Thai Seventh-grade Students Awareness of and Ability to Formulate Scientific Hypothesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to survey the Thai seventh-grade students awareness of and ability to formulate a scientific hypothesis. A total of 285 Thai seventh-graders from three Thai public schools were asked to respond the questionnaire Awareness of and Ability to Formulate Scientific Hypothesis (Thai version). The results of Thai seventh-grade students awareness of nature of scientific knowledge and scientific method indicated that, firstly, the students were aware that scientific knowledge (1) is created from the valid grounds, (2) is incomplete, (3) can be changed. Moreover, they thought that the scientific knowledge is not created by scientists but discovered by scientists. Secondly, most of the students have heard the scientific method terms namely hypothesis, prediction, and conclusion while only a half of them have heard about assumption. They thought that they understood well in all scientific method terms except in assumption. Moreover, the students could not distinguish hypothesis from prediction in many cases. For the results of Thai seventh-grade students awareness of scientific hypothesis, the students were aware that hypothesis (1) is formulated from the valid grounds, (2) must be verified, (3) is a testable statement, (4) is incomplete, and (5) can be changed. Moreover, they were unaware with the idea that the hypothesis is stated by showing the relationship between independent and dependent variables. Lastly, results of Thai seventh-grade students ability to formulate a scientific hypothesis, the students had an ability to formulate a hypothesis as an answer to inquiry question and state a hypothesis which presented only one independent variable. Moreover, they could formulate a testable hypothesis. The students were able to present the valid grounds which they used to formulate the hypothesis. However, they lacked ability to formulate a generalizing hypothesis. Hence, we can state that Thai seventh-grade students understood in a hypothesis but they did not perform well on formulating a hypothesis. Regarding the results of this study, we can conclude that Thai seventh-grade students need more practice in the variable extraction process. Particularly, a new teaching method for enhancing students awareness of and ability to formulate a scientific hypothesis is required to be developed.