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THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS,


LOGICAL THINKING ABILITIES, AND SCIENCE ACHIEVEMENT AMONG
RURAL STUDENTS OF SABAH, MALAYSIA

Lay Yoon Fah
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
<layyoonfah@yahoo.com>
Khoo Chwee Hoon
Malaysia Teacher Education Institute-Kent Campus
Tuaran, Sabah
<khoo8921@yahoo.com>
Jenny Cheng Oi Lee
Lok Yuk Secondary School
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
<jechlee118@yahoo.com>


Abstract
Science curriculum in Malaysia gives conscious emphasis on the acquisition of scientific
skills and thinking skills, the inculcation of scientific attitudes and nobles values besides the
acquisition of scientific and technological knowledge and its application to the natural
phenomena and students daily experiences. The purpose of this study is to gauge the
acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities and science
achievement among Form 4 students in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. This study is
also aimed to determine whether there is a significant difference in the acquisition of
integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement between
male and female secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. The ultimate
goal of this study is to investigate whether integrated science process skills and logical
thinking abilities can predict rural secondary students science achievement. This is a non-
experimental quantitative research and sample survey method was used to collect data.
Research samples were selected by using a two-stage cluster random sampling technique.
Instruments namely Integrated Science Process Skills Test (ISPST), Group Assessment of
Logical Thinking Abilities (GALT), and Science Achievement Test (SAT) were adopted to
investigate the possible linear relationships among rural secondary students integrated
science process skills, logical thinking abilities and science achievement. Five subscales of
integrated science process skills measured in this study were Identifying variables,
Identifying and stating hypothesis, Defining operationally, Designing investigations, and
Graphing and interpreting data whereas six modes of logical thinking abilities measured
were Conservational reasoning, Proportional reasoning, Controlling variables,
Combinatorial reasoning, Probabilistic reasoning, and Correlational reasoning. Students
science achievement in Elementary Biology, Elementary Chemistry and Elementary Physics
were also measured in this study. Parametric tests namely Independent samples t-test,
Pearsons product moment correlation, simple and multiple regression analysis were used to
test the stated null hypotheses at a specified significance level of .05. Quantitative data was
analyzed by using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and QUEST. The
research findings will bring some meaningful implications to those who are directly or
indirectly involved in the development and implementation of science curriculum especially
in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia.


Background of the Study
The progressiveness of a nation is very much dependent on the generation of new ideas which will act
as a catalyst to the development of the nation. In an effort to achieve the status of a developed nation, the
Malaysian government had initiated and documented a vision to be achieved by the year 2020. Among the nine
strategic challenges identified, the sixth strategic challenge is to establish a scientific and progressive society, a
society that is innovative and forward-looking, one that is not only a consumer of technology but also a
contributor to the scientific and technological civilization of the future (Wan Mohd. Zahid, 1993). The core of
this vision requires Malaysians to possess high scientific and technological skills to enable the people to be
involved directly and indirectly in the up-stream and down-stream of science and technology activities.
The most fundamental and powerful human resource is intelligence where it is important not only to
have a good brain but also to have the ability to use it and to ensure it is functioning effectively. In relation to
this, science has prepared ways which enable us to think logically about our daily events and practical problem
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solving. Science also represents ways of organizing knowledge which will then contribute to the development
of cultures and intellect. To achieve this aim, the concept of education through science becomes imperative.
Two important fields of study in science education are science process skills and logical thinking
abilities. Science process skills represent problem solving mechanisms that involved in any cognitive processes
whereas logical thinking abilities are crucial in the acquisition and understanding of science concepts. Scientific
knowledge is believed to develop via the use of science process skills and logical thinking abilities.

The Study
Problem Statement
This proposed piece of study is a follow-up of a research undertaken by the principal researcher which
entitled The Influence of Science Process Skills, Logical Thinking Abilities, Attitudes towards Science and,
Locus of Control on Science Achievement among Form 4 Students in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia.
One of the important findings of the study revealed that higher logical thinking abilities will ensure better
science process skills and hence better science achievement among Form 4 students in the Interior Division of
Sabah. The same study had also proposed a structural model to show the direct and indirect effects of all the
endogenous and exogenous variables studied by using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) approach.
However, there have not been many well-documented research which aimed to gauge the acquisition
of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement among rural secondary
students especially in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. The possible linear relationships among the
acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement have not been
well-investigated. Hence, due to the scarcity of well-documented research in this field of study, this proposed
study is aimed to gauge the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and
science achievement among rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah; to determine if there is
any significant relationship among integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and rural
secondary students science achievement. The ultimate goal of this study is to investigate whether integrated
science process skills and logical thinking abilities can be used to predict rural secondary students science
achievement.

Objectives of the Study
This study attempts to achieve the following objectives:-

i) to gauge the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities and
science achievement among rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia;
ii) to determine whether there is a significant difference in the acquisition of integrated science
process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement between male and female rural
secondary students;
iii) to identify any possible linear relationships among integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and rural secondary students science achievement;
iv) to ascertain whether integrated science process skills and logical thinking abilities can predict
rural secondary students science achievement;

Research Questions

This study attempts to answer the following questions:-

i) What is the acquisition level of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and
science achievement among rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia?
ii) Is there a significant difference in the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and science achievement between male and female rural secondary students?
iii) Is there a significant linear relationship among integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and rural secondary students science achievement?
iv) To what extent do integrated science process skills and logical thinking abilities predict rural
secondary students science achievement?

Research Hypotheses
Four null hypotheses identified to be tested in this study were listed below:

i) There is no significant difference in the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and science achievement between male and female rural secondary students in the
Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia.
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ii) There is no significant linear relationship among integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and rural secondary students science achievement.
iii) The regression coefficient for logical thinking abilities is equal to zero when rural secondary
students integrated science process skill is the dependent variable.
iv) The regression coefficients for integrated science process skills and logical thinking abilities
are equal to zero when rural secondary students science achievement is the dependent variable.


Methodology
Research Design
This is a non-experimental quantitative research. Non-experimental research is a systematic empirical
inquiry in which the researcher does not have direct control of independent variables because their
manifestations have already occurred or because they are inherently not manipulable. Hence, inferences about
relations among variables are made, without direct intervention, from concomitant variation of independent and
dependent variables (Johnson & Christensen, 2000). Sample survey method was used to collect data. In this
study, intruments namely Integrated Science Process Skills Test (ISPST), Group Assessment of Logical
Thinking Abilities (GALT), and Science Achievement Test (SAT) were used to gauge students acquisition of
integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities and science achievement respectively.

Location of the Study
This study was conducted in 18 Form 4 classes of nine randomly-selected rural secondary schools in
the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. The distribution of schools and Form 4 classes according to four
districts in the Interior Division of Sabah is shown in Table 1.

Table 1
Distribution of Schools and Form 4 Classes according to Four Districts in the Interior Division of Sabah,
Malaysia
District Nos. of Schools Nos. of Form 4 Classes
Tambunan 2 4
Keningau 4 8
Tenom 2 4
Nabawan 1 2
Total 9 18

Research Samples and Sampling Method
The population of this study were Form 4 students from 22 rural secondary schools in the Interior
Division of Sabah who took the Integrated Curriculum for Secondary School (ICSS) Science (Sains KBSM)
as one of their compulsory learning subjects in school. The population size is approximately 3500 students. The
average age of the population is 16 years old. Sample size of this study was determined based on the formula
suggested by Krejcie and Morgan (1970) and power analysis (Miles & Shevlin, 2001). Hence, sample size used
in this study is considered adequate as compared to Krejcie and Morgans recommendation which is a sample
size of 346 for the population size of 3500.
To be specific, a two-stage cluster random sampling technique was used to identify nine rural
secondary schools and 18 Form 4 classes to be involved in this study. At stage one, systematic sampling
technique was used to identify nine secondary schools from all the 22 secondary schools in the Interior
Division of Sabah. After the schools have been identified, simple random sampling techinique was used to
identify any two Form 4 classes from each of the chosen schools by using a random number table. All students
in the chosen classes were automatically taken as the samples of the study. This combination of sampling
techniques is to ensure the representativeness of the samples.

Instrumentation
Instruments namely Integrated Science Process Skills Test (ISPST) (Appendix I), Group Assessment
of Logical Thinking Abilities (GALT) (Appendix II), and Science Achievement Test (SAT) (Appendix III)
were adopted to gauge the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities and science
achievement among rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah. The same instruments were used
to investigate the possible linear relationships among students acquisition of integrated science process skills,
logical thinking abilities and science achievement.
In this study, students acquisition of integrated science process skills was measured by using a
modified and translated version of Integrated Science Process Skills Test II (TIPS II) (Burns et al., 1985) and
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Middle Grades Integrated Process Skill Test (MIPT) (Padilla & Cronin, 1986). The item distribution of ISPST
according to the five subscales of integrated science process skills measured in this study is shown in Table 2.

Table 2
Item Distribution of ISPST according to Subscales
Subscales Item No. Nos. Item
Identifying Variables 1,3,13,14,15,18,19,20,30,
31,32,36
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Identifying and Stating Hypothesis 4,6,8,12,16,17,27,29,35, 40 10
Defining Operationally 2,7,22,23,26,33 6
Designing Investigation 10,21,24, 37,38,39 6
Graphing and Interpreting Data 5,9,11,25,28,34 6
Total 40

In this study, rural secondary students acquisition of logical thinking abilities was measured by using
a modified and translated version of Group Assessment of Logical Thinking Abilities (GALT) (Roadrangka et
al., 1983) and Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT) (Tobin & Capie, 1981). The item distribution of GALT
according to the six modes of logical thinking measured is shown in Table 3.

Table 3
Item Distribution of GALT according to Subscales
Subscales Item No. Nos. Item
Conservational Reasoning 1,2,3,4 4
Proportional Reasoning 5,6,7,8,9 5
Controlling Variables 10,11,12 3
Probabilistic Reasoning 13,14,15 3
Correlational Reasoning 16,17,18 3
Combinatorial Reasoning 19,20,21 3
Total 21

On the other hand, rural secondary students science achievement was measured by Science
Achievement Test (SAT) which is developed based on the ICSS Form 4 Science Curriculum Specification
(Curriculum Development Centre, 2001). The item distribution of SAT according to five subscales (topics) is
shown in Table 4.

Table 4
Item Distribution of SAT according to Subscales
Subscales (Topics) Item No. Nos. Item
Elementary Biology
Body Coordination 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, 9
Heredity and Variation 10,11,12,13,14,15 6
Elementary Chemistry
Matter and Material 16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23 8
Energy and Chemical Changes 24,25,26,27,28,29,30 7
Elementary Physics
Light, Colour and Vision 31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,
40,41,42,43,44,45
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Total 45

The Difficulty Index and reliability analysis of the instruments used in this study are reported in Table
5 below. The Cronbachs alpha reliability of .72 and .66 for ISPST and SAT respectively are relatively high as
compared to GALT (.52). On the other hands, the Difficulty index of .43 and .39 for ISPST and SAT
respectively showed that the items are not too difficult for the respondents to answer.

Table 5
Difficulty Index and Reliability Analysis of Instruments

Instrument
Nos. Item Sample
size
Difficulty Index Cronbachs
Alpha
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ISPST 40 575 .43 .72
GALT 21 549 - .52
SAT 45 598 .39 .66

Further QUEST analysis found that all the items in the ISPST were fit with an Infit MNSQ of .88 -
1.13 (Appendix IV). Item fit map showed that the Infit MNSQ of these items were in the range of .77 - 1.30
(Appendix V). Based on the values of Pt-Biserial and Mean Ability, all the items were functioning well and
showed a high internal consistency (Alpha= .72) (Appendix VI). Table 6 showed the summary of item estimates
and fit statistics for ISPST used to measure the acquisition of integrated science process skills among Form 4
students in the Interior Division of Sabah.

Table 6
Summary of Item Estimates and Fit Statistics for ISPST
Item Estimates
Mean .00
Standard Deviation .64
Standard Deviation (Adjusted) .63
Item Estimates Reliability .98
Fit Statistics
Infit MNSQ:
Mean 1.00
Standard Deviation .06
(N = 575, L = 40, Probability level = .50)

QUEST analysis found that all the items in the SAT were fit with an Infit MNSQ of .92-1.09
(Appendix VII). Item fit map showed that the Infit MNSQ of these items were in the range of .77-1.30
(Appendix VIII). Based on the values of Pt-Biserial and Mean Ability, all items were functioning well and
showed a high internal consistency (Alpha = .66) (Appendix IX). The summary of item estimates and fit
statistics for SAT used to measure science achievement among Form 4 students in the Interior Division of
Sabah is shown in Table 7:

Table 7
Summary of Item Estimates and Fit Statistics for SAT
Item Estimates
Mean .00
Standard Deviation .71
Standard Deviation (Adjusted) .70
Item Estimates Reliability .98
Fit Statistics
Infit MNSQ:
Mean 1.00
Standard Deviation .04
(N = 598, L = 45, Probability level = .50)

Data Collection Procedures
Before administering the instruments, formal permission from the principals of the schools involved
was sought and obtained. The instruments of this study were administered by researcher. Students were
gathered in the school hall and the instruments were administered to the students concurrently. The students
were told about the nature of the instruments and how the instruments should be answered.

Data Analysis Procedures
Descriptive statistics were used to describe the acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical
thinking abilities, and science achievement among rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah.
Among the descriptive statistics used were mean, standard deviation, mean in percentages, standard deviation in
percentages, and range.
As an effort to ensure all the quantitative data were drawn from a normally distributed population,
graphical measures such as histogram, stem-and-leaf plot, normal Q-Q plot and detrended normal Q-Q plot
were plotted for each of the variables studied. Furthermore, numerical measures such as skewness and kurtosis
were used to identify any deviations from normal distributions (Hair, Anderson, Tatham, & Black, 1998; Miles
& Shevlin, 2001). After the assumptions of using parametric techniques in analyzing quantitative data were met,
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statistical analyses which include independent-sample t-test, Pearsons product-moment correlation, simple and
multiple regression analysis were used to test the stated null hypotheses at a specified significance level, alpha
= .05.

Independent-Sample t-Test
Independent-sample t-test was used to determine whether there is a significant difference in the
acquisition of integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement between male
and female rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah.

Pearsons Product-Moment Correlation
Correlation analysis was used to identify possible linear relationships among integrated science process
skills, logical thinking abilities, and rural secondary students science achievement. Pearsons product-moment
correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to show the strength of the linear relationships among the variables
studied.

Simple and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis
Simple linear regression analysis was used to examine the possible contribution of logical thinking
abilities (LOGIC) on rural secondary students integrated science process skills (PROCESS). On the other hand,
stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to ascertain whether logical thinking abilities (LOGIC) and
integrated science process skills (PROCESS) can make significant contribution on rural secondary students
science achievement (SCIENCE).
In this study, stepwise variables selection method was used in order to obtain a parsimonious model
which can explain most of the variance in the dependent variable (i.e. SCIENCE) by using least number of
independent variables (i.e. LOGIC and PROCESS). Assumptions namely normality, homoscedasticity,
linearity, and independence were examined prior to multiple regression analysis (Appendix X). Furthermore,
distance statistics (leverage measure and Cooks distance) and influence statistics (DfBeta and DfFit) were used
to identify any outliers or influential observations in the data set (Appendix XI). To detect multicollinearity
among the independent variables studied, correlation matrices, Tolerance (T) and Variance Inflation Factor
(VIF) were also examined (Hair et al., 1998).

Research Findings and Discussion
The Acquisition of Integrated Science Process Skills among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior
Division of Sabah
Table 8 shows the mean and standard deviation of students overall acquisition of integrated science
process skills and for each of the five subscales respectively.
Table 8
Mean and Standard Deviation of Students Acquisition of Integrated Science Process Skills (N = 575)
Subscales Nos.
Item
M SD M% SD% Range
Graphing and Interpreting Data 6 3.016 1.391 50.262 23.185 0 - 6
Defining Operationally 6 2.574 1.343 42.898 22.377 0 - 6
Identifying and Stating Hypothesis 10 4.127 1.831 41.270 18.310 0 - 10
Designing Investigation 6 2.449 1.430 40.812 23.838 0 - 6
Controlling Variables 12 4.884 2.318 40.696 19.320 0 - 12
Overall 40 17.049 5.513 42.622 13.782 5 - 35

Based on the mean in percentages (M%) as shown in Table 8, the acquisition of integrated science
process skills in descending order is Graphing and Interpreting Data, Defining Operationally, Identifying
and Stating Hypothesis, Designing Investigation, and Controlling Variables.

The Acquisition of Logical Thinking Abilities among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior Division
of Sabah
Table 9 shows the mean and standard deviation of students overall acquisition of logical thinking
abilities and for each of the six subscales respectively.
Table 9
Mean and Standard Deviation of Students Logical Thinking Abilities (N = 549)
Subscales Nos.
Item
M SD M% SD% Range
Conservational Reasoning 4 1.384 1.084 34.608 27.100 0 - 4
Combinatorial Reasoning 3 .424 .619 14.147 20.640 0 - 3
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Controlling Variables 3 .368 .582 12.263 19.403 0 - 3
Correlational Reasoning 3 .330 .582 10.990 19.383 0 - 3
Proportional Reasoning 5 .516 .749 10.310 14.972 0 - 4
Probabilistic Reasoning 3 .169 .463 5.647 15.417 0 - 3
Overall 21 3.191 2.158 15.197 10.274 0 - 12

Based on the mean in percentages as shown in Table 9, the acquisition of logical thinking abilities in
descending order is Conservational Reasoning, Combinatorial Reasoning, Controlling Variables,
Correlational Reasoning, Proportional Reasoning, and Probabilistic Reasoning.

Science Achievement among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior Division of Sabah
Table 10 shows the mean and standard deviation of students overall science achievement and for each
of the three subscales respectively.

Table 10
Mean and Standard Deviation of Students Science Achievement (N = 598)
Subscales Nos.
Item
M SD M% SD% Range
Elementary Biology 6.142 2.293 40.947 15.287 1 - 14
Heredity and Variation 6 2.589 1.362 43.143 22.693 0 - 6
Body Coordination 9 3.554 1.567 39.483 17.410 0 - 8
Elementary Chemistry 5.977 2.390 39.844 15.932 0 - 14
Matter and Material 8 3.560 1.630 44.503 20.370 0 - 8
Energy and Chemical Changes 7 2.416 1.427 34.520 20.383 0 - 6
Elementary Physics 5.283 2.137 35.217 14.249 1 - 11
Light, Colour and Vision 15 5.283 2.137 35.217 14.249 1 - 11
Overall 45 17.401 5.248 38.670 11.661 5 - 38

Based on the mean in percentages as shown in Table 10, rural secondary students science achievement in
descending order is Elementary Biology (Heredity and Variation; Body Coordination), Elementary
Chemistry (Matter and Material; Energy and Chemical Changes), and Elementary Physics (Light, Colour,
and Vision).

Mean Difference in the Acquisition of Integrated Science Process Skills, Logical Thinking Abilities, and
Science Achievement among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior Division of Sabah
The first null hypothesis was tested by using the Independent sample t-test at a specified significance
level, alpha = .05. As shown in Table 11 and Table 12, independent sample t-test results showed that there is a
significant difference in the acquisition of integrated science process skills (t = 3.071, p = .002) and science
achievement (t = 3.244, p = .001) between male and female rural secondary students in the Interior Division of
Sabah. Hence, these findings had successfully rejected the first null hypothesis. Female students performed
better than male students in the acquisition of integrated science process skills and science achievement.
In relation to this, female rural secondary students performed better than their counterparts in the
acquisition of Identifying Variables and Identifying and Stating Hypothesis. This finding is consistent with
the previous research (e.g., Pettus & Haley, 1980; Roadrangka et al.,1996; Zaliha et al., 1996). On the other
hand, this study has revealed that female rural secondary students performed better in Elementary Biology and
Elementary Chemistry as compared to their counterparts. These findings are consistent with previous findings
by Erickson & Erickson (1984), Roadrangka (1995) and TIMSS-R (2000). However, the mean difference in
Elementary Physics between male and female rural secondary students is not statistically significant.

Table 11
Mean Difference in the Acquisition of Integrated Science Process Skills based on Gender (N = 575)
Subscales Gender N M SD t df p
Identifying Variables Male 268 4.519 2.254 3.561* 573 < .0005
Female 307 5.202 2.330
Overall 575 4.884 2.318
Identifying and Stating
Hypothesis
Male 268 3.937 1.858 2.339* 573 .020
Female 307 4.293 1.793
Overall 575 4.127 1.831
Defining
Operationally
Male 268 2.534 1.413 .673 573 .501
Female 307 2.609 1.280
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Overall 575 2.574 1.343
Designing
Investigations
Male 268 2.396 1.479 .833 573 .405
Female 307 2.495 1.387
Overall 575 2.449 1.430
Graphing and
Interpreting Data
Male 268 2.914 1.370 1.637 573 .102
Female 307 3.104 1.406
Overall 575 3.016 1.391
Overall Male 268 16.299 5.666 3.071* 573 .002
Female 307 17.704 5.298
Overall 575 17.049 5.513
* p < .05

Table 12
Mean Difference in Science Achievement based on Gender (N = 598)
Subscales Gender N M SD t df p
Elementary Biology
Heredity and Variation
Body Coordination
Male 282 5.858 2.258 2.878* 596 .004
Female 316 6.396 2.298
Overall 598 6.142 2.293
Elementary Chemistry
Matter and Material
Energy and Chemical
Changes
Male 282 5.649 2.315 3.191* 596 .001
Female 316 6.269 2.421
Overall 598 5.977 2.390
Elementary Physics
Light, Colour and Vision
Male 282 5.163 2.128 1.292 596 .197
Female 316 5.389 2.143
Overall 598 5.283 2.137
Overall Male 282 16.670 5.096 3.244* 596 .001
Female 316 18.054 5.302
Overall 598 17.401 5.248
* p < .05

However, independent sample t-test revealed that the difference in the acquisition of logical thinking
abilities between male and female students is not statistically significant (t = -1.721, p = .086) (Table 13).

Table 13:
Mean Difference in the Acquisition of Logical Thinking Abilities based on Gender (N = 549)
Subscales Gender N M SD t df p
Conservational
Reasoning
Male 251 1.498 1.201 -2.222* 477.331 .027
Female 298 1.289 .966
Overall 549 1.384 1.084
Proportional Reasoning Male 251 .582 .777 -1.893 515.368 .059
Female 298 .460 .720
Overall 549 .516 .749
Controlling Variables Male 251 .387 .612 -.684 547 .495
Female 298 .352 .557
Overall 549 .368 .582
Probabilistic Reasoning Male 251 .163 .440 .281 547 .779
Female 298 .175 .482
Overall 549 .169 .463
Correlational
Reasoning
Male 251 .339 .627 -.331 547 .741
Female 298 .322 .542
Overall 549 .330 .582
Combinatorial
Reasoning
Male 251 .398 .601 .903 547 .367
Female 298 .446 .635
Overall 549 .424 .619
Overall Male 251 3.367 2.373 -1.721 483.410 .086
Female 298 3.044 1.949
Overall 549 3.191 2.158
* p < .05

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This study has found an insignificant difference in the acquisition of logical thinking abilities between
male and female rural secondary students in the Interior Division of Sabah. Research conducted by Keig and
Rubba (1993), Michael Liau (1982) and Roadrangka (1995) have also made the same conclusion. However, this
finding was contradicted with the findings of previous researchers (e.g., DeLuca, 1981; Hernandez, Marek, &
Renner, 1984; Howe & Shayer, 1981; Meehan, 1984; Shemesh, 1990) which have found that male students
performed better than their counterparts in the Piagetian formal reasoning tasks.

Linear Relationships among Integrated Science Process Skills, Logical Thinking Abilities and Science
Achievement among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior Division of Sabah
The second null hypothesis was tested by using the Pearsons product-moment correlation at a
specified significance level, Alpha = .05. Correlation analysis results showed that there were moderate, positive
and significant correlations among students integrated science process skills, logical thinking abilities and
science achievement. In relation to this, Pearsons product-moment correlation coefficients were found in the
range of .363 to .554 (Table 14). Hence, this finding had successfully rejected the second null hypothesis.

Table 14
Pearsons Product-Moment Correlation Results
Variables LOGIC PROCESS SCIENCE
LOGIC -
PROCESS .447**
(p < .0005)
N = 505
-
SCIENCE .363**
(p < .0005)
N = 518
.554**
(p < .0005)
N = 544
-
** p < .01

Logical thinking abilities were positively and moderately correlated with integrated science process
skills among rural secondary students (r = .447, p < .0005). This finding is further supported by Allen (1973),
Linn and Their (1975), Padilla et al. (1983), Tobin and Capie (1980; 1982), Yap (1985), and Yeany et al.
(1986). On the other hand, science process skills were positively and moderately correlated with students
science achievement (r = .554, p < .0005). According to Funk et al. (1979), science process skills are the
vehicle to generate scientific knowledge and the ways to formulate scientific concepts. Besides that, logical
thinking abilities were also positively and moderately correlated with students science achievement (r = .363, p
< .0005). This finding is consistent with previous research findings (e.g., Bitner, 1991; Boulanger & Kremer,
1981; Hofstein & Mandler, 1985; Howe & Durr, 1982; Keig & Rubba, 1993; Krajcik & Haney, 1987;Lawson,
1982a, 1982b; Marek, 1981; Mitcell & Lawson, 1988; Piburn, 1980; Piburn & Baker, 1989; Roadrangka, 1995;
Siti Hawa Munji, 1998; Staver & Halsted, 1985).

The Influence of Logical Thinking Abilities on Integrated Science Process Skills among Rural Secondary
Students in the Interior Division of Sabah
The third null hypothesis was tested by using the simple linear regression analysis. Results in Table 15
showed that logical thinking abilities significantly contributed to students integrated science process skills
(F(1, 504) = 125.421, p < .0005). Based on the Beta value, logical thinking abilities ( = .447, t(505) = 11.199,
p < .0005) contributed to the variance in students integrated science process skills. The value of the coefficient
of determination, R
2
(= .200) revealed that logical thinking abilities accounted for 20.0% of the variance in rural
secondary students integrated science process skills. Hence, this finding had successfully rejected the third null
hypothesis.

Table 15
Simple Linear Regression Analysis Results for Logical Thinking Abilities on Integrated Science Process Skills
(N = 505)
Predictor variable B SE R
2
t p
Constant

13.453 .397 33.863 p <.0005
LOGIC

1.162 .104 .447 .200 11.199 p <.0005
*p < .05, ** p < .01;

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PROCESS = 13.453 + 1.162 LOGIC
Multiple-R = .447
R
2
= .200
Adjusted R
2
= .198
SEE = 4.99499
F (1, 504) = 125.421; p <.0005

Germann (1994), Padilla et al. (1984), and Tobin and Capie (1980, 1982) have also found that formal
reasoning abilities are the best predictor for students acquisition of science process skills. For instance, Tobin
and Capie (1980) have concluded that students with higher formal reasoning abilities showed better
performance in science process skills. In relation to that, Tobin and Capie (1980) have reported that 30% of the
variance in science process skills was attributed to students formal reasoning abilities.

The Influence of Logical Thinking Abilities and Integrated Science Process Skills on Science
Achievement among Rural Secondary Students in the Interior Division of Sabah
The fourth null hypothesis was tested by using the stepwise multiple regression analysis. Results in
Table 16 showed that integrated science process skills and logical thinking abilities significantly contributed to
rural secondary students science achievement (F(2, 479) = 120.054, p < .0005). Based on the R
2
value, these
two predictor variables explained 33.5% of the variance in rural secondary students science achievement. In
this study, integrated science process skills (R
2
= 31.8%, = .496, t(480) = 11.794, p < .0005) contributed more
to students science achievement as compared to logical thinking abilities (R
2
= 1.7%, = .147, t(480) = 3.504,
p = .001). Hence, this finding had successfully rejected the fourth null hypothesis.

Table 16
Multiple Linear Regression Analysis Results for Logical Thinking Abilities and Integrated Science Process
Skills on Science Achievement (N = 480)
Predictor variables B SE R
2
t p
Constant

8.322 .644 12.928 p <.0005
PROCESS

.475 .040 .496 .318 11.794 p <.0005
LOGIC

.364 .104 .147 .017 3.504 .001
** p < .01 ;
SCIENCE = 8.322 +.475 PROCESS + .364 LOGIC
Multiple R = .579
R
2
= .335
Adjusted R
2
= .332
SEE = 4.35409
F (2, 479) = 120.054; p <.0005

This finding was further supported by a stronger positive linear correlation between students science
achievement with their integrated science process skills (r = .554, p<.0005) as compared to their logical
thinking abilities (r = .363, p<.0005). Researchers in the field of science education (e.g., Chiappetta & Russell,
1982; Herron, 1978; Sayre & Ball, 1975) have also reported that science process skills and logical thinking
abilities are positively and significantly correlated with students science achievement. Science process skills
and logical thinking abilities are factors that can influence students concept learning in science.

Conclusion
Research findings of this study have found significant differences in the acquisition of integrated
science process skills and science achievement between male and female rural secondary students in the Interior
Division of Sabah. Generally, female students performed better than their counterparts in the acquisition of
integrated science process skills and science achievement. However, the difference in the acquisition of logical
thinking abilities between male and female students is not statistically significant. This study has also shown the
existence of moderate, positive and significant correlation among rural secondary students integrated science
process skills, logical thinking abilities, and science achievement. Simple linear regression analysis found that
logical thinking abilities significantly contributed 20.0% of the variance in students integrated science process
skills. On the other hand, logical thinking abilities and integrated science process skills collectively accounted
for 33.5% of the variance in rural secondary students science achievement. These findings showed that better
logical thinking abilities will ensure better integrated science process skills and hence better science
11

achievement. Hence, those who are involved directly or indirectly in the planning and implementation of
science curriculum need to plan effective intervention programs to increase students logical thinking abilities
and integrated science process skills in the effort to improve rural secondary students science achievement.
These follow-up efforts are crucial to ensure that our nations vision to establish a science and technology-
based society will become reality.

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