Comparison of Seventh-Grade Students' Understanding of Science Laboratory Equipment Use at MTs Al Wasilah

Abstract

This study analyzed differences in comprehension levels of operating natural science laboratory equipment among seventh-grade students at MTs Al Wasilah. A quantitative, descriptive-comparative design was employed. The sample comprised 41 students: 18 in class VII A and 23 in class VII B. Data were gathered via an online four-point Likert scale questionnaire containing 51 items across five competency domains: nomenclature identification, equipment functions, operational procedures, measurement scale readings, and safety protocols. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 via Shapiro–Wilk, Levene’s, and independent-samples t-tests. Both datasets were normally distributed (p = 0.086 for VII A;  p = 0.086 for VII B). Levene’s test indicated unequal variances  p = 0.025 Under the Equal variances not assumed condition, the t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between the groups. (p = 0.0111; p < 0.05). Class VII A achieved a mean score of 162.78, whereas Class VII B achieved 147.30. Consequently, class VII A exhibited significantly superior comprehension in operating science laboratory equipment compared to class VII B. These findings imply that targeted instructional interventions can optimize procedural knowledge even within infrastructure-limited educational settings.