Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of an Inquiry-based Flipped classroom model on the conceptual understanding and science process skills of junior high school students in the Philippines. Method: A two-group pretest/post-test design was conducted on 55 Grade 9 students for the study. One group received instruction using the flipped classroom format while the other group serving as control was taught in the conventional format. A Conceptual Understanding Test (CUT) and a Science Process Skills Test (SPST) were used to measure the impact of instruction on the two groups. Independent samples t-test was used to determine if there was a significant difference between the groups while paired samples t-test was conducted on both groups to determine if the groups improved significantly after a 7-week intervention. Linear regression was performed to determine if science process skills was a positive predictor of conceptual understanding. Findings: Inquiry-based flipped classroom did not make students perform better than the non-flipped inquiry-based learning environment in the Conceptual Understanding Test (CUT) and Science Process Skills Test (SPST) except on one biology topic (non-Mendelian Genetics) where the Flipped Inquiry Group scored significantly higher than the control in the CUT. Students’ science process skills positively predicted their conceptual understanding in biology. Significance: Inquiry–based flipped classroom can be as effective as the non-flipped inquiry-based instruction in improving students’ conceptual understanding and science process skills but can be made even more effective depending on the content, the manner the content is uploaded and the choice of LMS for uploading the online content. The study also showed the importance of science process skills in enhancing students’ conceptual understanding in biology.

The increasing popularity and accessibility of podcasts captured the attention of many educators, making it an essential part of pedagogy. This study investigated the effects of integrating podcasts in teaching physics student conceptual understanding. It involved two sections of Grade 9 students from a laboratory school in Laguna, Philippines. Physics Conceptual Understanding Test was administered to the control group (CTA group) and experimental group (PIPTA group) for pretest and posttest. The research hypothesis was tested using an independent-samples t-test and normalized gain on the mean posttest scores of the students. Results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of conceptual understanding and the individual normalized gain of the students. Entries from student's online journal verified the results of the study. To conclude, podcasting was effective in eliciting student conceptual understanding in physics since its simplicity and flexibility as a learning tool offered a unique way to enhance learning. Recommendations to improve the intervention and the quality of podcasts, as well as its implications to pedagogy were also indicated for future researches.

This paper aims to provide insights into how teachers can sustain ICT integration practices in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. A mixed-method case study design was used for the study. Data were collected through interviews, questionnaires, classroom observation, and document examination. Qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. For data validity, triangulation of responses and member checking was carried out. The study identified successful technology integration factors in geographically isolated and disadvantaged schools: a strong community of practice, an adequate support system, and contextual ICT integration practices. It suggests that teachers’ pedagogical practices related to ICT toned to undergo a continuous process of review and reflection to ensure that ICT-related practices remain pedagogically effective and relevant to changing needs and contexts. The account of the teachers in this study, focusing on their teaching experiences in a school in a remote, low-income area, creates a paradigm for comparative research on education in challenging contexts. Comparative studies on ICT integration practices in poverty-stricken, post-disaster, and conflict-affected areas, could provide inputs for formulating context-specific policy recommendations that could support successful ICT integration in small rural schools in the Philippines and other developing countries.

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