Model Based Inquiry in the High School Physics Classroom: An Exploratory Study of Implementation and Outcomes

Abstract

This study considers whether Model Based Inquiry (MBI) is a suitable mechanism for facilitating science as inquiry to allow students to develop deep understandings of difficult concepts, while also gaining better understandings of science process and the nature of science. This manuscript also considers time devoted to MBI in comparison to more traditional demonstration and lecture (TDL) teaching methods, while also revealing the MBI strategy implemented in the physics classroom. Pre-, post-, and delayed-revised versions of the Physics, Attitudes, Skills, and Knowledge Survey (PASKS) were administered to two groups of students, those taught a unit on buoyancy with a TDL instructional strategy (n = 26) and those taught the same buoyancy unit, but with the MBI instructional strategy (n = 28). The PASKS focuses on student achievement in terms of science content, science process/reasoning, nature of science, and student attitude toward science. Through quantitative methods the findings revealed statistical differences when considering the pre-, post-, and delayed-measures with significant differences found overall and on each scale. This indicated improved achievement overall and on each scale with the exception of attitude scale for both groups. Additionally, the findings revealed no statistical differences between groups (i.e., TDL & MBI).Keywords Model-based inquiry Á Physics Á Traditional lecture and demonstrations Á Student science outcome measures

Mode-Method Interaction: The Role of Teaching Methods on The Effect of Instructional Modes on Achievements, Science Process Skills, and Attitudes Towards Physics

“…Students need to actively use and consequently improve science process skills during an inquiry-based instruction. Quite a number of studies have also showed that inquirybased teaching methods improve students' science process skills (Campbell, Zharg & Neilson, 2011;Ergül, Şimşekli, Çalış, Özdilek, Gökmençelebi, & Şanlı, 2011;Şimşek & Kabapınar, 2010). In this study, when the students' science process skill scores are checked, gain score of inquiry groups (0.93) is higher than those of expository groups (-1.44).…”

Students’ Questions in Inquiry-Based Chemistry Classrooms

“…Through the process of questioning, students are able to build a deep understanding of a concept (Suchman, 1966;Tobin, 1990; Yahudit and Herscovitz, 1999; Hinrichsen and Jarrett, 1999;Campbell, Zhang and Neilson, 2011), science Indonesian Journal of Educational Review, Vol. 4 (1), July 2017 15 process skills and nature of science (Campbell, Zhang and Neilson, 2011) as they are actively involved in the learning process.…”

“…Through the process of questioning, students are able to build a deep understanding of a concept (Suchman, 1966;Tobin, 1990; Yahudit and Herscovitz, 1999; Hinrichsen and Jarrett, 1999;Campbell, Zhang and Neilson, 2011), science Indonesian Journal of Educational Review, Vol. 4 (1), July 2017 15 process skills and nature of science (Campbell, Zhang and Neilson, 2011) as they are actively involved in the learning process.Typical classroom scenario showed that students rarely ask question as reported by Dillon (1988);Chin (2002); Blonder, Namlok-Naaman and Hofstein (2008). Not much researches were done on students' questions (van Zee et al, 2001) compared to teacher's questions.…”

“…process skills and nature of science (Campbell, Zhang and Neilson, 2011) as they are actively involved in the learning process.…”

The Lack of Physics Teachers: “Like a Bath with the Plug out and the Tap half on”

“…Further, McDermott's research indicates that different instructional strategies have different effects on students' learning (McDermott, 2001). What teachers need to understand is that conceptual learning of physics often uses models, animations and simulations for problem solving approaches -Physics by Inquiry (Afra, Osta, & Zoubeir, 2009;Akerson, Hanson, & Cullen, 2007;Campbell, Danhui, & Neilson, 2011). The advances in computer hardware and software programs have provided new platforms for instigating conceptual change and problem solving which physics teachers should tap into it (Dünser, Walker, Horner, & Bentall, 2012;Ülen & Gerlič, 2012;Wieman, Perkins, & Adams, 2008).…”