Investigating the effects of argument-driven inquiry method in science course on students' epistemological beliefs, metacognitive skills and levels of conceptual understanding

After Science Education Program took inquiry based learning in center, studies including effects of methods and techniques which are compatible with inquiry based learning were became more important. One of the mentioned methods is argument-driven inquiry method in which argumentation based learning and inquiry based learning combined effectively. Thus, aim of this study is to determine effects of argument-driven inquiry learning method on students' epistemological beliefs, metacognitive skills and conceptual learning in science education. In addition, it is aimed to determine students' views towards argument-driven inquiry method. This research is conducted with embedded mixed design from mixed research methods. Study is conducted with 64 7th grade students consist of 33 students from experiment group and 31 students from control group in a public school in Uşak. The unit "electric energy" was taken suited to argument-driven inquiry learning method in experiment group and 2013 Science Education Program and activities in control group. Quantitative data collection tools used in this research are " Epistemological Beliefs Scale", "Metacognition Skills Scale" and "Conceptual Learning Test" while qualitative data collection tools used are epistemological beliefs open ended questions, daily student reflections, research observation notes, unstructured observation (course video) and student worksheets. In addition, " Semi-structured interview protocol about argument-driven inquiry learning method" in order to determine experiment group students'views towards practice method. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 23 program. In order to determine students' epistemological beliefs, metacognition skills and conceptual learning, non parametric tests Mann Whitney U test and Wilcoxon Z test were used for in group comparisons and between group comparisons. For qualitative data analysis, descriptive analysis and content analysis were used based on situation. According to analysis on gathered data, a significant difference in favor of experiment group was determined in students' epistomological beliefs, metacognition skills and conceptual learning. The reason of development in experiment group students' epistemological beliefs might be depending on benefit of argument-driven inquiry learning allowing students to realize the problem, form the design-practice the research process in order to solve the problem, create a learning environment which allow students to discuss their arguments in front of community. The main reason why metacognition skills of experiment groups have developed would be because students have chance to design-practice-conclude research process, report all progress, do both self and peer assessment and give feedback based on duty. The reason of positive change in experiment group students' conceptual understanding is that the method presents opportunity for sutdents to explore information (the conceptual relationships by exploring the effects of the variables within the cases), discuss information with in group and out group peers and structurize. In addition, according to results of semi-structured interviews conducted with experiment group students, it is determined that students have positive views about learning process and learning effects of argument-driven inquiry learning method. In conclusion, current study might contribute in effects of using argument-driven inquiry learning method in science course to literature and would light for new studies which will be conducted about the topic. Keywords: Argument-driven inquiry, Epistemology, Metacognition, Conceptual Understanding