LEARNING STYLE AS A FACTOR INFLUENCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION AT LOWER SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Abstract

The IBSE has become a rather frequently applied strategy of directing learning activities in teaching science subjects. However, results of the IBSE effectiveness are not clear. A more detailed analysis is required which will reflect learners´ individual characteristics. Therefore, the main aim of this research is to discover what the effectiveness of IBSE reflecting individual learning style is. The learning style categorization followed the Honey and Mumford´s variation on the Kolb´s system. The IBSE effectiveness was detected by the didactic test consisting of 15 PISA-style tasks. The research was conducted in the sample of 332 learners who were exposed to IBSE for five months. Their knowledge was tested before, immediately after and four months after the IBSE approach was applied in lessons. The collected data were processed by ANOVA and Tukey HSD test. The results show that the highest short-term results were reached with learners preferring concrete sensing; the highest long-term results were reached with those of active processing of information. This finding might be caused by better use of metacognition and acquiring such individual metacognitive strategies which learners apply at utilization of information. Further on, the IBSE should focus on mechanisms of fixing the acquired knowledge. Key words: inquiry-based science education, learning styles, educational practice, quantitative research, identification of learning results.