The effect of inquiry-based learning approaches in the education of science in primary school on the science process skills, academic achivement and attitude

This study has been conducted on inquiry-based learning approaches which isconsidered crucial today. In this study, the effectiveness of the inquiry-based learningapproach was investigated in developing the science process skills, academicachievements of 7th grade students at the primary school and the attitudes towardsscience. In the study, ?Science Process Skills Test? and ?Academic AchievementTest? which were developed by the researcher has been used in order to determinethe improvements in science process skills and academic achievements of thestudents; and ?Attitude Scale Towards Science? which was developed by Geban etall (1994) has been used in order to measure the attitudes of students towardsscience.The study which was conducted by using the experimental design with therandom selected treatment and control group was carried out on 7th grade students ofBeytepe and Mehmet İçkale Primary Schools located in the city of Ankara, district ofÇankaya during the spring period within 2004-2005. Treatment and control groupswere determined in both schools and inquiry-based learning approach was used inthe treatment group; and the teacher-centered descriptive methods were used in thecontrol group. Totally 104 students were participated in the investigation. Thenumber of students included in the treatment group (N=52) and in the control group(N=52) was the equal.By analyzing the quantitative findings obtained by scales and tests used in thestudy, these findings were supported by the qualitative findings obtained by theinterviews with the students. According to the findings of the study, science processskills, academic achievements and attitudes of the students towards science whowere included in the tretment group to which the inquiry-based learning approacheswere used were proven to have been significantly differentiated compared to thosestudents included in the control group. There has not been any significant differencebetween the science process skills, academic achievements and attitudes of thestudents towards science who were included in the treatment group according to theirgenders and the source searching data recorded in the library. However there hasbeen found a difference between their science process skills to a significant extentaccording to the internet use information. Internet use information did not cause anydifference in academic skills and attitudes of students towards science.Use of the inquiry-based learning approach is going to ensure the students tobe trained as individuals who curious about, invastigates and explores theknowledge. Inquiry-based learning approach guiding in getting access to theknowledge of the scientific validity is going to make positive contributions topromote quality of education.