The topics included in the first and second grading periods were:
A. First Grading Period
1. Behavior of Light
2. Image Formation in Plane Mirror
3. Image Formation in Curved Mirrors
 4. Mirror Equation
5. Refraction of Light: Snells Law
B. Second Grading Period
1. Total Internal Reflection
2. Image Formation in Lenses
3. Lens Equation
4. Vision Defects
5. Interference of Light
6. Diffraction of Light
7. Polarization of Light
B. Developmental/Preparation Phase
The second phase in the SIM preparation was the organization of each topic in the Strategic
Intervention Materials (SIM) and preparation of activities. Each topic prepared with Strategic
Intervention Material (SIM) contains the five (5) components such as the guide card, activity card,
assessment card, enrichment card, reference card and lastly the answer key card.
C. Evaluation/Validation Phase.
Curricular Validation
The last phase in the preparation of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) was the evaluation phase
both curricular and statistical to determine its effectiveness and acceptability. The curricular evaluation
of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) by the Physics experts was done to determine its
curricular validity and the testing of the developed instructional materials to the experimental class for
its statistical validation.
To evaluate the Strategic Intervention Materials, the 15 teacher-experts as respondents were given
questionnaire using a 5-point scale. The components evaluated were on objectives under the Guide
cards, activities under the activity card, evaluation under the assessment card, additional and follow-up
activities under the enrichment card, list of concepts and reading materials under the reference card and
the answers for the activities and assessment given under the answer key card. The qualitative
interpretation of the 5-point scale are given as follows:
4.20-5.00 points for Very Evident (VE)
3.41-4.19 points for Evident (E)
2.61-3.40 points for Moderately Evident (ME)
1.81-2.60 points for Less Evident (LE)
1.00-1.80 points for Least Evident (LE)
These were based from the Standardized criteria prepared and issued by the Bureau of Secondary
Education (BSE) and the Department of Education (DepED).
Construction of the test items
The researcher constructed two sets of 50-item test used in the pre and post tests, to measure
achievement or performance of both groups in the two grading periods, based from the Table of
Specifications or Budget of Work. The pre-test was tried out in another section in the fourth year
handled by other Physics teacher. The try-out test results were subjected to item analysis to cast out or
improve poor questions. This was done so that the Pre-test would contain good questions. The method
used was U-L index method. This method of item analysis reveals the difficulty and discrimination
indices.

Statistical Evaluation
The statistical evaluation was necessary to determine the effectiveness of the Strategic Intervention
Materials (SIM). A pre-test and post-test were given to the respondents for the first and second grading
period. It must be made clear that the test given to the experimental class was also given in the control
class. Further, the questions given in the pre-test were the same questions given in the post-test.
The pre-test and post-test results of each group for each of the two grading periods were treated
separately. However, to determine whether the achievement of the experimental class was better than
the control class, the post-test results of both groups were computed using the t-test.
Statistical Tools
The statistical tools used in the study were the following:
Mean. This was used to determine where most of the scores of the students clustered. Since the number
of students in each group was less than 30, then the ungrouped data was used. This was done by adding
all the scores of the students and the sum was divided by their number.
Weighted Mean was used to determine the curricular validation of the
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM).
Standard Deviation. This was used to determine the variability of the students abilities or scores. The
mean was subtracted from the students scores. The difference was squared after which the summation
was obtained.
t-test. This was used to find out whether the students who used the Strategic Intervention Materials
performed well and achieved better than those who did not.
The data for the t-test were arrived at after determining the mean standard deviations of the two groups
for the first and second grading periods.
Level of Significance
To interpret the significant difference of the achievement of the students who used and did not use the
Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM), the computed t-value was compared with the tabular t-value at .
05 level of significance at 48 degrees of freedom. This was used also as the basis as to whether the null
hypothesis would be rejected or accepted.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section answered and discussed the results on the basis of specific research questions.
The Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of Albay Division in the National Achievement Test, SY 2003-
2004 and 2004-2005
The first research question was What is the Mean Percentage Score (MPS) of Albay Division in the
National Achievement Test, for school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005? The Mean Percentage (MPS)
of Albay Division in the National Achievement Test school year 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 of the three
areas namely: English (47.38, 44.69; A=46.04), Science (35.26, 33.24=34.25) and Math (42.30,
41.50=41.90). The writer focused on the area of Science whereby the results gathered were: for school
year 2003-2004, the Mean Percentage Score was 35.26 while for school year 2004-2005 was 33.24
with an average Mean Percentage Score of 34.25. It could be concluded that the performance level of
the students in the Division of Albay was below 35 percent.
This further implies that the students did not master the skills needed in the subject to attain a 75
percent performance level. Hence, the science teacher must provide a learning experience for the
students which will attend to the three domains. This fact is supported by the Transformation Learning
Theory of Wink (2001), that it is important for science educators to recognize the fact that a student
who cannot solve certain problems is one who lacks particular knowledge. This is further supported by
the Novaks Theory of Human Constructivism whereby Bretz (2001) stressed that a meaningful
learning underlies the constructive integration of thinking, feeling, and acting, leading to human
empowerment for commitment and responsibility. Meaningful learning will only occur when
education provides experience that requires students to connect knowledge across the three domains
either cognitive, affective, or psychomotor domain.
The science teacher must design a learning experience which will attend to three domains. Science
students must have an understanding of and a commitment to the requisite conditions for meaningful
learning. Novaks theory gives the irreducible commonplace the evaluation. Evaluation is
obviously important in measuring learning outcomes. Test will assess students cognitive, practical and
social skills. Therefore, the results in the achievement test such as the National Achievement Test
clearly show whether the students have gained and mastered the skills in a particular subject.
Prepared Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) In Teaching Science IV (PHYSICS)
The second research question was What Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) in teaching Physics
can be prepared from the results of the National Achievement Test? The researcher was unable to
gather information regarding the questions in the National Achievement Test, so instead based her
topics from the Philippine Secondary Schools Learning Competencies (PSSLC).
The organization of the topics in the Preparation of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) followed
the sequence of the topics found in the Science IV (Physics) textbook covering the Unit II Energy in
the Environment and with reference to the list of objectives and topics in the Philippine Secondary
Schools Learning Competencies (PSSLC).
The organization of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) followed the following sequence:
First Grading Period:
SIM 1 - Behavior of Light
2 - Image Formation in Plane Mirror
3 - Image Formation in Curved Mirror
4 - Mirror Equation
5 - Refraction of Light: Snells Law
Second Grading Period
SIM 6 - Total Internal Reflection of Light
7 - Image Formation in Lenses
8 - Lens Equation
9 - Vision Defects
10 - Interference of Light
11 - Diffraction of Light
12 - Polarization of Light

Curricular Validation Of the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) In Science IV (Physics)

The third research question was Are the prepared Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) curricularly
valid? All the components/criteria in evaluating the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) obtained an
average Weighted Mean (WM) of 4.82 which is interpreted as Very Evident (VE), it goes to show that
the Strategic Intervention Material (SIMs) for the first and second grading periods are curricularly
valid. It was perceived therefore that all the criteria or detailed guidelines were answered Very Evident
and hence the SIMs 1 to 12 are curricularly valid and can now be used by the teachers and be given to
the students to improve their learning.
This process was found similar to the one posited by Soriano (2000) on module preparation. While this
is called Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) and the parts are referred to as Cards, but the
descriptions are similar. Sorianoposits that the module is based on management principle; hence, the
various lessons also follow the POLE (Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Evaluating) formula. This
is, for easy understanding and good appreciation of the module, the instructional material has the
following modular elements in each lesson: Objective, Lesson Abstract, Lesson Introduction,
Sticklers, In-text Questions, Summary, Space and Assignment, and Self-testing.
This is also found similar to the study of Caculitan (2000) wherein the prepared instructional material
was rated excellent by the teacher- evaluators in terms of overview, objectives, topics, activities and
evaluation materials, thus the said instructional material was found curricularly valid hence, it could be
used as instructional material in the classroom.
Comparison of the Achievements Of the Students Exposed to Strategic Intervention Materials
(SIM) and the Traditional Method
The fourth research question was What are the achievements of the students exposed to the Strategic
Intervention Materials (SIM) compared to the students taught in the traditional approach? Prior to the
experiment a pre-test was administered in the first and second grading periods respectively to both the
control and experimental groups and the scores obtained were, HS=19, 23; LS=10, 9; Mean=13.96,
14.56; SD=2.61, 2.92 for the Control Group and HS=18, 20; LS=9, 8, Mean=13.52, 13.48; SD= 2.90,
3.57 for the Experimental Group. It can be gleaned from the data that the Experimental Group
performed less than the Control Group in the pre-test. This clearly shows that the information of the
students in the experimental group about the topics/contents of Science IV was obviously a little lesser
compared to the control group during the start of the grading period.
After the experiment, which covered SIMs 1 to 12 for the two grading periods, a post-test was
administered to both groups and the scores obtained were: HS=42, 43; LS= 14, 17; Mean=26.84, 25.20;
SD=7.52, 7.23 for the Control Group and HS=47, 46; LS=37, 36; Mean=42.52, 41.48; SD=2.92, 3.14
for the Experimental Group. Analyzing the result of the standard deviation, the lesser its value (2.92,
3.14) the better because it only means the performance of the students was not far apart as evidenced
by the highest score (HS) and lowest score (LS). This shows that the Experimental Group performed
better than the Control Group during the Post-test as a result of the intervention materials used in the
class.

This result is supported by the findings of Dechsri9 et al.,(1997) on the study on laboratory manual
incorporating visual information processing aids on student learning and attitudes. Results showed that
the manual incorporating visual information processing characteristics helped students gain
significantly higher scores in the achievement test and psychomotor skills and also stimulate students to
develop more favorable attitudes toward laboratory activities. The same findings were made by
Cataneo (1995) in the use of Supplementary Exercises in Physics I. The findings revealed that the
students obtained higher mean scores in three units when they used the supplementary exercises than
the units when the supplementary exercises were not used. This finding agrees with Colette and
Chiapetta (1994) who said that, there is a good match between students developmental stage and the
cognitive complexity of the instructional materials. Students have a greater chance to achieve the
desired learning outcomes.

Significant Difference in the Achievement of the Students in the Control and Experimental
Groups
The fifth research question was Is there significant difference in the achievement of the students in the
control group and experimental group? The computed mean, Standard deviation and t in the pre and
post tests were: Mean(Pre)=13.96, 14.56; Mean(Post)=26.84, 24.20; SD=2.61, 2.52; 7.52, 7.23; t=8.10,
6.82 for the Control Group and Mean(Pre)=13.52, 13.48; Mean(Post)=42.52, 41.48; SD=2.90, 3.57;
t=35.24, 29.47 for the Experimental Group.
When the computed t for the experimental and control group was compared with the critical value, at
0.05 level of significance, it was noted that the computed t under the experimental group (t=35.24;
29.47) are much higher compared to the control group (t=8.10; 6.82)), hence, the null hypothesis is
rejected. It could be concluded that there is really a big difference in the performance of the students
and the learning is higher on the part of the experimental group. With this finding, it clearly indicates
that SIMs 1 to 12 are very effective. Hence, the 75 percent proficiency/performance level required in
the subject area was attained / reached by the experimental group.
This finding agrees with Deocariza (2004)wherein the PWA Based Workbooks in Science III that was
developed was found to be effective in enhancing: a) students achievement in Science III, b) practical
skills, and c) positive attitude towards practical work. Brophy (1998) also disclosed that learning is fun
and exciting, at least when the curriculum is well matched to students interests and abilities and the
teachers emphasizes hands-on activities.
This finding is consistent with previous research reports that the instructional device prepared by the
teacher take the center stage in the teaching methodology. The teaching aids are used to provide a
concrete experience about the lesson for the students since they are seen or heard or both. (Isorena
2000), Salandanan 1996, Gowin 1981) . The students power to control better his later experience is
grounded not so much in the teachers authority as in students understanding of how educative
materials enhance and enlarge the range of experience. The teachers responsibility is to see that what
the student takes from the educative materials does in fact help the student in this increased
understanding.

Conclusions
The Mean Percentage Score (MPS) in Science of the Division of Albay in the National Achievement
Test for school years 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 is below the 75 percent level of proficiency level as
required in any subject area. The prepared 12 Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) IV (Physics)
possess curricular validity.
The achievement of the students in the experimental group who were exposed to the Strategic
Intervention Materials (SIM) is higher and better compared to the students taught in the traditional
approach both in the first and second grading periods. The 75 percent proficiency/performance level
required in any subject area has been attained / reached in the experimental group. There is a significant
difference in the achievement of the students in the control group and experimental group. This
suggests that the Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) be adopted as instructional materials for
teaching Science to facilitate and improve performance. Furthermore, future researchers could work
and prepare the same materials on other learning areas.
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