The objective of the current study was to identify an effective learning environment for kindergarten students as they acquire an initial understanding of scientific inquiry activities (SIA) and a simple (idealized) scientific inquiry cycle (SIC). The study aimed to examine (a) the effects of instructional support and (b) the role of similarity…

Science education researchers and curriculum documents have advocated scientific inquiry for more than six decades; however, inconsistent findings concerning its effects on students' learning outcomes have been revealed in recent analyses of large-scale international assessment data (e.g., the Programme for International Student Assessment…

This mixed-methods research study aimed to observe the changes in relational conceptual changes and achievement in photosynthesis and cellular respiration in 15 seventh-grade students using the variation theory of learning, a framework for contextual distinctions, and supports the Common Knowledge Construction Model (CKCM) for science education.…

This study investigated the relationships of teacher-directed approaches with science achievement in Australian schools. The data for this study were drawn from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 database and analysed using multilevel modelling (MLM). MLMs were estimated to test the contribution of each item to students'…

Different methodologies have arisen in the last century, and all of them advocate for a change of the traditional method. In this paper, Inquiry-Based Learning is introduced in an experimental group (17 students) to see the different results of children following this innovative method as compared to the control group (16 students) that followed…

This book showcases a case study of the development of a generalist early childhood education (ECE) teacher into a confident and competent teacher of science in early childhood with support from a mentor. It argues that with guided mentoring, and later, timely support of a mentor as and when required, ECE teachers can deliver the curriculum, teach…

This study used a cluster randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of two approaches to increasing middle school students' science learning when using an inquiry-based science curriculum. Eighty-nine schools, with 253 teachers and 20,591 students, were randomly assigned into one of three conditions: (a) a treatment condition in…

The study examines the effects of different questioning strategies on elementary school students regarding scientific knowledge, views of scientific inquiry, and scientific inquiry skills during scientific inquiry video learning. A quasi-experimental design was adopted involving 78 sixth-grade Taiwanese students from three classes. The three…

Background: Since the turn of the 21st century, research on an inquiry-based approach in science education has increasingly been geared towards the integration of technology, primarily focused on secondary and tertiary education. Thus far, no study has reviewed research on a technology-integrated, inquiry-based approach in the specific context of…

This study focuses on the effectiveness of two types of teaching practices (i.e., inquiry-based and teacher-directed) on students' science achievement, an ongoing contentious issue in science education. It examined the direct and indirect effects of the two types of teaching practices, enjoyment of science, and students' science achievement with…

This study investigates the effectiveness of using a REACT strategy instruction enriched with guided inquiry-based experiments to improve 7th-grade students' understanding of mixtures compared to conventional teacher-centered instruction. A convergent parallel mixed-method design was used, and 39 middle school students were divided into…

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of employing an augmented reality (AR) lens imaging system on inquiry-based learning concerning junior high school students' science achievement, science learning motivation, and inquiry skills. For this purpose, an AR lens imaging learning system was developed specifically for the lens imaging…

The teacher has an important role in making pupils skilled in inquiry, viz guiding them to carry out inquiry steps in science learning. However, there are obstacles to applying online learning at primary school level, especially inquiry-based science. The purpose of this research is to analyse the application of inquiry in science learning,…

This study examined the impact of integrating virtual science inquiry activities with Predict-Observe-Explain (POE) teaching strategies on 5th graders' understanding of science concepts and epistemic beliefs in science. A cohort of 80 5th graders (mean age of 12 years old, 40 boys and 40 girls) from a public primary school in North China took part…

The study explored science teachers' perceptions of Scientific Investigations (SI) and their classroom practices in South Africa. An explanatory sequential design using qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. Qualitative data were collected first using interviews and classroom observations, followed by quantitative data using a…