The impact of inquiry learning strategy on scientific process skills, achievements, academic and teacher self-efficacy of pre-service teachers

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of inquiry learning strategies adopted in Science Instruction Applied Laboratory II course on It was aimed to investigate the effects on the achievements (AC), scientific process skills (SPS), academic self-efficacy (ASE) and teacher self-efficacy (TSE) of pre-service teachers. The study conducted with 51 junior pre-service science teachers attending Fırat University, Faculty of Education, Science Instruction, 3rd year Science Instruction Applied Laboratory II course during the 2016-2017 academic year spring semester. In the present study, "Explanatory Sequential Mixed Pattern", a mixed research design, was adopted. In the quantitative section of the study, empirical pretest-posttest model with control group, a quantitative research method, was used. In the qualitative section of the study, the advantages and disadvantages of the course instructed with inquiry learning strategy and the strategy were determined by the students using a semi-structured interview form. Experimental and control groups of 4 or 5 pre-service teachers were formed by random sampling. The course was instructed with inquiry learning approach to the pre-service teachers in the experimental group, and conventional laboratory activities were conducted with the pre-service teachers in the control group. The application lasted for 9 weeks. "Achievement Test (AT)", "Scientific Process Skills Scale (SPSS)," "Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES)" and "Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale (TSES)" were applied to pre-service teachers before and after the study as pre-test and post-test. In the quantitative analysis of the data, repeated measure MANOVA and t-test were employed. The study findings revealed that there was a positive difference between the AT posttest group scores favoring the experimental group (p = .00). There was a practical difference between the group post-test scores with a medium effect size, albeit not statistically significant (p = .11). It was concluded that there was no statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups groups based on the mean Academic Self-Efficacy (ASES) post-test scores (p = .40). The comparison of the mean Teacher Self-Efficacy (TSES) posttest scores of the groups revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = .10). Content analysis was employed for the qualitative data analysis in the study. The analysis of the qualitative study demonstrated that the vast majority of the pre-service teachers mentioned advantages of inquiry learning, and stated that it improved academic achievement, scientific process skills, they will implement the same technique in their future practice; however, they could experience problems in practice on topics that they have no prior knowledge. Keywords: Inquiry learning-based instruction, achievement, scientific process skills, academic self-efficacy, teacher self-efficacy