Physics Olympics: An Enhancement approach for Students’ physics performance, critical thinking, and science process skills

Abstract

This quasi-experimental study aimed to determine the effect of the physics Olympics on Grade 7 students’ performance, critical thinking, and science process skills. The participants were the Grade 7 regular class students of a rural public high school in Panay Island. The participants were divided into two groups; one group was exposed to an inquiry-based approach while the other was to an inquiry-based approach enhanced with Physics Olympics. It utilized validated researcher-made and adopted-modified instruments. The data underwent statistical and thematic analysis. The study found that both the inquiry-based approach and with Physics Olympics were effective in improving students' physics performance, critical thinking, and science process skills. Though both groups were categorized as approaching proficiency level in terms of physics performance and critical thinking skills, the mean gain among the students who were exposed to intervention was higher compared to that of the students who were exposed to the traditional approach. In terms of the science process skills, students who were exposed to the inquiry-based approach were at the approaching proficiency level while those who were exposed to the intervention were at the proficiency level. The two groups had no significant difference in their mean gain scores in physics performance and critical thinking skills after the intervention. However, their mean gain score in science process skills was statistically significant which emphasizes the edge of inquiry-based teaching enhanced with physics olympics over inquiry-based approach. It can be recommended that science teachers teaching basic education should integrate physics Olympics as a mode of enhancing inquiry-based teaching approaches.