Investigating the effects of web-based science material for guided inquiry approach on information and communication skills of students

Abstract

In parallel with the development of technology and increase in knowledge, learning-teaching environments have changed, and an understanding has taken into basis that students are active and responsible for their own learning. In accordance with this situation, inquiry-based learning approach and technology integration have come to an important point in science curricula in our country. In the study, it was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of web-based science material developed on the guided inquiry approach on students' information and communication skills. In the current study, embedded design was selected amongst mixed methods. First, web-based material was developed compatible with the guided inquiry approach for the systems in our body unit at sixth grade. Then, the developed material was applied during eight weeks by three teachers in three different classes and its effectiveness was examined. A total of 155 sixth grade students, 71 of whom were in the experimental group and 84 in the control group, participated in the study. In the study; “Information and Communication Skills Perception Scale” was used as a quantitative data collection tool and an observation form was used as the qualitative data collection tool. As a result of the study; although there was an increase in the information and communication skills perception scores of the students in the experimental group in which the web-based science material was applied according to the guided inquiry approach, it was understood that this difference was not significant [t(70)=-3.76, p>.05]. Even though there is an increase in information and communication skills, it is thought that this increase is not significant in terms of the students' perceptions of information and communication skills as these students were born into the technology age, developed high perception towards information and communication skills through their own tablets, computers, phones and other similar medium.