The effects of research and i̇nguiry-based applications i̇n science studies course

Students are expected to apply in daily life and improve the knowledge and skills they acquire throughout their academic careers. Among these new knowledge and skills is the inquiry-based learning approach, a student-centered practice emphasized by the constructivist learning theory that the Turkish Ministry of National Education has implemented since 2005. This study aims to help 4th-grade students acquire science process skills which constitute the basis of inquiry-based learning through applications based on the 5E model; to identify the changes in their attitudes and opinions toward the natural sciences course; and to determine the changes in their perceptions toward the learning environment as well as based on their journals. To this end, the study was conducted with 54 fourth-grade students currently attending Munis Faik Ozansoy Elementary School in Küçükçekmece, Istanbul during the first semester of 2013-2014 academic year. The study is based on method quantitative research method. experimental method was used in quantitative research methods Prior to and after the implementation of 15 inquiry based science experiments in the unit "Introduction to Matter" based on the 5E Model, a 16-item Science Process Skills Scale were administered separately. Upon completion of the experiments, a five-question Student Opinion Questionnaire was administered to identify the students' opinions about the unit "Introduction to Matter". In order to identify any changes in the perceptions toward learning environment, the students were asked to draw pictures at the beginning of the process before implementing the experiments and following all experiments. The data from the science process skills test, toward Inquiry-Based Science experiments, and from the student opinion questionnaire were processed by frequency and percentage analysis using SPSS. The students' drawings notes were kept by the researcher, or the teacher, following the experiments were assessed through content analysis after they were coded for science teaching competencies and professional competencies. The drawings were analyzed by the researchers and an assistant professor specialized in drawing analysis. Assessment of the results showed that the science experiments improved the student's various science process skills such as observation, drawing conclusions, identifying and controlling variables, data interpretation, classification, and measurement; that they enjoy classes with experiments; that they have positive opinions and achieve permanent learning. Furthermore, a comparison between the students' initial and final drawings clearly revealed the teacher's role as a guide, showing that inquiry-based experiments were realized by concrete materials in collaboration and the students learned about experiment materials while performing the experiments. The constructivist approach view the teacher as a learner among learners so the teacher was competent in guiding students in the classroom. It was concluded that a teacher's supportive behavior and use of positive language during experiments is crucial in teaching students about experiments. The teachers should also be provided with relevant applied in-service training. Activities aiming at creative thinking should be introduced to the science course for fourth-grade elementary students and these activities should be carried out with teachers. Keywords: Inquiry-based learning, Opinions of students, science and technology teaching, science process skill.