Effect of Inquiry Activities on Learning in Middle Grades Science Education

Abstract

Middle grades science teachers attempt to keep students actively engaged while teaching the required material. Research has shown that inquiry-based instruction is one method that can maintain the students’ interests and at the same time, effectively convey the lessons. In this study, a one-group pre- and post-test design was used to determine the effectiveness of inquirybased instruction on 122 seventh grade life science students during a genetics unit. The sample consisted of students that ranged in ability from gifted to on-level to students with special needs. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed based on average, mean, and percentage and ability level. The results demonstrated a significant gain in learning on most topics in the unit. Two of the topics covered in the genetics unit, the study of Mendel and the DNA composition, did not show as dramatic increases as the other topics. This result could point to insufficient inquiry lessons for these particular topics. Overall, the inquiry-based instruction demonstrated to be an effective strategy regardless of ability level for this study. Faculty Adviser: Sanghee Choi.