The effectiveness of process oriented guided inquiry learning in teaching pure substances and mixtures to middle school students

The purpose of this study is to discover the impact of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) approach compared to currently used teaching methods on 7th grade students' achievement, motivation to science course and logical thinking ability in the context of pure substances and mixtures and their views about POGIL. Quasi-experimental design was used in the study. Nonequivalent control group design was implemented in the quantitative dimension. After collecting the quantitative data, semi-structured interviews were conducted to reveal students' conceptual understanding related to "Pure Substance and Mixtures" unit deeply and views about POGIL. Experimental group involved 28 and control group involved 26 students. Despite the adoption of curriculum inquiry-based approach in effect that the study was conducted in the control group, Turkey reflects the teaching approach is currently being applied across the secondary science education, methods based teachers with limited student-student interaction is taught based on the unit. In the experimental group, teaching was done with SORSÖ method. Accordingly, the students worked in collaborative groups on worksheets containing critical thinking questions prepared in accordance with the learning cycle. Pure Substance and Mixtures Achievement Test (PSMAT) developed by the researcher was used to measure the academic achievement, Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT) to measure formal thinking ability and motivation section of Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) were used to measure participants' motivation to science lesson. PSMST, GALT and MSLQ were administered as pre-test and as pos-test seven weeks after the pre-test. Since pre-PSMAT scores differed in pre-tests, ANCOVA was performed in analyzing post-test scores. The results showed that there was a significant mean difference between the groups in favor of the experimental group. Kavramsal anlamayı incelemeye yönelik yapılan görüşme verileri ise içerik analizi ile analiz edilmiş ve sonuçlar, görüşmeye katılan her iki gruptaki öğrencilerin de kavram yanılgılarına sahip olduğunu ancak deney grubu öğrencilerinin öğretilen ünite kavramlarını daha iyi anladığını göstermiştir. Interview data was analyzed through content analysis and the results indicated that although the intrviewees form both groups had alternative conceptions after the instruction, the interviewees from the experimental group had better understanding related to Pure Substance and Mixtures unit. Since pre-MSLQ and pre-GALT scores were not distributed normally, Mann-Whitney U Test was used to compare the groups. According to the results, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of pre-MSLQ and pre-GALT scores. Independent samples t-test was performed to compare the groups in terms of post-GALT and post-MSLQ scores. Results revealed that there was a significant difference between the groups in terms of both post-GALT and post-MSLQ in favour of the experimental group students. To conclude, POGIL instruction improved 7th grade students' achievement in Pure Substance and Mixtures Unit, motivation to science course and logical thinking ability with large effect sizes. Data from semi-structured interviews related to the students' perceptions about POGIL was analyzed through content analysis. According to the results, the experimental group students regarded worksheets, groupwork and experiments as main characteristics of POGIL. They realized that it contributed to the improvement of their cognitive and social skills. They also stated that they had fun in POGIL lessons and it made them love science more. In addtition, they complained about the lack of time but had no difficulty in terms of the adaptation to organization of the class and the use of materials. Based on these ideas, it can bu concluded that the POGIL group students were aware of the main characteristics and features of POGIL promoting their learning and they had more willingness to attend to the science lessons.