Scientific Inquiry Skills Research Articles

Measuring the impact of concept knowledge and laboratory intervention on pre-service kindergarten teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in science education

ABSTRACT K-12 science education is essential for cultivating students’ scientific talents, with teachers playing a critical role in this process. This study investigates the effects of conceptual knowledge and laboratory interventions on pre-service kindergarten teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), deriving water as a topic for science activities. Thirty-three pre-service teachers were divided into three groups: Group 1 received lectures on science knowledge, Group 2 participated in lectures supplemented by laboratory experiments, and the third group served as the control group. A mapping approach is utilized to assess the development of PCK among participants. The results revealed that both intervention groups demonstrated significantly improved PCK compared to the control group (p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between the two intervention groups regarding PCK enhancement. Based on these results, we argue the importance of cultivating scientific content knowledge among pre-service education students. Additionally, the science curriculum for these students should differ from common STEM programs, focusing more closely on the scientific knowledge and inquiry skills they will need in their future teaching.

Impact of Digital Game-based Learning Experiences on Reasoning Skills and Science Engagement

This research seeks to use games to promote scientific reasoning and inquiry skills among middle-school children. Particularly, it focuses on the Control of Variables Strategy (CVS), a fundamental component of scientific thinking which enables individuals to test hypotheses and make valid causal inferences based on evidence. The present study draws on and combines existing streams of research in the fields of science education, embodied cognition, and game-based learning to investigate the efficacy of an intervention using the Preparation for Future Learning paradigm in which students play an online text-based adventure simulation game about solving escape rooms in order to prime them for later formal instruction in CVS via a randomized-controlled trial, as well as whether structured or unstructured access to the game has a differential impact on immediate learning vs. retention after a delay. Students were given tests of scientific reasoning at baseline, immediately following the training phase, and a week thereafter. The impact of playing this game on motivation and engagement with science is also analyzed in this trial through the use of survey data. The study found significant effects of study condition on all measures, with students assigned to the game groups outperforming control students, and the unstructured play group showing the strongest performance in the post-study test while the structured play group performed the most poorly in the retention test. The unstructured play group also showed the highest level of intrinsic motivation, as well as higher self-determination and self-efficacy than the structured playing group in the science engagement survey.

Implementation and Insights on Science Inquiry Activities in Kindergartens Under the Concept of STEM Education

The STEM education philosophy spans across disciplines such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the context of thematic activities in kindergartens, teachers can utilize the STEM education philosophy to cultivate children’s innovative thinking qualities and practical operation skills, helping them develop a scientific inquiry spirit and skills. This paper takes the development of science inquiry activities in kindergartens as a path, exploring the significance and implementation paths of applying the STEM education philosophy in such activities.

Enhancing Biology Education through Hydroponics: A Practical Approach in High School Classes

Hydroponics, the practice of growing plants without soil, presents an engaging method for teaching biology. By visually demonstrating essential plant biology concepts and sustainable agricultural techniques, hydroponics provides students with an interactive learning experience. This study explores the integration of hydroponics into high school biology curricula, assessing its influence on student engagement, understanding of plant science, and practical skills. The findings reveal that students show greater curiosity and enthusiasm for biology through exposure to hydroponics, understand complex biological processes more effectively, and develop critical scientific inquiry skills through hands-on experimentation. However, challenges include the initial investment required for implementation, the need for consistent care and monitoring, and the necessity for specialized training for educators to effectively incorporate hydroponics into their lessons. While hydroponics offers significant potential, further research is needed to explore its scalability across different educational settings. Refining implementation strategies will make hydroponics a more accessible and valuable tool for high school biology classes.

Paints of the Artist’s Palette in STEAM Teaching

This qualitative study was an emergent phenomenological study based in the tradition of portraiture, which shares many of its features with ethnography, case study, and narrative inquiry. The purpose of this study was to identify the most engaging cooperative learning methodologies for students to actively participate in home-school learning with parents during scientific inquiry investigations and supportive strategies for teachers to employ for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. The conditions identified motivated students and their parents to take ownership of the learning in which they became self-managed, self-responsible, and self-directed. Data indicated the increased success of students were the result of students participating in teacher-designed experiential, constructivist learning activities that utilized a facet of involvement strategies and provided students with authentic and socially constructive learning. Providing a guided inquiry-based learning environment also promoted student achievement and empowered students to assess their learning for developing self-responsibility, acquiring self-management skills, and raising student efficacy. As a result, students were empowered to develop scientific inquiry and literacy skills and were enabled to take control of the learning through cooperative learning that included interactive homework, collaborative inquiry-based activities, metacognitive questioning, self-assessments, and dialogue journaling.

Comparison of the development of investigative skills between Project Based Learning and the Flipped Class

This study compared the impact of Project Based Learning (PBL) with Flipped Classroom for developing scientific inquiry skills in 76 high school students. An Inquiry Skills Test was administered before and after the intervention to two study groups. Both groups experienced significant improvements ininquiry skills, with no statistically significant differences between them. A Pearson correlation analysis revealed a moderate correlation between PBL and the development of investigative skills. The results suggest that PBL and Reverse Classroom effectively improve these skills, with PBL showing a slightly stronger association.

Effectiveness of Independent Science Project Plan (ISPP) In Enhancing Scientific Inquiry Skills of Grade 7 Filipino Students

The Independent Science Project Plan (ISPP) was used to improve the science inquiry skills of 100 Science 7 students from 4 secondary public schools in Castillejos District, Division of Zambales, Philippines. A quasi-experimental research design was used, and it required a 50-item pre-test and post-test that were validated, and pilot tested by the researcher. Mean analysis, correlated and independent samples tests, and rate of improvement (ROI) are the statistical tools utilized for analysis. Findings revealed there is a significant difference in the level of scientific inquiry skills of the participants before and after the implementation of the strategy. There is a significant difference in the MPS scores between the control and experimental group during the post-test involving all the scientific inquiry skills. When compared to the control group, the experimental group had a much better degree of proficiency in asking questions about the world, in designing and conducting the investigation, in employing different strategies to obtain information, and in communicating results, compared to the control group. Also, the teachers agreed in their being well-quipped with knowledge and skills in delivering distance learning classes through integrating technology into the curriculum, teacher’s preparation, and on the available facilities in conducting distance learning for science teaching. The end outcome is a clear indication that the method worked as intended.

Facilitating Scientific Inquiry Skills through Fiction-Based Learning

Facilitating Scientific Inquiry Skills through Fiction-Based Learning

Challenges for Middle School Science Teachers in Assessing Scientific Inquiry Skills: A Thematic Analysis

Science learning assessment has always been challenging for science middle school teachers, especially when assessing students' scientific inquiry skills, which are essential to the science learning process. The study aims to highlight the challenges teachers confront when assessing high school pupils' capacity for scientific inquiry. It is a qualitative phenomenological study using thematic analysis techniques. Five middle school science teachers from junior high schools in Central Java participated in this study. Utilizing interviewing approaches, data was gathered. Using Clark Braun's thematic analysis methodologies, data analysis is carried out in four steps: (1) identifying the data, (2) performing coding, (3) creating themes, and (4) reviewing and defining the themes. This study shows that both internal and external factors might affect teachers' ability to undertake scientific inquiry research. The issue of obstacles teachers confront from the perspectives of students and learning systems is summarized by external variables. The researchers advised science teachers to engage in active, ongoing competence development to help them overcome challenges in evaluating scientific inquiries.

Comparison of the Characteristics of Learning Responsibility and Science Process Skills of Junior High School Students in the Material of Composing Different Particles

Learning science is one of the ways that education works to improve the quality of human resources by enhancing personality and abilities. In this study, researchers adopted a specific quantitative methodology. The research instrument used a student learning responsibility questionnaire with 25 statements and observation sheets of students' scientific inquiry skills with 18 statements ranging from very bad to very good. 237 junior high school students from state schools on the east coast grade 7 were used as research samples selected using purposive sampling technique. Data from the research sample can be evaluated after it has been gathered. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the data analysis. The results showed that there was a significant relationship between learning responsibility and science process skills of junior high school students in suburban cities. There is a positive and unidirectional relationship between student responsibilities and students' science process skills in science subjects for junior high school students in suburban cities as indicated by the correlation between student learning responsibilities and science process skills, a correlation coefficient of 0.710 is obtained. Based on the results of the Follow-up Test, the average responsibility of the three junior high school students in suburban cities is significantly different from the significance value used, which is 0.05. The significance value obtained for the character of responsibility is 0.020 which is lower than the significance value used, which is 0.05. The researcher suggests that future scientists utilize research findings as a source of information to carry out additional research and close gaps in their knowledge.

Portraits of Scientific Inquiry and Scientific Literacy Skills Development in Students

Parental involvement generally occurs in elementary school and begins to diminish in middle school. Enlisting parental involvement in high school science is particularly challenging given parents tend to lack their own competencies in terms of scientific knowledge while simultaneously beginning to afford students increased independence. Research was conducted for employing active, meaningful constructivist-grounded parental involvement in high school science. Students participated in constructivist science learning activities with parents that utilized a facet of involvement strategies and socially supportive practices. Parents actively participated and communicated with students during science investigations via collaborative inquiry-based activities, self-assessments, and dialogue journaling. Parents and students participated in interviews, surveys, and questionnaires, as well as maintained dialogue journals for identifying themes. Triangulation of data identified the most effective strategies for involving parents in science learning and the impact of involvement on the development of student scientific inquiry and scientific literacy skills. Data indicated an increase in the development of scientific inquiry and scientific literacy skills in both parents and students, as well as student social, emotional achievement.

A “light bulb moment”: Lab experiments enhancing novelty and critical thinking designed by future teachers

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of home science practices on science teacher candidates' critical thinking dispositions, science learning skills, scientific inquiry skills, and learning styles within the scope of open inquiry-based science laboratory practices. For this purpose, the opinions of prospective science teachers within the scope of home science laboratory practices are explored. Participants included 79 third-grade elementary school level (i.e., 8+ year olds) science teacher candidates. Convergent parallel mixed design from mixed methods was used in the study. As a result of the quantitative analysis of the research, a statistically significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test results of the science teacher candidates' critical thinking dispositions and science learning skills of home science practices. Within the scope of open research inquiry-based science laboratory practices, science teacher candidates' home science practices increased in the informed category at the end of the term in all sub-dimensions of scientific inquiry skills. It was concluded that science teacher candidates experienced shifts in their learning styles relating to (i.e., Diverging, Assimilating, Converging, and Accommodating) their home science practices. The qualitative results of the study were examined based on the following themes: skills, learning environment, application process, and affective changes.

Research and Practice on Thematic Assignment Design under the Context of Reducing Burden and Increasing Efficiency

The middle school stage is a crucial period for cultivating students scientific thinking and inquiry skills. This paper briefly elaborates on the optimized design of thematic assignments related to bacteria and fungi, within the educational framework of reducing burden and increasing efficiency. Addressing the disconnect between teaching, daily life, and biotechnology, this approach significantly expands students deeper understanding of the field of biological fermentation and lays a solid foundation for their future careers in various scientific domains.

Uncovering Student Strategies for Solving Scientific Inquiry Tasks: Insights from Student Process Data in PISA

The advancement of technology has led to a growing interest in assessing scientific inquiry within digital platforms. This shift towards dynamic and interactive inquiry assessments enables researchers to investigate not only the accuracy of student responses (product data) but also their steps and actions leading to those responses (process data). This is done by analyzing computer-generated log files that capture student activity during the assessment. The present study leverages this opportunity by drawing insights from student log files of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). It demonstrates the potential of process data in uncovering typically unobserved students’ problem-solving processes by focusing on two critical scientific inquiry skills: coordinating the effects of multiple variables and coordinating a theory with evidence. This study presents two examples for analyzing process data. The first example examined data from the PISA field trial study and showcased the advantage of using a process mining approach to visualize the sequence of students’ steps and actions in conducting investigations. The second example linked student log files and questionnaire data from the PISA 2015. It applied latent profile analysis to identify unique patterns of students’ inquiry performance and examined their relationships to their school-based inquiry experiences. Findings from both examples indicate that students often encounter considerable challenges in solving complex inquiry tasks, especially in applying multivariable reasoning and constructing scientific explanations. This study highlights the profound potential of process data in facilitating a deeper understanding of how students interact with scientific inquiry tasks in a digital-based environment.

Modelling in the scientific approach to teaching life and earth sciences: Views and practices of Moroccan teachers

Modeling is a fundamental tool in the teaching and learning processes of life and earth sciences. It serves as an investigative instrument that enables students to test hypotheses and solve scientific problems. This paper presents the findings of a survey conducted among 96 Moroccan life and earth sciences teachers teaching students at the primary, junior high and high school levels. The study aims to highlight the role of modelling in life sciences instruction and explore teachers' understanding, approaches and perceptions towards models and modeling practices. A questionnaire-based methodology was employed to collect data on teachers' awareness of the significance of models in life sciences and the instructional approaches that are adopted in these models. The findings reveal Moroccan teachers' clear grasp of models' significance in teaching life sciences. Moreover, they employ similar approaches to models and modeling practices. The research highlights instructors' awareness of models' potential to increase the effectiveness and appeal of scientific instruction. It establishes modeling's pivotal role in instructing life sciences, emphasizing the need to incorporate modeling activities into the curriculum to nurture students' scientific inquiry and problem-solving skills. The study's practical implications suggest the value of training programs and professional development initiatives for teachers to promote model use in life sciences instruction. Enhancing teachers' knowledge and pedagogical strategies related to modeling can enrich science education leading to increased student engagement and achievement in the life sciences.

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT'S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE LEARNING OUTCOME: SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT'S CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE LEARNING OUTCOME: SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Effect of Inquiry Method on Scientific Inquiry Skills of Elementary School Students

The research investigated the effect of inquiry method on scientific inquiry skills of elementary school students. The current teaching learning process in schools seems more focused on delivering knowledge to learners instead of development of inquiry skills. Therefore, researcher conducted this research on 8th graders using experiment design. An achievement test consisting MCQs and short questions was self-developed for data collection. Results through data analysis revealed that significant difference of enquiry skills is present between the students taught through enquiry based teaching and traditional teaching method while controlling for their pretest mean scores on inquiry skills. Moreover, the similarly results are observed through separate data analysis of male and female 8th graders. The study implies that the teachers may use inquiry based teaching method for teaching science to 8th graders instead of traditional lecture method.

The relationship between the epistemological beliefs, science learning approaches and scientific inquiry skills: a path analysis

ABSTRACT Research has shown significant relationships between students’ epistemological beliefs and their approaches to learning. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the scientific epistemological beliefs, science learning approaches, and the scientific inquiry skills of undergraduate students who took science courses by expanding the findings of the studies in the literature. Participants were 437 undergraduate students studying in the departments of science courses in Turkey. The participants responded to the Epistemological Beliefs Scale, the Learning Approach Questionnaire, and the Scientific Inquiry Scale. The epistemological beliefs scale consisted of three dimensions: learning depends on effort, learning depends on skills, and a single truth. The learning approaches scale consisted of two dimensions: deep and surface approaches. Path analysis results showed that there are some important relationships between scientific epistemological beliefs and science learning approaches and scientific inquiry skills. Learning depending on an effort positively predicted scientific inquiry and a deep learning approach. Beliefs about the justification of scientific knowledge seemed to positively contribute to deep strategies. Learning depending on the skills was negatively predicted by scientific inquiry. The single truth was positively associated with the surface learning approach.

Computer-based inquiry to enhance science process skills in undergraduate students using physiological data.

The analysis of spontaneous tail coiling (STC) in zebrafish embryos is a functional parameter that allows the study of motor development. It has recently gained relevance as a biomarker to assess the neurotoxicity of environmental substances. Its practicability in the laboratory makes it an excellent pedagogical tool for promoting students' inquiry skills. However, the time and cost of materials and facilities limit their usage in undergraduate laboratories. This study presents the design of a computer-based educational module called ZebraSTMe, which is based on a tail coiling assay and aims to improve science process skills in undergraduate students by connecting them to relevant and novel content. We evaluate students' perception of learning, the quality of materials used, and the knowledge gained. Our results show that students perceived an improvement in their statistical analysis, representation, and discussion of experimental data. Additionally, the students evaluated the quality and ease of use of the materials and provided feedback for revision. A thematic analysis of the opinions revealed that the module activities promoted students' reflection on their professional strengths and weaknesses.NEW & NOTEWORTHY ZebraSTMe is a novel computer-based educational module that utilizes spontaneous tail coiling analysis in zebrafish embryos to enhance undergraduate students' scientific inquiry skills. By addressing the challenges of time, cost, and laboratory resources, the module improves students' science process skills and promotes reflection on their professional strengths and weaknesses. The innovative ZebraSTMe exemplifies the potential of integrating cutting-edge research topics into undergraduate education, leading to more engaging and effective learning experiences in physiology and other scientific disciplines.

Using Shared Embedded Assessment Tools to Understand Participant Skills: Processes and Lessons Learned

This paper describes the collaborative process for how a group of citizen science project leaders, evaluators, and researchers worked together to develop, validate, and test embedded assessments of two different volunteer science inquiry skills. The development process for creating these embedded assessments (activities integrated into the learning experience, allowing learners to demonstrate competencies) is articulated, as well as challenges encountered in assessing two science inquiry skills common in citizen science projects: <em>notice relevant features</em> and <em>record standard observations</em>. The authors investigate the extent to which the assessments were successful at achieving four criteria identified as ideal for shared embedded assessments of volunteers’ skills, namely: broadly applicable, authentic, performance-based, and integrated.