The effects of inquiry-based learning on elementary students' conceptual understanding of matter, scientific process skills and science attitudes

Simsek P., KABAPINAR F.

2nd World Conference on Educational Sciences (WCES-2010), İstanbul, Türkiye, 4 - 08 Şubat 2010, cilt.2, ss.1190-1194 identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Tam Metin Bildiri
  • Cilt numarası: 2
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.170
  • Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1190-1194
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: inquiry-based learning, scientific process skills, conceptual understanding, matter
  • Marmara Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) environments, on students' conceptual understanding of matter, scientific process skills and attitudes towards science. A teaching intervention was designed on the basis of IBL principles, which was put into practice in a 5th grade science class (n=20). Instruction lasted 8 weeks in total as provided by normal science curriculum. The success of teaching intervention was tested via concept test, scientific process skills test and attitude scale. The findings indicated that IBL had a positive impact on students' conceptual understanding and scientific process skills, but did not make any difference on their attitudes towards science. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.