INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE APPROACH IN KINDERGARTEN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

This study intended to investigate the effectiveness of experiential and inquiry-based learning approaches in secondary schools around Bugiri District in Eastern Uganda with a focus on whether inquiry-based teaching techniques were being used to support student learning based on evidenced experiential education as well as challenges encountered when utilizing these methods. This narrative cross-sectional survey study employed a qualitative approach using interview responses attained from key informants. Findings indicate that through an inquiry-based approach, students are urged to study the subject, ask questions, and exchange ideas rather than have the teacher dictate what they should know. In inquiry-based learning, small-group discussions, guided learning, projects, and hands-on investigation take precedence over lessons. In addition, teachers are typically better at spotting errors in students’ work than they are in their own. It is crucial to ensure students’ learning by giving them high-quality information. Some children learn best by looking at visuals, others by listening and some by reading and writing. Teachers should promote “learning by doing” and also take the lead and create a forum where students can express their opinions and experiences.

Student giftedness is a complex, developmentally dynamic and contextual phenomenon that teachers confront every day. In the classroom, teachers often meet students who have exceptional potential or achieve very high learning goals. The aim of this study is to illustrate the evaluation of inquiry-based learning activities in a specific context (Diversity in Science towards Social Inclusion learning modules) implemented in a non-formal educational setting for gifted students in relation to their level of individual interest and their autonomous and controlled motivation, comparing different groups of students. We investigate how these activities affect the students’ attitudes towards inquiry-based learning, their situational interest and their interest in science careers. A total of 264 Slovenian lower secondary school students participated in the study. The students participated in non-adapted and adapted activities based on the inquiry-based learning approach. The data were collected using pre- and post-activity questionnaires. Participation in the study, which took place in the period between the 2021/22 and the 2022/23 school years, was voluntary. The data was collected anonymously and used for research purposes only. The results show several statistically significant differences in how students’ level of individual interest, autonomous motivation and controlled motivation for learning chemistry affects their attitudes towards inquiry-based learning, their situational interest in Diversity in Science towards Social Inclusion activities and their interest in science careers. For the gifted and non-gifted students who participated in “Forensics Science” lab activities before and after the adaptations to the modules, the results related to their attitudes towards inquiry-based learning and situational interest are also reported. Thus, the results of the study provide useful insights for researchers in the field of chemistry education as well as for chemistry teachers in lower and upper secondary schools. The presented study is a good example of best practices that chemistry teachers can apply in teaching chemistry, thus enabling all students, not only the gifted ones, to learn chemistry using the inquiry-based learning approach.

This study aimed to determine the Instructional Scaffolding Strategies, Inquiry-Based Teaching Approach and Leadership Skills Among Elementary Science Teachers. The study made use of the descriptive method of research to determine the Instructional Scaffolding Strategies, Inquiry-Based Teaching Approach and Leadership Skills Among Elementary Science Teachers. Respondents of the study were elementary science teachers of Division of Batangas City. The statistical tools used in gathering data were simple frequency, weighted mean and ranking. Findings revealed that majority of the elementary science teachers are female, 40-49 years old, Bachelors’ degree holder and rendered 11-20 years. It was found that science teachers in general agreed in the utilization of instructional scaffolding strategies led in developing the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning of students. Similarly, the respondents agreed on science instructional scaffolding strategies for students’ development, leadership skills and utilized sometimes only on Inquiry-based Science Approach. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship in the association between Science Instructional Scaffolding Strategies for Students’ Development and Leadership Skills and significant difference existed in the psychomotor development, affective domain, inquiry-based approach along highest educational attainment and length of service. It implies that the better the inquiry-based science approach the better is the application of leadership. Furthermore, the assessment of the science instructional scaffolding, inquiry-based approach and leadership skills are positively correlated. A proposed professional development plan was the output of this study. This was compendium of different strategies and objectives for elementary science teachers towards the development of teaching science. Furthermore, the professional development plan will not only develop the creative way of teaching among science teachers but will also create an impactful confidence among them in their field.

Graduate nurses are known to experience transition shock when they enter the workforce. Graduate nurse programs are designed to alleviate aspects of transition shock. Best practice in development and delivery of transition programs is currently limited in the literature, and there are few examples focusing on curriculum design that can be adapted by health services to develop and support new nurses. An inquiry-based learning approach was used as the underlying andragogy to frame a contemporary transition curriculum to support graduate nurses. Inquiry-based learning can be used to support graduate nurses to improve critical thinking, confidence, and job satisfaction during the most challenging years of their professional lives. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(6):268-274.].

Inquiry-based learning in science education at the elementary level holds significant potential to enhance teaching quality, yet its developmental trends remain insufficiently mapped. This article aims to analyze the research trends of inquiry-based learning in elementary science education using a bibliometric approach. The study was conducted through four stages of analysis: identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion. Data were retrieved from the Scopus database using the keywords “inquiry-based learning,” “science,” and “elementary school,” yielding 43 selected documents from 2014 to 2023, all in English. The analysis reveals three key terms that frequently appear in these studies: “inquiry-based learning” (22 occurrences, link strength 76), “students” (14 occurrences, link strength 76, links 35), and “elementary school” (7 occurrences, link strength 37). The highest number of publications was recorded in 2023 with eight documents, while the lowest numbers occurred in 2017 and 2021, with only one document each. The study concludes that inquiry-based learning approaches in elementary science education have received limited attention from international researchers. Thus, further studies are needed to expand the scope of this topic and enhance its contributions to primary education.

Two case studies were conducted to examine whether inquiry-based learning (IBL) can help students in understanding normal distributions, and to determine if IBL methods have any effect on students' conceptual and computational capabilities. There were 16 students in the traditional class and 17 students in the IBL-implemented class who participated in each of two case studies. The experimental group performed significantly better than the control group in terms of conceptual understanding and computational skills. These outcomes suggest that IBL methods such as discussions, asking questions, and guided lectures helped students to develop statistical reasoning.

Inquiry-based learning and clinical reasoning scaffolds: An action research project to support undergraduate students' learning to ‘think like a nurse’

In science education, one of the most important approaches for educating inquiry-seeking individuals is inquiry-based learning. Science education programmes have been using the inquiry-based learning approach. Inquiry-based learning creates a learning environment that provides students with opportunities for researching scientific tasks and structuring meaningful information. Within this scope, this study aims to investigate the academic achievements of gifted students studying at Science and Art centres (SACs) in ‘separating mixtures’ in science courses through the open inquiry learning approach. The study was conducted on eight students in a metropolitan SAC, which is in the western part of Turkey. Four context-based, open-ended questions regarding the ‘understanding of mixture separation methods’ and questions to determine the students’ ideas before and after the instruction were used as data collection tools. The categories consisted of two sections: scientifically correct and scientifically incorrect. The results showed that the students’ scientifically correct response rates in separating mixtures increased with open inquiry learning. In addition, it is seen that the students evaluated the activity as ‘creativity-stimulating’ and learning through discovering as ‘remarkable and fun’. Based on the results, it is recommended to use an open inquiry learning approach in science classes to increase students’ academic achievement and interest in the course. In addition, this study contributes to the science education of students in SACs, to literature and to new studies to be conducted on this issue. Keywords: Inquiry learning, gifted students, separating mixtures, conceptual understanding.

The study aimed to analyze the specific dispositions that contribute to effective critical thinking among prospective science students. Utilizing a descriptive survey method, the study involved 52 participants from different universities, aiming to gather comprehensive data on their critical thinking dispositions. The research instrument, a structured questionnaire comprising 36 items derived from Ennis's critical thinking indicators, was validated and tested for reliability, ensuring its efficacy in measuring the intended constructs. The findings revealed that the overall critical thinking disposition of the students was predominantly below the critical threshold, with significant variability across different indicators. For instance, indicators such as seeking and offering clear statements and reasons scored relatively high, while others like taking into account the total situation scored lower. This disparity highlights the need for targeted interventions to enhance specific critical thinking dispositions. The study recommends integrating contextual and inquiry-based learning approaches, which have been shown to effectively foster critical thinking by engaging students in real-world problem-solving scenarios. Moreover, incorporating collaborative and experiential learning experiences can further nurture critical thinking skills, promoting deeper understanding and innovation. The research emphasizes the importance of developing specific disposition like open-mindedness to improve the critical thinking capabilities of prospective science teachers, ultimately enhancing their academic performance and preparedness to tackle complex scientific issues.

This study investigates the effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) strategies in enhancing Critical Thinking (CT) skills and academic performance in the study of English Phonetics and Phonology among students at a Spanish Higher Education Institution. A total of 54 students from a Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education were divided into control and experimental groups to compare traditional teaching methods with IBL methodologies. Results indicated that students in the IBL group showed significant improvements in academic performance, critical thinking skills, and long-term retention of complex subject matter compared to those in the control group. Furthermore, the study highlights that the IBL approach not only facilitates the immediate educational outcomes but also equips students with essential cognitive tools for real-world problem-solving. This research underscores the pedagogical value of learner-centered models in the study of English Phonetics and Phonology, promoting active engagement and systematic thinking. The findings contribute to the growing body of literature advocating for the integration of active learning strategies across various disciplines and educational contexts.

The landscape of learning and teaching is changing through the recognition of a diversity of learning types, new student generations as well as advances in technology and theory in education. While claims for interdisciplinary research and inquiry-based approaches, as well as integration of new media and technologies are at the heart of current discourses on teaching and learning, most educational activities still take place in a conservative format of the hierarchical teacher–student relationship in rather traditional educational facilities. As an architect and anthropologist, but most of all, as an academic who is devoted to teaching and research, I believe in teaching and learning experiences that are based on theoretical and methodological explorations in different disciplines in order to develop practical, research and critical thinking skills among the students. Students are motivated and engaged when they understand why information is important for them. Through an inquiry-based approach, abstract information becomes tangible and contextualized. In this chapter, I will first discuss common characteristics of our learners, today’s generation of students (the Millennials). Second, I will conceptually locate my approach to teaching among inquiry-based approaches such as Situated Learning, Learner-centered Teaching and Universal Design for Learning, which I see as complementary to each other. Third, I will explain my course design and give an account of two courses as examples for Inquiry-based Learning in action. Although these courses address architecture students, the Inquiry-based Learning and teaching experiences from these courses will inform a larger, more general audience interested in the subject matter.

Chinese EFL high school teaching often overlooks critical inferential reasoning in reading comprehension. This study proposes a shift from teacher-centric methods to an Inquiry-Based Learning and Teaching (IBLT) framework, expected to enhance EFL inferential reading abilities among Chinese high school students. This aligns with China's National English Curriculum Standards, emphasizing the importance of such proficiency. The study gauges current EFL reading comprehension in Chinese high schools and assesses IBLT's efficacy through a controlled, nine-week experiment, with data analysis revealing a positive impact. The findings aim to inform pedagogical tactics, promoting a more interactive, student-focused teaching model.

This chapter is based on work conducted during the Erasmus+ KA2 project Creativity in Early Years Science Education (CEYS) (2014–2017). It draws on teachers’ action research and curriculum development and examines their reflections on children’s learning progress in relation to inquiry and creativity, as well as on their own changing professional roles, with links to the synergies between inquiry-based and creative approaches to science. The results report on ways in which teachers are opening up their practices to enhance opportunities for inquiry and creativity in children’s learning. They also show shifts in teachers’ conceptions about the importance of early years science, the role of creativity and young children’s capabilities in science learning. Overall, findings illustrate the potential of learning both from and through research, bringing together knowledge from research and knowledge from practice, to offer new insights into classroom practices and promote developments in learning and teaching.KeywordsChildren’s creativityInquiryLiterature review

The feedback provided by current testing education tools about the\ndeficiencies in a student's test suite either mimics industry code coverage\ntools or lists specific instructor test cases that are missing from the\nstudent's test suite. While useful in some sense, these types of feedback are\nakin to revealing the solution to the problem, which can inadvertently\nencourage students to pursue a trial-and-error approach to testing, rather than\nusing a more systematic approach that encourages learning. In addition to not\nteaching students why their test suite is inadequate, this type of feedback may\nmotivate students to become dependent on the feedback rather than thinking for\nthemselves. To address this deficiency, there is an opportunity to investigate\nalternative feedback mechanisms that include a positive reinforcement of\ntesting concepts. We argue that using an inquiry-based learning approach is\nbetter than simply providing the answers. To facilitate this type of learning,\nwe present Testing Tutor, a web-based assignment submission platform that\nsupports different levels of testing pedagogy via a customizable feedback\nengine. We evaluated the impact of the different types of feedback through an\nempirical study in two sophomore-level courses. We use Testing Tutor to provide\nstudents with different types of feedback, either traditional detailed code\ncoverage feedback or inquiry-based learning conceptual feedback, and compare\nthe effects. The results show that students that receive conceptual feedback\nhad higher code coverage (by different measures), fewer redundant test cases,\nand higher programming grades than the students who receive traditional code\ncoverage feedback.\n

Critical thinking skill is a major concern in education throughout the world, with the aim of preparing students for the learning context of the 21st century. However, many teachers have difficulty adopting this new teaching method. This qualitative research aims to investigate teachers' views and the obstacles they face when implementing the Socratic method, an inquiry-based learning approach, in the classroom. Researchers used a purposive sampling method to select five Indonesian language teachers and conducted semi-structured interviews. Data analysis shows that most teachers see positively the application of the Socratic method in improving students' critical thinking skills. However, they face challenges, especially related to knowledge of teaching materials, questioning skills, student participation, topic selection, and time constraints. Based on these findings, this research recommends the need for additional support for teachers, especially in terms of understanding Indonesian language subject matter and effective teaching skills while implementing the Socratic method in the classroom.