The effect of inquiry-based learning approach on higher-order thinking skills of 6th grade students with different locus of control

The general objective of this study is to examine the effect of inquiry-based learning practices on academic achievement, critical and reflective thinking skills of 6th grade students with different locus of control. The research was carried out with the Mixed Method, in which quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used together. Concurrent nested Mixed Design, one of the Mixed Method research designs, was used. In the research, the pretest-posttest control group model was preferred among the quasi-experimental models. The study group of the research consists of an experiment and a control group, each of which consists of 28 students studying at a public school in the fall semester of the 2020-2021 academic year. In the experimental group, structured, guided, and open research method activities were applied respectively in the inquiry-based learning approach, while the current curriculum was applied in the control group. Before analyzing the quantitative data, it was checked whether the data showed normal distribution and parametric tests were used since the data showed normal distribution. The qualitative data of the study were collected from semi-structured interview questions, student learning diaries, student group and peer evaluation form, research reports and teacher observation form during the research process and at the end of the research, and the data was analyzed by descriptive analysis method. In terms of academic achievement, there was no significant difference between the Experimental and Control Groups after applying the structured research method; however, a significant difference was found in favor of the experimental group after guided and open research applications. There was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups after applying the structured research method in terms of critical thinking skills, but a significant difference was observed in favor of the experimental group after applying the guided and open research method. There was a significant difference in favor of the experimental group after applying the structured guided and open research methods in terms of reflective thinking skills. After the application of inquiry-based learning methods, no significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups according to the locus of control in the Science academic achievement test and critical and reflective thinking skills scores of the students. In the interviews with the students, the students stated that the structured research method did not direct through the research much, they carried out the guided research method under the guidance of the teacher and they conducted independent research in the open research method.