The Influences of Inquiry Learning-Based Analogical Experiments on Experimental Design Processes of Science-Gifted Students

Abstract

In this study, we developed analogical experimental activities to foster scientific creativity in inquiry learning and applied them to 7th grade science-gifted students. The influences of inquiry learning-based analogical experiments were investigated with respect to the experimental design processes. We classified the patterns of experimental design processes by creative thinking processes and analyzed performance levels by the elements of experimental design processes. The students' experimental design processes were categorized into three kinds of patterns such as reinitiated motion, backward-divergent motion and stationary motion. Those belonging to the reinitiated motion performed precise experimental design from new perspectives by identifying the mapping in depth and considering the elements of experimental design processes. In the case of the backward-divergent motion, they shifted their positions to new directions, but the concreteness of experimental design was insufficient due to the lack of mapping or considering the elements. In the type of stationary motion, maintaining their previous positions, they showed less performance of experimental design without considering the elements sufficiently. Educational implication of these findings are discussed.