Evaluating Learners’ Performance in Secondary Chemistry Across Contextualized Stimuli and Cognitive Domains

Abstract

Contemporary reforms in science education emphasize the assessment of learners’ ability to apply knowledge and reason within authentic, real-world contexts. Despite this shift, assessment practices in secondary chemistry classrooms often remain decontextualized and focused on recall. Addressing this gap, the present study examined the performance of Grade 11 learners in secondary chemistry using a contextualized, stimulus-based assessment. Specifically, the study described learners’ overall achievement, analyzed mastery across chemistry competencies, and examined performance patterns across different stimulus types and levels of cognitive demand. A descriptive research design was employed involving 72 Grade 11 learners from a secondary school in Iligan City, Philippines. Data were gathered using a researcher-developed, validated stimulus-based chemistry assessment consisting of 47 multiple-choice items anchored in experimental, technology-related, environmental or societal, and everyday-life contexts. Learners performance was analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as the Friedman test to examine the differences across stimulus types and cognitive domains. Results indicated that a majority of learners did not meet expected performance levels when assessed through contextualized tasks. Mastery across chemistry competencies was generally at an average level, with relatively higher performance observed in Chemical Kinetics and Chemistry in Everyday Life and Environment, and lower mastery in more abstract competencies such as Chemical Bonding and Atomic Structure. Performance also varied across stimulus types, with higher performances in experiment-based and environmental contexts and lower scores in technology-related and everyday-life stimuli. Across cognitive domains, learners demonstrated average performance, with comparatively higher outcomes in Applying and Creating than in Understanding and Analyzing. These findings suggest that learner performance in stimulus-based chemistry assessments is associated with both contextual characteristics and cognitive demand. The study provides classroom-based evidence that contextualized assessment can reveal important patterns in learners’ chemistry understanding and highlights the need for closer instructional and assessment alignment to support conceptual understanding and knowledge transfer in secondary chemistry.