Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General Chemistry using Electronic Strategic Intervention Material (E-SIM)

Abstract

Students perceive chemistry as a complex subject resulting in low academic performance. Education systems shall support students in bridging the gap between traditional learning and online set-up using technology-based materials. The Electronic Strategic Intervention Material (E-SIM) is a new learning method to help improve the learner’s performance in the least mastered competencies. This study focuses on determining how the E-SIM for “Ganyan Ang Bonding” (in English: Bonding Goes Like This) topic will improve the Grade 11 students’ knowledge about chemical bonding. The researchers used a one-group pretest-posttest control design. The population was pooled using simple random sampling and out of the randomly selected sections, twenty-two students were qualified after the voluntary response sampling. Pretest and posttest, which underwent validation, were given before and after the intervention respectively. The material was validated by experts prior to its utilization. The analysis showed a 0.01 normalized gain score, which is confirmed by the paired sample t-test with a result of -3.17 and p-value of 0.0023, hence presenting that there is a significant increase between the pretest and posttest scores. The student perception survey was used to further determine the efficiency of the material, which showed that the students perceived the E-SIM as an effective tool as review material.

Full text

Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
KIMIKA Volume 33, Number 2, pp. 59-76 (2022)
© 2022 Kapisanang Kimika ng Pilipinas.
All rights reserved. ISSN 2508-0911
https://doi.org/10.26534/kimika.v32i2.59-76
Improving the Least Mastered Competencies
of Grade 11 Students in General Chemistry using
Electronic Strategic Intervention Material (E-SIM)
Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes,
Gabriel Harold U. Casuat, Romalyn U. Balagtas, and Erickson F. Del Mundo*
Caloocan City Science High School, P. Sevilla Street cor. 10th Avenue Grace Park West, Caloocan City, National
Capital Region, Philippines 1406
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; email: delmundoef@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Students perceive chemistry as a complex subject resulting in low academic performance.
Education systems shall support students in bridging the gap between traditional learning and
online set-up using technology-based materials. The Electronic Strategic Intervention Material
(E-SIM) is a new learning method to help improve the learner’s performance in the least mastered
competencies. This study focuses on determining how the E-SIM for “Ganyan Ang Bonding” (in
English: Bonding Goes Like This) topic will improve the Grade 11 students’ knowledge about
chemical bonding. The researchers used a one-group pretest-posttest control design. The
population was pooled using simple random sampling and out of the randomly selected sections,
twenty-two students were qualified after the voluntary response sampling. Pretest and posttest,
which underwent validation, were given before and after the intervention respectively. The
material was validated by experts prior to its utilization. The analysis showed a 0.01 normalized
gain score, which is confirmed by the paired sample t-test with a result of -3.17 and p-value of
0.0023, hence presenting that there is a significant increase between the pretest and posttest
scores. The student perception survey was used to further determine the efficiency of the
material, which showed that the students perceived the E-SIM as an effective tool as review
material.
Keywords: electronic strategic intervention material; competency; chemistry; chemical bonding
INTRODUCTION
Many students perceive chemistry as a complex and challenging subject, resulting in low
academic performance and failure to accomplish learning competencies in General Chemistry.
The perception of the students on chemistry indicates that academic achievement in General
Chemistry is relatively low (DepEd, 2019). According to reports of the Program for International

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KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
Student Assessment (PISA) 2018, the Philippines ranked Level 1, with a mean of 357 and standard
deviation of 75, on performance in science. It was also noted that even the highest-performing
students in the Philippines, alongside Kosovo and Morocco, only scored around the OECD average
(Schleicher, 2018). Moreover, as noted by Dacumos (2016), despite the importance of science
education, students exhibit negative responses as they never perceived it as an enjoyable way for
them to grasp significant concepts; thus, resulting in low academic achievement. Through a
research article the Ely (2019), it was concluded that through the Chemistry Achievement Test
(CAT), the level of mastery in chemistry competencies is generally average mastery. The ninth
grade students who have a lesson in chemical bonding, mole concept, and carbon compound
achieve the lowest score in MPS. Mainly, chemistry is considered to be one of the most significant
fields that help learners comprehend their environment. However, it is also a challenging subject
since chemistry topics are usually linked to the structure of matter and other chemical terms. The
chemistry curriculum integrates many abstract concepts, which is essential to learning since it is
the basis for further knowledge in other fields of science. Moreover, it also discusses that learners
must involve themselves more than once in these concepts. With the possible growing learning
in chemistry, it is essential to review chemical concepts in different aspects (Ely, 2019).
Based on the related literature by Ely (2019), it was noted that chemical bonding is one of the
most difficult concepts in General Chemistry. Chemical bonding requires intellectual thought
since it also needs a broad understanding of abstract concepts. It is also considered to be
fundamental to learning chemistry. Understanding chemical bonding is primary in learning the
nature of chemistry like chemical reactions, thermodynamics, molecular structure, chemical
equilibrium, and physical properties. Knowledge in chemical bonding theories can also be
obtained by learning about reactivity, spectroscopy, and organic chemistry (Pabuçcu, A. & Geban,
Ö, 2012). It is considered to be a prerequisite of the concept behind hydrocarbons.
Due to the advancing technology, Pinar (2021) has learned that the utilization of technology-
based instructions, if given the proper dissemination of information, can provide students a more
significant opportunity to learn a specific competency. It can also strengthen the idea of the
relationship of learning in terms of collaboration, participation, engagement, and in-depth
learning acquisition. The education system should have the ability to provide students with a high
level of support to fill the large gap between the online distance learning setup and the face-to-
face learning environment. Online learning uses new learning modalities such as self-learning
modules and incorporating technology as a viable mode of enhancing students’ competencies.
This resulted in reconstructing learning materials to deliver prowess within the new learning
modalities. It was also stated that because of the unique challenges brought by the sudden
transition of a mode of learning, the design and implementation of online distance learning should
still adhere to an effective learning process for the students.
The Electronic Strategic Intervention Material (E-SIM) is described as the newest learning
method recommended by the DepEd to lessen academic underachievement by increasing the
learners’ performance in the least mastered competencies and skills (De Jesus, 2019). Arpilleda
(2021) stated that these materials serve as additional learning material that is used for the
mastery of the least-learned competencies of students. Students use these intervention materials
to study and explore independently with the help of simple interactive discussion and activities.
This study aims to create an E-SIM to test how this will improve the least mastered skills of Grade
11 science high school students in General Chemistry.
As shown in the research paradigm (Figure 1), implementing the “Ganyan ang Bonding” (in
English: Bonding Goes Like This) E-SIM may significantly increase students' knowledge of the
topic and their mastery of their LMC in chemical bonding.

Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General… 61
Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
Figure 1. Paradigm
Herrera & Soriano (2016) conducted a study titled "The efficacy of strategic intervention material
(SIM) to the achievement in Physics of a selected group of Public-School Students in Las Nieves,
Agusan del Norte" which studied the effectiveness of the SIM in improving achievement of tenth
grade students in physics. In this study, the SIM was found to be effective in raising the posttest
results of students. The majority of SIM-related studies from various places in the Philippines
show significant effects on both students and teachers. It accomplishes its purpose of developing
least mastered competency in certain topics (Contreras, 2018).
Since chemistry is highly concept-based, learners and teachers must weigh its importance.
According to Ely (2019), chemistry requires significant conceptual understandings. It was
discussed that cognitive science disciplines could be learned effectively through active learning
methods, like group works and activities. This can also boost learners’ motivation and retention
of information.
According to the Constructivist Theory of Jerome Bruner, learning is an active and constructive
process in which learners construct new ideas, concepts, and information based upon their
current and past knowledge. This theory also sets forth that an individual learns from their
discovery of the environment by using their senses, which gives rise to the emerging theory of
constructivism and self-learning. Pasion (2019) highlighted the need for activity-centered
instructional materials in which students may instantly experience the purposeful use of all of
their senses. Experiential learning is a way of accumulating knowledge or skills by firsthand and
keen observations, followed by an evaluation of what has been experienced and comprehended.
Figure 2. Theoretical Framework Based on the Constructivist Theory of Jerome Bruner
Bruner (1966) states that a theory of instruction should address four significant aspects: (1)
predisposition towards learning; (2) how a body of knowledge can be structured so that the
learner can most readily grasp it; (3) the most compelling sequences in which to present material;

62 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
and (4) the nature and pacing of rewards and punishments. Exemplary methods for structuring
knowledge should simplify, generate new propositions, and increase the manipulation of
information. The principles of the Constructivist Theory are the following: Readiness, Spiral
Organization, and Extrapolation. If all these theories and principles are employed in the self-
learning E-SIM on improving the least mastered competency of students in General Chemistry,
see Figure 2, there shall be a significant improvement in the students’ performance which can be
determined by administering pretest and posttest.
The K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum of DepEd aims to provide inclusive learning to students.
It ensures that all learners are given an equal chance to learn and master the most essential
learning competencies at their own pace through varied learning activities. Teachers can give
students the ability to concretize their learning through differentiated instructions and
contextualization (De Jesus, 2019). Consequently, DepEd brought down DepEd Memorandum No.
117 s. 2005, "Strategic Intervention Materials (SIM) Training Workshop for Successful Learning,”
which led to the utilization of SIM as a form of remediation to increase the academic achievement
of low-performing students in schools on the vision to improve students’ academic performance.
This study sought to answer the following problems:
What was the learners' level of achievement per competency before and after using the "Ganyan
ang Bonding" E-SIM?
1. Are there significant changes in the student’s knowledge on the competency in General
Chemistry before and after the utilization of the E-SIM?
2. How do the students perceive the use of E-SIM in terms of learning General Chemistry
competencies?
At a 0.05 level of significance, it is hypothesized that (a) Ho: There is no significant difference
between the pretest and posttest scores of the students; and (b) Ha: There is a significant
difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the students.
The findings of this descriptive quantitative study, which aims to provide supplementary learning
material, might improve the least mastered competencies of Grade 11 students in chemical
bonding. Hence, offering strategic intervention materials may alleviate the deficit of learners'
materials such as textbooks and activity sheets that occurred during the implementation of the
K-12 Curriculum in the Philippines, which affects students' performance in class. In addition,
teachers in public schools are led to fill the gaps in education, such as the critical shortcomings of
learning materials, by seeking specific strategies to assist students in obtaining high-quality
education and mastering the essential learning competencies (Sinco, 2018). The legislated
science high school teachers will access extra teaching resources regarding chemical bonding
through this E-SIM, which may provide quality education to learners. Lastly, this study may serve
as a reference for future researchers conducting more research on improving students' General
Chemistry competencies and the development of E-SIMs. This study can also help these
researchers obtain more knowledge and different experiences on the topic as they continue their
studies.
METHODOLOGY
Research Design. The researchers used a one-group pretest-posttest control design to
determine the effect on the learning of Grade 11 students that used the material since the E-SIM
shall serve as a re-teaching tool for randomly selected Grade 11 students. The experimental group
received the researcher-made intervention material and underwent pretest and posttest to
assess their knowledge before and after utilizing the material.

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Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
Phase 1: Development of General Chemistry Electronic Strategic Intervention Material (E-
SIM). According to Arpilleda (2021), some phases must be considered in making an intervention
material. In gathering the material and data, the researchers considered the following phases:
Preliminary phase. The researchers looked for studies that discuss the least mastered
competencies in General Chemistry of Grade 11 students. Afterward, learning sources and
materials were gathered as references to be used in the E-SIM.
Preparation phase. The researchers thoroughly prepared activities and tasks. Based on the DepEd
SIM format, there are essential parts in the E-SIM, namely: title card, guide card, activity card,
assessment card, and reference card. The E-SIM was utilized using Microsoft Powerpoint because
of its features, such as hyperlinks and animations. This software was able to make the activity
card interactive.
As seen in Figure 3, the title card includes the title of the material as well as the names of the
developers. The guide card which comes before the title card, contains an in-depth examination
of chemical bonding concepts. The steps in generating Lewis diagrams, the octet rule and its
exceptions, covalent bonds, and ionic bonds are among the topics covered in this card. The
concepts were taught through images and texts to assist students in grasping the topics (see
Figure 4).
Figure 3. Title Card
Figure 4. Guide Card
Another section of the E-SIM is the activity cards, which feature activities to help learners master
the competencies in a fun and interactive way. As gleaned from Figure 5, multiple-choice
questions, puzzle-solving, matching type identification, and 4-pics 1-word themed activities are
given one activity for each competency. To make the activity cards interactive, all of the content
in this section utilizes various diagrams and shapes combined with animations.

64 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
Figure 5. Activity Card
There is also an assessment card in the E-SIM—pre-assessment and post-assessment, as shown
in Figure 6.1 and 6.2. These assessments are self-checked by the learners to test their knowledge
before and after browsing through the guide card, activity card, and enrichment card.
Figure 6.1. Pre-assessment Card

Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General… 65
Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
Figure 6.2. Post-assessment Card
As seen in Figure 7, an enrichment card is also present in the material. This card focuses on
providing other review material (e.g. Youtube videos and interactive simulations) for the learners
to have a wider understanding of the concepts of chemical bonding. The reference card contains
the references used in the material (see Figure 7). This is to ensure that the concepts and
information gathered in the material are cited properly.
Figure 7. Enrichment Card and Reference Card
Evaluation phase. This phase was conducted to evaluate and test the effectiveness of the material.
The questions underwent face and content validity. Selected five experts in the field of chemistry
and research were given an evaluation form which is entirely based on the DepEd Evaluation
Rating Sheet for Non-Print Materials retrieved from the DM No. 441 s. 2019 Guidelines and
Process for LRMDS Assessment and Evaluation of Locally Developed and Procured Material. The
questionnaire focused on determining the accuracy of content, appropriateness of the
presentation, language, and visuals to target users of the intervention material (DepEd, 2019).
The evaluation sheet from the validators showed that the material passed the content quality,
instructional quality, technical quality, and other factors, as shown in Table 1.
The pretest and posttest questionnaire also underwent validation by a subject teacher and a
master teacher. Validator 6 focused the comments on the content validity, while Validator 7 gave
suggestions mostly on the face validity of the questionnaire. With this, results from the test for
face and content validity indicate that the pretest and posttest questionnaires are appropriate for
the experiment.

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KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
Table 1. Scores from the Validators’ Evaluation Rating Sheet for Non-Print Materials
Validator
Factor A
Factor B
Factor C
Factor D
Summary of 'Other Comments'
Content
Quality
Instr.
Quality
Tech.
Quality
Other
Findings
1
39
40
51
16
The interface and the design are one of
the things that the validator praised
about the material. Few suggestions
were made; for instance, showing more
examples of atoms in the exemptions
to the octet rule and correcting some
grammatical errors.
2
35
38
51
14*
The title of the material and the colors
are complemented by the validator.
Most comments discuss the conceptual
part of the material; for instance,
adding more examples, diagrams, and
illustrations. The Factor D failed
because of the conceptual and
grammatical errors.
2.1**
40
40
52
16
All comments from the first evaluation
were addressed and resolved.
3
40
40
41
16
No other comments were made.
4
37
36
45
16
Guide cards can easily be followed.
Activities align with the material's
objectives. Few suggestions were
made; for instance, interactive
activities online can be utilized in the
E-SIM
5
38
36
44
16
The validator suggested that simpler
examples should be used.
* Failed from the Factor D: Other Findings, revisions were made accordingly.
** Re-evaluation scores for Validator 2.
Phase 2: Pilot Testing and Assessing Improvement in Least Mastered Competencies in
General Chemistry .
Respondents of the Study. The respondents of this descriptive quantitative study were drawn from
a pool of Grade 11 students from the legislated science high school. This study was carried out
after the first semester of S.Y. 2021-2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic where online sessions
were predominantly conducted instead of face-to-face classes. There are five Grade 11 sections
in the science high school—two sections were chosen using simple random sampling via the
fishbowl method to gather sufficient numbers of respondents in total to gather richer information
(De Jesus, 2019). In this sampling technique, the five sections were written down on a piece of
paper and picked up randomly. From the two randomly selected sections, voluntary response
sampling was used to gather respondents from the total population of Grade 11 science high
school students. In addition, the students were divided by sex assigned at birth—male and female.
A screening was done based on the following qualifications: (a) students from the randomly
selected two sections; (b) has a working laptop/desktop; (c) has a stable internet connection at
home; and (d) has a Microsoft Powerpoint Office 2016 or later. Out of 34 students who responded
to the call for respondents, only 22 students qualified for the pilot testing of the intervention
material, which comprises 10 male and 12 female students.

Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General… 67
Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
Research Instrument. The researchers used the following tools and instruments in conducting this
study: the E-SIM in the least mastered competencies in General Chemistry, the pretests and
posttests questionnaires, along with the survey form developed by the researchers.
Intervention material. The E-SIM was prepared by the researchers using Microsoft Powerpoint
2016. By utilizing the hyperlink, designing, and animation functions of the application, it became
interactive and pleasing to the eye of the learners. The intervention material includes the
following essential components: title card (Figure 3), guide card (Figure 4), activity card (Figure
5), assessment card (Figure 6.1 and 6.2), and reference card (Figure 7), which is based primarily
on the DepEd SIM format.
Pretests and posttests questionnaires. The researcher-made pretest and posttest questionnaires
were done through Google Forms for easy access to students. It consists of a number of questions
that determine the students' achievement in terms of concepts and understanding. It is worth
taking note that the pretest and posttest questions are similar to study the students’ gain of
knowledge. The questions were validated by the selected experts in the field of chemistry and
research. In addition, the researchers developed the survey questionnaire that aimed to describe
the perception of the students on the use of the E-SIM. It consists of five questions which aim to
determine a student's perception on the use of the material. Each statement is rated using a 4-
Point Likert Scale, where 1 means strongly disagree, 2 means disagree, 3 means agree, and 4
means strongly agree (De Jesus, 2019).
Data Gathering Procedure. Following the approval to conduct the study, an orientation for
selected students was followed using the Google Meet video conferencing platform to thoroughly
explain the procedures of the study. Using Google Forms, the same set of tests was given to the
qualified participants accordingly. In addition, students’ perceptions were also collected through
the aforementioned platform after the intervention to have a proper analysis of the material.
To assure the study's ethical consideration, underage participants were asked for their assent and
parental permission before the intervention using Google Forms. This form outlines all of the
study's terms and conditions. This means that their responses will never be used against them,
and only the researchers will have access to them. There are important questions that require a
mandatory response before moving on to the next section of the survey. Moreover, respondents
were briefly informed about the purpose and the main goal of the study.
The pretest was administered before the material intervention, and participants had one day to
complete the evaluation using Google Forms. For the intervention proper, participants could
access the intervention material in Microsoft Powerpoint format that is compiled in Google Drive
for one week. Students are tasked to do self-assessments to ensure that the material can be used
without the guidance of other people. After the intervention, the Google Form link for the posttest
was issued to the qualified participants. To assess if there were significant differences in the mean
scores on the pretest and posttest, their scores were tallied and analyzed using Google Sheets.
Data Analysis Procedure. The questions underwent face and content validity. The researchers
looked for experts in the field of research and chemistry to validate the E-SIM, pretest, posttest,
and survey questionnaires. The test-retest correlation was used to measure the test consistency
by handing out the same test twice to the same respondents at different times to determine if the
results are the same (Weir, 2005). To measure the reliability of the questionnaires, the same test
was conducted on the same exact group of people. The second test was conducted after one week.
With this, the correlation between the two sets of results was computed using Pearson
Correlation (r).
As shown in Table 2, the pretest and posttest questionnaire pose a good reliability (r=0.87) in
assessing student’s knowledge in chemical bonding. Using the Pearson correlation table

68 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
(Ratnasari et al., 2016), the r-value presents a strongly positive correlation which makes the
instrument reliable for this study.
Table 2. Test-Retest Correlation
Item Number
Pretest
Posttest
1
16
20
2
14
10
3
18
19
4
10
11
5
10
13
6
9
10
7
13
15
8
22
22
9
9
12
10
15
15
r
0.87
The data gathered from the questionnaire was consolidated and analyzed by the researchers with
the aid of Google Forms and Spreadsheets. Spreadsheets are a typical form of application for a
variety of purposes, including data collecting. The most obvious benefit is that many individuals
are familiar with spreadsheets. A spreadsheet also has a number of tools and capabilities for data
analysis and processing (Nurdiantoro, et al., 2017).
Statistical Treatment. The assumption of normality must be checked before analyzing data when
comparing the means of two or more groups because the validity of the results will rely on the
test of normality (Banda, 2018). There are a variety of methods to be used in order to test the
assumption of normality. The simplest way is to visually inspect the data using the histogram tool.
The data is considered or accepted as normal if the shape looks symmetrical and bell-shaped
(Ghasemi, 2012). Another way to tell if the data is normally distributed is the Shapiro-Wilk Test
for Normality which is usually used when the sample size is less than 50 (Banda, 2018).
Several stats were used in this study to evaluate the acquired information. A total of 22
respondents participated. Since this study is interested in the difference between two variables
for the same subject, a paired sample t-test was used for the pretest and posttest regardless of
the sample size. The pretest and posttest data were evaluated using mean, standard deviation,
and MPS. The same method was also used for the student perception survey (SPS). A Likert Scale
ranging from 1 to 4 (1 - Strongly Disagree, 2 - Disagree, 3 - Agree, 4 - Strongly Agree) was used to
determine the perception of the students. The 4-point scale has its own respective ranges and
interpretations as shown in Table 3 (Pimentel, 2019).
Table 3. 4-Point Likert Scale Range Interpretation
POINT
SCALE RANGE
DIFFERENCE
INTERPRETATION
1
1.00 - 1.75
0.75
Strongly Disagree
2
1.76 - 2.51
0.75
Disagree
3
2.52 - 3.27
0.75
Agree
4
3.28 - 4.00
0.72
Strongly Agree

Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General… 69
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This section analyzes the knowledge acquired before and after intervention, followed by an
analysis of the student’s achievement per competency, and the student’s perception survey.
Test for Normality and Equal Variance. Since only a small sample size (N=22) was gathered,
determining the distribution of the pretest scores was important for choosing the appropriate
statistical method. For the statistical test of normality assumption, the Shapiro-Wilk Normality
Test (Shapiro and Wilk, 1965 as cited by Acharya, et al., 2018) and histogram were performed.
The pretest scores were used as a direct measure of the level of knowledge of students prior to
the intervention. With this, the Shapiro-Wilk Test did not show evidence of non-normality
(W=0.945, p-value=0.2511), with all the pretest data sets as acceptable at p<0.05 level as shown
in Table 4.
Table 4. Test for Normality—Shapiro-Wilk Normality Test
Parameter
Value
Sample Size
22
W
0.945
P-value
0.2511**
Note: *p<0.10, **p<0.05, ***p<0.01
On the other hand, histogram is also one way to test for normality of a data. It is easy to visualize
the distribution of the data using this. To establish the histogram, the frequency of pretest data
(see Table 5) was used. As shown in Figure 8, it presents a potentially symmetrical shape, which
indicates that the data gathered from the pretest are normally distributed.
Table 5. Frequency of Pretest Data
SCORE
FREQUENCY
1
0
2
0
3
1
4
2
5
4
6
4
7
8
8
2
9
1
10
0
Figure 8. Frequency Distribution Histogram of the pretest Data

70 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
Based on the findings and after the visual examination of the histogram, as shown in Figure 8, the
paired sample t-test was the appropriate statistical test to use.
Students’ Achievement before and after Intervention. Based on the gathered data during the
pilot testing of the E-SIM and assessing the improvement in the least mastered competency of
students, the researchers found the following:
Students’ Achievement on tests Before Intervention. A pretest was given to the students before the
implementation of the intervention material to establish their level of performance in chemical
bonding. The scores were tallied and analyzed. The frequency distribution of the scores for each
item is shown in Table 6. The mean, standard deviation, and MPS were used to interpret the data.
Table 6. Pretest Results
Item Number
Frequency
Percentage
Mean
13.60
Standard Deviation
4.30
MPS
136
According to the data acquired during the pretest (M=13.60, SD=4.30), the students showed poor
performance in the pretest and an intervention is required to improve their least mastered
competencies in chemical bonding. These findings are similar to the findings of De Jesus (2019),
which indicate that students' low performance on the pretest presupposes an intervention to
improve their level of achievement on a specific topic in science.
Comparing Students’ Achievement on tests Before and After Intervention. Table 7 presented the
comparison of students’ pretest and posttest scores. The table presented that ten out of 22
students have increased their scores before and after the intervention, seven students
maintained, and five students have decreased. It was noted that most students improved their
knowledge on chemical bonding after the exposure to E-SIM.
Table 7. Tabulation of Students’ Pretest and Posttest Scores
Student
Pretest
Posttest
1
6
6
2
5
9
3
4
4
4
6
7
5
7
9
6
8
9
7
7
7
8
6
7
9
7
8
10
7
6
11
7
7
12
5
9
13
9
9
14
3
7
15
6
8
16
4
4
17
5
4
18
7
5
19
8
5
20
7
7
21
7
4
22
5
6

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Table 8.1 shows the comparison of the frequency distribution of pretest and posttest scores of
students per item. In the majority of the item numbers, the frequency of students who got correct
answers has increased. Table 8.2, on the other hand, compares the mean, standard deviation, and
MPS of the pretest and posttest scores. Further, the mean, standard deviation, and MPS in posttest
scores are higher than in pretest scores.
Table 8.1. Frequency of Students and Percentage of Pretest and Posttest Results
Pretest
Posttest
Item Number
Frequency
Percentage
Frequency
Percentage
1
16
0.73
20
0.91
2
14
0.64
10
0.45
3
18
0.82
19
0.86
4
10
0.45
11
0.50
5
10
0.45
13
0.59
6
9
0.41
10
0.45
7
13
0.59
15
0.68
8
22
1.00
22
1.00
9
9
0.41
12
0.55
10
15
0.68
15
0.68
Table 8.2. Mean, SD, MPS, and Normalized Gain Score of Pretest and Posttest Results
Pretest
Posttest
Mean
13.60
14.70
Standard Deviation
4.30
4.32
MPS
136
147
Normalized Gain Score
0.01
The next step was to use the students' pretest and posttest scores to calculate the gain in the
knowledge from the intervention material. Because the pretest and posttest scores are
dependent, a student's t-test for paired samples was used to verify that learning occurred during
the pilot testing of the material. Table 9 presents the results obtained.
Table 9. Comparison of Pretest and Posttest scores—gain in knowledge
Pretest
Posttest
Mean
6.18
6.68
Variance
2.16
3.18
Observations
22
22
Hypothesized Mean Difference
0.00
df
21
t Stat
-3.17
P(T≤t) one-tail
0.00
t Critical one-tail
-1.72

72 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
Table 10. Significant difference between the Pretest and Posttest results
M
SD
t-value
t-crit
df
p-value
Decision
Experimental Group
Pretest VS Posttest
-0.5
0.74
-3.17
-1.72
21
0.0023
Reject Ho
It can be seen from Table 10 that under the experimental group, pretest and posttest scores pose
a significant difference (t-value=−3.17 < t-crit=−1.72). Meanwhile, the pretest (M=6.18, SD=1.47)
and the posttest (M=6.68, SD=1.78) of the experimental group showed a significant difference in
the test results before and after using the E-SIM. After achieving poorly in the pretest, the students
understood the concepts in chemical bonding with the use of the guide cards, activity cards, and
enrichment cards provided in the intervention material without the guidance of a teacher or
instructor, which led to an improvement in the performance of the students. This indicates that
there is an improvement in the performance of students after the utilization of E-SIM. Further,
the significant increase in the mean score of the students manifests the effectiveness of the
material. All of these findings are similar to De Jesus (2019) and Arpilleda (2021), where the use
of an intervention material has significantly improved the level of achievement of learners as
indicated on the increase of mean scores of the students.
With these findings, the experiment may be considered valid and there is a significant difference
between the pretest and posttest scores—the posttest scores are higher than the pretest scores.
Further analysis can proceed to evaluate the next research question, which is to assess the pretest
and posttest scores of the group in each learning competency.
Students’ Achievement Per Competency. Each learning competency, as presented in Table 11,
has two to three questions on each test to determine the student’s mastery per competency given
on the “Ganyan ang Bonding” E-SIM. The students' achievement per competency was determined
by computing and comparing the frequency of students who got correct answers and mean data
from the pretest and posttest results.
Table 11. Frequency of Students and Mean of Pretest and Posttest Result per Learning
Competency
Learning Competency
Item No.
Pretest
Posttest
Frequency
Mean
Frequency
Mean
1. Identify ionic bond,
single covalent bond,
double covalent bond,
and triple covalent
bond.
1, 3, & 8
56
18.67
61
20.33
2. Apply the octet rule in
the formation of
molecular covalent
compounds.
4 & 7
23
11.50
26
13.00
As gleaned from Table 11, the data poses a significant increase of the mean in the competencies:
identifying bonds, pretest (M=18.67) and posttest (M=20.33); applying octet rule, pretest
(M=11.50) and posttest (M=13.00); and learning real life examples of chemical bonding, pretest
(M=11.330) and posttest (M=13.33). Meanwhile, the competency of drawing Lewis structure of
molecular covalent compounds states that there is a decrease between the data with pretest
(M=11.50) and posttest (M=10.00). These data implied that the students understood the majority
of the learning competencies with the use of E-SIM on their own. It also implies that there is a
significant increase in the performance of the students in the learning competencies after the

Improving the Least Mastered Competencies of Grade 11 Students in General… 73
Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022 • KIMIKA
utilization of E-SIM. All of these findings are consistent with Cordova, et al. (2019)’s study, who
found that using an intervention material enhanced students' level of achievement in these
learning competencies significantly, as implied by an increase in mean scores.
Students’ Responses on Students’ Perception Survey. As presented in Table 12, the students’
perception about the “Ganyan ang Bonding” E-SIM was determined using a SPS. The survey
contains five statements that the students rated using a 4-Point Likert Scale.
Table 12. Student’s Perception Survey
Statements
Mean
SD
Interpretation
1. The activities provided in the E-SIM were effective and
interactive, which aided in the achievement of the
material's objectives.
3.55
0.67
Strongly Agree
2. The illustrations used in the guide cards helped me
visualize the topics about chemical bonding.
3.73
0.46
Strongly Agree
3. The E-SIM helps me have a better understanding about
chemical bonding that was not understood during regular
classroom teaching.
3.73
0.46
Strongly Agree
4. The E-SIM was well-organized in terms of time frame,
assessment, and information access.
3.64
0.58
Strongly Agree
5. The E-SIM was interesting to repeat and review.
3.77
0.43
Strongly Agree
The high mean scores presented in Table 12 indicate that most students strongly agreed that the
activities provided in the E-SIM were effective and interactive (M=3.55, SD=0.67), the illustrations
used were helpful in visualizing the topics (M=3.73, SD=0.46), and it helped in having a better
understanding of chemical bonding (M=3.73, SD=0.46). Furthermore, most students strongly
agreed that the utilized E-SIM was well-organized (M=3.64, SD=0.58), and is an interesting review
material (M=3.77, SD=0.43). These data implied that the E-SIM was effective for students.
The pretest and posttest findings, which were provided in frequency and percentage
distributions, mean, standard deviation, normalized gain score, and p-value, revealed that after
using the E-SIM, the Grade 11 students performed better in chemical bonding. This also proved
that following the intervention, the students had gained overall knowledge and mastered the
majority of the learning competencies. When the E-SIM is utilized as a teaching tool in chemical
bonding, greater perception survey ratings may lead to higher improvements. The result of the
SPS is the same with the findings of De Jesus (2019), where the students’ response also showed
that the E-SIM was helpful for most students and suggested that the E-SIM should be utilized
frequently.
It can be deduced from this that there is a concrete manifestation of Jerome Bruner's
Constructivist Theory, in which learners generate new ideas and concepts based on their present
and previous knowledge. Pasion (2019) also emphasized the need for activity-based learning
materials that allow learners to immediately experience the intentional use of all of their senses.
Experiential learning is a method of gaining knowledge or skills by personal and perceptive
observations, followed by an assessment of what has been learned. There are similar findings
from the research of Limbago-Bastida & Bastida (2022) which discussed that the use of
intervention material in the classroom has contributed to greater learning of concepts among
students in science.
After the utilization of the E-SIM, students’ performance had led to significant improvement from
pretest to posttest. This finding can also be supported with the studies of De Jesus (2019),
Cordova, et al. (2019), Sinco (2020), and Arpilleda (2021), which all highlighted that the use of
intervention materials improved the performance of students in science subjects. The findings of
Limbago-Bastida & Bastida (2022) and Dacumos (2016) stated that intervention materials are
helpful in mastering competency-based science skills. Overall, this implies that the use of the E-

74 Gwyneth M. Rosal, Jhan Cromwell M. Aguinaldo, Lean Donnie B. Reyes et al.
KIMIKA • Volume 33, Number 2, July-December 2022
SIM as a remediation tool has a significant impact on the learner’s performance in General
Chemistry. These studies also showed that learners who are exposed to intervention materials
have a better potential of increasing or enhancing their performance in the subject.
This study's findings are an extension of previous research about the use of E-SIM since they are
congruent with their findings. This lends credence to the notion that intervention materials aid
in increasing students' educational achievement to deliver high-quality education. Furthermore,
the findings of this study contribute to the ongoing study and analysis of the E-SIM's effectiveness.
The general public's awareness of the usefulness of E-SIM can help to strengthen the support from
educational institutions. The results offered in this study can also be utilized to guide future
development and implementation of E-SIM for students in other subjects and topics in a school
setting.
The study was limited to Grade 11 students from the legislated science high school only, so the
findings are not generalizable with other grade levels. In addition, the E-SIM only focuses on
chemical bonding and the software used is only bound to Microsoft Powerpoint which is
sometimes prone to software malfunctions. Finally, larger sample sizes for the participants of the
study should be explored further.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the analysis of the study identifying whether the intervention material can improve the
mastery of the students in chemical bonding, it is concluded that there was a slight increase in
student’s achievement before and after the intervention, with a normalized gain score of 0.01.
The objectives of the study were validated since the analysis of the data showed that there is a
significant difference (p-value=0.0023) between the pretest and the posttest scores, with posttest
posing a higher average. Therefore, it is deduced that the intervention material is an effective tool
in enhancing the knowledge of the students about chemical bonding.
In terms of improving the knowledge of Grade 11 students in General Chemistry, the E-SIM has
shown great potential. The scope of this intervention material is confined to one subject and topic
area only; therefore, further studies on the use of E-SIM in other topics or subjects are advised in
studying its effectiveness. The assessment tools, pretest and posttest, employed in this study only
included multiple-choice questions; however, using a more comprehensive set of questions, such
as identification, matching-type, and essay questions, might better capture the students' learning.
Also, the respondents of this study have been limited to small sample size, having a wider
population is advised to validate the impact of E-SIM. Because the scope of this study is limited,
further study and implementation of the E-SIMs are strongly recommended to fully evaluate the
suitability of incorporating E-SIM as an instrument in school learning.
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