An effect of technology based inquiry approach on the learning of “Earth, Sun, & Moon” subject

Recent work by the OECD (2006) indicates that over the last decade in many countries, the number of young people entering universities is increasing, but students are choosing study fields other than science. The consequence is that the proportion of young people studying science is decreasing. The type of pedagogical approach students faced throughout their educational life in the numerous methods and the projects and actions that have been implemented in our science curriculums so far have impacted students. The oldest and most traditional approach, deductive reasoning, is still being used by teachers. The traditional approach focuses on the content of the subject matter organized by general concepts to particular concepts, with less emphasis on the development of skills. It is teacher-centered, which means that the teacher gives information about what has to be known, and students are note-takers and receivers of information.

Although inquiry-based science teaching seems to be a new teaching approach, it is as old as Socrates (Calhoun, 1996). John Dewey basically defined the inquiry of teaching which begins with the curiosity of the learner. For that process we use a spiral path of inquiry: asking questions, investigating solutions, creating new knowledge as we gather information, discussing our discoveries and experiences, and reflecting on our new-found knowledge (Germann, 1991). Each step in this process naturally leads to the next: inspiring new questions, investigations, and opportunities for authentic "teachable moments." Although inquiry-based science teaching has been employed and prevailed in classrooms since the US National Science Foundation curriculum-reform efforts in the late 1950s and early 1960s, according to many teachers, it has been very hard to proceed in introducing inquiry method in the classroom. Another difficulty is to precisely define the role of teacher in science lesson (Bonnstetter, 1998).

Over the last two decades, inquiry-based science teaching has been characterized in many ways and promoted from a variety of perspectives. DeBoer, in 1991, declared, “If a single word had to be chosen to describe the goals of science educators during the 30-year period that began in the late 1950s, it would have to be INQUIRY" (p. 206). In the 1990s’, inquiry affected modern countries’ education systems. Project 2061 (1990) and the National Science Education Standards (NSES) (1996), inquiry approach placed an emphasis on knowledge construction in science curriculums. For example, Project 2061 specifies features of scientific inquiry:

Science explains and predicts. The duty of a scientist is to construct explanations of observations consistent with the currently accepted scientific theories that fit the observations and have predictive power on evidence. Scientists try to identify and avoid bias. Scientists must be aware of their biases. What kinds of evidence are necessary and how this evidence is interpreted are influenced by biases like nationality, sex, ethnic origin, age, political convictions. Science is not authoritarian. There is no scientist who is empowered to make decisions for other scientists (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1990, p. 3-8).

In today’s literature, some educators have emphasized that inquiry refers to activity-based instruction in which students are actively involve in hands-on learning. Others have defined inquiry as a means gaining knowledge and understanding common characteristics in science by using discovery approaches associated with the scientific method. Inquiry involves the active search for knowledge and/or understanding to satisfy a curiosity (Haury, 1993). Generally, inquiry-based teaching is opposite from traditional expository methods and refers to active learning through a constructivist model of learning. First model used as an inquiry based lesson planning, was the Learning Cycle model in the early 1970s. Many examples of inquiry based lesson models; such as 5E defined by Bybee (Ramsey, 1993) followed the Learning Cycle model. Colbum (2000) defined the inquiry based lesson plans into 3 categories: structured inquiry, guided inquiry and open inquiry.

Inquiry-based teaching has been closely associated with other teaching methods such as problem-solving, laboratory instruction, project-based learning, cooperative learning and discovery instruction. These methods are commonly referred to as the inquiry approach, which often emphasize extensive use of science-process skills and independent thought. Knowledge is constructed by learners who have to do many activities on their own in order to build new knowledge. This essential concept of the constructivist approach borrows from many other practices in the pursuit of its primary goal, helping students learn how to learn (Bodner, 1986; Bybee, 2000; Hancer, 2006; Türkmen & Pedersen, 2003). There is no authentic investigation or meaningful learning if there is no inquiring mind seeking an answer, solution, explanation or decision. Thus, inquiry is the process that utilizes scientific process skills to learn about some aspect of the world. Today, the definition of inquiry represents two points of emphasis in science teaching: decreasing emphasis on “science as exploration and experiment” (or hands-on activities), and increasing emphasis on “science as argument and explanation” (or minds-on activities) (Abell, Anderson, & Chezem, 2000; Kuhn, 1993; NRC, 1996, 2000). In general, the inquiry approach is the intentional process of diagnosing problems, critiquing experiments, and distinguishing alternatives, planning investigations, researching conjectures, searching for information, constructing models, debating with peers and forming coherent arguments (Aydın & Balım, 2005; Henson, 1986; Keys & Kennedy, 1999; Linn, Davis, & Bell, 2004).

The research has shown that inquiry-based teaching is effective in enhancing general student performance, in particular laboratory skills and skills of graphing and interpreting data, to fostering scientific literacy and understanding of science processes (Lindberg, 1990; Mao, Chang, & Barufaldi, 1998; Taasoobshirazi et al, 2006) and contributing to positive attitudes toward science and higher achievement on tests (Glasson, 1989; Kyle et al., 1985; Shymansky, Kyle, & Alport, 1983; Chiappetta & Russell, 1982; Ertepinar & Geban, 1996; Geban, Askar, & Ozkan, 1992; Muloop & Fowler, 1987; Basaga, Geban, & Tekkaya, 1994; Tobin & Capie, 1982; Welch et al., 1981). Germann also found the approach helpful in development at the cognitive level (1989).

In order for inquiry to be effective, a teacher must be a very active and set a rich environment in which students take on more responsibility in organizing and managing materials for their own learning, and develop a supportive social environment in which students can work collaboratively in small and large groups and learn to respect each other’s ideas. During the inquiry process, the teacher walks around the room and interacts with groups of students. S/he listens to his or her students’ questions and ideas and leads them to find the solutions to problems or questions, and if necessary, gives additional information through lectures, demonstrations, or discussions (Bybee, 2000; Chiappetta, 1997; Duschl & Hamilton, 1998; Ergin & Kanlı, 2007; Genctürk & Türkmen, 2007; Hayes, 2002; Hogan & Berkowitz, 2000; Lott, 1983; Macaroglu Akgul, 2006; Von Secker, 2002; Welch, 1981).

While educators say that an inquiry approach is effective in science courses, it is still not widespread concept in classrooms and is often inappropriately used (Bencze et al., 2003; Lederman & Schwartz, 2001). The amount of classroom time, insufficient independent investigations, and insufficient incorporate abstract concepts with inquiry, lack of teacher expertise and experience and insufficient teacher science background has led to the ineffectiveness in the application of the inquiry approach. One of the solutions to this problem, especially regarding the difficulty of incorporating abstract concepts, is integrating educational technology into inquiry in science courses. New technologies, especially computer technology, are “interactive, it does away with the passivity associated with the traditional learning model in which the student is viewed as an empty vessel to be filled by the knowledge and expertise of the teacher” (Tapscott, 1996, p.144). Technology also gives new opportunities and more options for students to use materials to investigate the problems and to find solutions through a technology based inquiry approach (TBIA) (Krajcik et al. 2000). Use of interactive media and computerized databases in the inquiry approach make it easier for students to develop their own inquiry skills, such as proposing their own research focus; producing their own data and continuing their inquiry as new questions arise; and using theories that they define and develop themselves (Edelson, 2001; Flick & Bell, 2000; Litchfield & Mattson, 1989; Maor, 1991; Shimoda, White, & Frederiksen, 2002; Slotta, 2004; Taasoobshirazi, 2006). Moreover, computer technology facilitates the manipulation of variables in experiments and models. So in this TBIA, the teacher becomes better equipped to act as a guide and facilitator, allowing students to be engaged in a more realistic scientific inquiry experiences for abstract subjects. Hence, students can predict, observe and explore the effects of dependent variables in more complex experiments.

Simulated computer-based experiments allow teachers to demonstrate the effects of variables used in an experiment, to further the understanding of science subjects by facilitating the use of different methods to investigate the same issue, and to shift the emphasis to “thinking, conjecture and talk about scientific method, about the reasons, limitations and benefits of carrying out controlled experimentation, and about qualitative interpretation of evidence” (Miller, 2001, p. 194). When these methods yield conflicting results, it may “impel learners to think about how to reconcile the rival methods or how to decide which is more reliable” (Chinn & Malhotra, 2002, p.208).

In fact, some of these technologies can actually help transform science “from canned labs and the passive memorization of content to a dynamic, hands-on, authentic process of investigation and discovery” (Barstow, 2001, p. 41). Even, Hawkey (2001) says technology can now provide “a new opportunity to reconsider fundamental questions about what it means to be scientifically literate, about the nature of science and the relationship between practicing scientists, their work and the public” (p. 106).

TBIA is active learning and students in play a central role in mediating and controlling their learning. In this environment collaboration is important. Students collaboratively share their thoughts. Students feel free to ask questions on any part of lesson, and technology gives opportunity to students to manipulate variables, investigate data, and make connections to better understand and construct their own knowledge in a meaningful learning process.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of TBIA on 5^th grade primary students’ understanding of phenomena associated with the “earth, sun, and moon” subject in a science and technology course, in addition to the shift of their academic achievements and attitudes towards science in a positive way. For this purpose, the integrated technology 5E method was used for this study. Many educators and philosophers agreed the 5E teaching method is one of inquiry methods, which involve learners in generating investigable questions, planning and conducting investigations, gathering and analyzing data, explaining their findings, and sharing and justifying their findings with others. The integrated technology 5E teaching method as TBIA consists of five phases:

Engage - a teacher use an interactive Website or CDs as a warm-up activity, the purpose is to generate enough interest in the subject at hand to propel the student into the learning process, which follows with the remaining stages;

Explore - students work through the problem and conduct experiments, discuss with friends, and collect data for analyzing. Teachers can ask directing questions, provide minimal consultation, and observe and listen to student interactions;

Explain - students try to explain data they have collected and try to find correct terminology surrounding the subject. If they struggle to reach scientific concept, the teacher should encourage them to work with educational materials and participate in group work and class discussions. Next, the teacher should explain the concept and correct their misconceptions. Technology may be used to further clarify the concept and relevant vocabulary should be defined to fix misconceptions.

Elaborate - in this stage, technology provides students with the opportunity to elaborate and build on their understanding of concepts by applying it to solve new problems related to scientific concepts. Teachers give new scenarios or problems and provide directive questions.

Evaluate - The teachers’ intent is to assign students technology based activities to evaluate what their students have learned. They ask questions or make observations that determine if students can discuss and apply the concepts covered. Alternatively, students assess their own progress via a self-evaluation.

This method is an effective way to deal with students’ misconceptions about science concepts. The method allows students to place facts in a conceptual framework (which often includes recognizing or challenging the misconceptions), and to organize facts and ideas for retrieval and application (Bozdogan & Altuncekic, 2007; National Research Council 1999; Ozsevgenc, 2006).