The effect of research-inquiry based instruction on scientific process skills, scientific creativity, higher-order thinking skills and inquiry questioning learning skills

The purpose of this research is to examine students' scientific process skills, higher-order thinking skills and inquiry learning skills of inquiry-based learning. In the study, the mixed method research structure was used as the method, and the explanatory sequential design was used. The implementation process was determined as 2 branches from the 5th grades studying in a secondary school in the central district of Burdur in the period of 2020-2021 as the experimental and control group. The application process was carried out in the "Human and Environment" unit within the scope of the Science course. Using the quantitative data, scientific process skills test, high-level thinking skills and inquiry learning skills scale, the pre-test before the application and the post-test applied after the application process were analyzed and tabulated with the SPSS analysis program. Whether there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group was interpreted according to the analysis results. Qualitative data, on the other hand, were collected by using the interview form with the students in the experimental group and through interviews with each student separately. The data obtained as a result of the interviews were conceptualized using content analysis and classified as positive, constructive critical and negative opinions and presented in tables. Although there was a positive increase in the post-test scores between the results of the analysis of the quantitative data, the scientific process skills experimental group's pre-test and post-test scores, there was no statistically significant difference. Similarly, as a result of the analysis of higher-order thinking skills and inquiry learning skills for science, although there were changes between the pre-test and post-test scores of the two groups, no statistically significant difference was found. In the interviews with the experimental group students for the collection of qualitative data, the majority of the participants expressed a positive opinion. It is expected that the present study will guide educators and scientists who will conduct research on the related subject in the future.