Conclusions and Implications
Conclusion 1: Students who were taught experientially had higher creativity scores when
compared to those who were taught through direct instruction.
Conclusion 2: Students who were taught experientially had higher practical scores when
compared to those who were taught through direct instruction.
The findings of this study provide evidence that an experiential approach to learning, as
compared to that of direct instruction, yields greater practical use of knowledge taught.
The inquiry-based teaching approach is supported on knowledge about the learning process that
has emerged from research (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). In inquiry-based science
education, children become engaged in many of the activities and thinking processes
Based on the findings obtained in the study, it can be said that there is a significant difference
between the achievement levels of the students who have been educated by inquiry-based
instruction supported 5E learning method and the students who have been educated by the
traditional teaching methods.
The students who have been educated by inquiry-based instruction supported 5E learning cycle
method have become more successful than the students who have been educated by the
traditional teaching methods. This study offers results that support work previously performed
by other researchers (Adams, Bevevino & Dengel, 1999; Sungur, Tekkaya & Geban, 2001; Lord,
1999; Marek, Eubanks & Gallaher, 1990; Seyhan & Morgil, 2007; Anderson, 2002, Cardak,
Dikmenli and Saritas,2008). Seyhan & Morgil (2007) compared two classes taught by traditional
methods with two classes taught using the 5E instructional model method. The study indicated
that the experimental groups had much greater understanding of the information covered
especially on questions that required interpretation.
Pandey et al. (2011) and Asimge Akpulluku et al (2011) concluded that inquiry training model
have statistically significant effect over conventional teaching method on academic achievement
of students. Therefore, Classroom teachers should consider how to prepare learning
environments in which students will be active in accordance with their characteristics and then
present these environments to students. Creating techniques based on the 5E instructional
model on various subjects will attach a higher degree of importance on the 5E instructional
model. In addition, the education of trainee teachers will benefit from these methods.
The pre- and post-course surveys confirmed that participants in this study showed an increase in
higher-order learning following their participation in the course where inquiry-based learning
was the teaching and learning strategy. TAs such, the mixed-methods design helped the
research team to understand students’ learning experiences and provided further explanation
(qualitative data) of their level of engagement with their learning experience (Creswell & Clark,
2011), suggesting that inquiry-based learning may be a good fit for social work education in
helping students to engage in their learning.
Thus, the results of this study support the previous study conducted in Turkey that an inquiry-
based approach improved. Science process skill of fourth, fifth and sixth grades (Ergül et al.,
(2011). Similarly, Simsek Mulyeni, T., Jamaris, M, & Supriyati, Y. (2019). Improving Basic Science
Process... 197 and Kabapinar’s study (2010), showed that fifth grade elementary students’
science process skills were enhanced by using the inquiry-based approach. This study also
revealed how second grade students improve the basic science process skills in science learning
through the inquiry-based approach. According to Çimer, (2007) many researchers suggested
that students should be actively involved in the learning activities for effective science learning.
A study by Alkan (2016) showed that experiential learning was effective to enhance academic
achievement and scientific process skills.
A previous study revealed that the use of various teaching approaches in a single lesson could
create more opportunities to develop science process skills (Rauf et al., 2013).
This study proved that science learning through the inquiry-based approach improved the basic
science process skills for second graders.
Various teaching approaches such as demonstration and explanation can also contribute to
improving the basic science process skills.
