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This research sought to improve students' science reading comprehension ability and marine ecological conservation learning interest through the implementation of an inquiry-based learning course. A Triggered situational interest-Reading-Inquiry-Presentation (TRIP) model was proposed to guide the course design. The quasi-experimental design was adopted in this research. Experimental teaching activities were conducted with two classes of second graders (50 students in total) in southern Taiwan. One class served as the experimental group, and the other served as the comparison group. The Science Reading Comprehension Test (SRCT) and Marine Ecology Conservation Learning Interest Scale (MECLIS) were used as instruments. Data were analyzed using the Johnson-Neyman Technique, analysis of covariance, and qualitative analysis. The results showed that the students with lower pre-test scores on the SRCT in the experimental group had better scores on the post-test than those in the comparison group, while the students in both groups with higher pre-test scores on the SRCT had no difference in their post-test scores. Furthermore, the experimental group students had better MECLIS scores than the comparison group students, and the difference had a moderate effect size. Overall, this research suggests that the TRIP model may assist science teachers in designing science reading courses. Keywords: inquiry-based learning, learning interest, reading comprehension, reading literacy.

The purpose of this research was to design a course based on the design-based learning (DBL) model to improve undergraduates’ web design skills, and to explore the differences in learning effectiveness of students with different levels of knowledge integration. The quasi-experimental design was adopted in this study. Ninety-two participants studying general education courses in a university in southern Taiwan were selected to participate in this study. The instruments included the Web Design Skills Test and the Knowledge Integration Scale. The study found that the use of the DBL strategy in teaching could improve the web design skills of the experimental group students, especially those students with insufficient web design skills in the initial stage. In addition, students with a high level of knowledge integration had better improvement in their web design skills. The implication of this research is that DBL is a suitable web design skills training strategy for students with insufficient web design skills. If students could be reminded to integrate knowledge while studying, their learning outcomes may be better.

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The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable and valid Scientific Inquiry Abilities Test (SIAT) for practical and academic uses. Two hundred and thirty 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students in Taiwan provided answers used for item analysis and construct validity testing. The results were as follows: 1. The SIAT contains 27 items including five testlets; 2. The average of difficulty analysis was 0.74 and the average of discrimination analysis was 0.20; 3. The internal consistency was 0.629 and the scorer reliability coefficient was 0.964; 4. There were moderate correlations between all testlet scores and whole test scores (p = 0.000) with values ranging from 0.534 to 0.684; 5. The values for discriminant validity ranged from 0.158 to 0.323; and 6. High-achievement students out-performed their counterparts on the SIAT, and large effect sizes (ESs) were also found for all the testlets.These results indicated that the SIAT possesses high-reliability and construct validity. Finally, the paper addressed implications for future research and science teaching. Keywords: scientific inquiry, Scientific Inquiry Abilities Test (SIAT), validation IntroductionThe main goal of a science curriculum is to develop students' ability to ask relevant questions and enhance their understanding of inquiry, such that they develop their own scientific thought process, rather than just copying the thoughts and ideas of the scientists they study. This has already become the consensus of the international scientific education field (Abd-El-Khalick et al., 2004). Accordingly, the subject of inquiry is of an urgent concern in science education presently. Hinrichsen and Jarrett (1999) had stressed that students needed to construct, design, conduct, analyze, and communicate their understanding, investigations, and findings. They also need to understand abstract ideas as well as rethink concepts, adapt and retry their own hypotheses, and engage in investigations and problem-solving efforts. Kuhn (2007) Koslowski, Marasia, Chelenza, and Dublin (2008) had stressed that in actual scientific inquiry, people sought out explanations for happenings that arose from the covariate. In reality, an explanation becomes increasingly convincing when evidence that connects to that explanation increases. Since inquiry is a way to achieve and understand knowledge about the world, we need a more consistent view for teachers and researchers to follow when exploring related issues. According to the National Research Council (NRC) (1996), basic characteristics of inquiry-based classrooms are:1. Learners are allowed to invest in scientific problems; 2. Learners are given priority to develop and evaluate explanations and answers to scientific problems using evidence; 3. Learners use evidence to form explanations to answer scientific problems; 4. Learners evaluate their explanations based on other explanations reflected by scientific understanding; 5. Learners exchange and defend their explanations.Of the above characteristics, Hung (2010) classified 1 and 2 as elem...