Developing the earning-focused skills of primary school 2nd grade students with an inquiry based approach: An action research

The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of the sample program prepared with an alternative research inquiry approach on academic success (knowledge) and skills by preparing, teaching and testing the effectiveness of the "Healthy Life" unit to be prepared in the learning environment in accordance with the primary school 2nd grade life science course curriculum. As a research methodology, it was designed with the action research pattern, one of the qualitative research methods. The study group consists of twenty students attending the second year of primary school in the 2021-2022 fall academic year. The data was collected via RTOP, observation forms, teacher's diary, self-evaluation forms, rubric, and interview questions. The data of this study; Collected using Renewed Instructional Observation Protocol (RTOP), Observation Form, Teacher's Diary, Self-Evaluation Form, Rubric, Interview Questions. The study was scheduled in three phases during the fall semester as the first stage was the determination of the current situation, the second was the implementation of the action plans, and the third was the interviews in which permanence was evaluated. It was completed in a total of 12 weeks. Qualitative data obtained from data collection tools were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, it was found that some students had difficulties in inquiry-based activities applied in the primary school. As the action cycles progressed, it was revealed by the findings that the problems experienced by the students were solved and the negative situations turned into positive. It was concluded that the learning processes designed with an inquiry-based approach developed the achievement-oriented skills of the students in the Healthy Life unit of the Life Science course. Seven weeks after the end of the action research, one-on-one interviews were conducted to determine that permanent learning took place, and data were collected from the students and it was concluded that the students learned the achievements permanently. Based on the results of the study, the readiness levels of young students in the selection and use of data collection tools should be considered, especially in the data collection process.