The Comparison between Guided Inquiry and Traditional Teaching Method. A Case Study for the Teaching of the Structure of Matter to 8th Grade Greek Students

Abstract This paper aims to compare the guided inquiry with the traditional method. In order to proceed to this comparison, eight lesson plans for the teaching of the structure of matter were constructed for both methods. These lesson plans were applied to 8th grade Greek students of secondary school. The statistical analysis showed a significant supremacy of the guided inquiry against the traditional teaching method for the teaching of the structure of matter. Also, the findings indicated higher score performance in the tests for the boys compared to that for the girls.

[1]  Abigail Jurist Levy,et al.  Inquiry-based science instruction—what is it and does it matter? Results from a research synthesis years 1984 to 2002 , 2010 .

[2]  L. Giancarlo,et al.  Student-Centered Learning: A Comparison of Two Different Methods of Instruction. , 2004 .

[3]  Sally Blake,et al.  Inquiry and Technology , 2012 .

[4]  Gayle Nicoll,et al.  A Qualitative Investigation of Undergraduate Chemistry Students' Macroscopic Interpretations of the Submicroscopic Structure of Molecules , 2003 .

[5]  C. Furió,et al.  Difficulties with the Geometry and Polarity of Molecules: Beyond Misconceptions , 1996 .

[6]  Haohao Wang,et al.  An Inquiry-Based Linear Algebra Class , 2011 .

[7]  Jim Minstrell,et al.  Inquiring into Inquiry Learning and Teaching in Science , 2000 .

[8]  Keith S. Taber,et al.  An alternative conceptual framework from chemistry education , 1998 .

[9]  G. Keppel.  Practical research: Planning and design 2nd ed. , 1980 .

[10]  Marcia C. Linn,et al.  Internet Environments for Science Education , 2004 .

[11]  Ron Oliver,et al.  Exploring an inquiry‐based learning approach with first‐year students in a large undergraduate class , 2007 .

[12]  Richard M. Felder,et al.  The Many Faces of Inductive Teaching and Learning , 2007 .

[13]  Lawrence B. Flick,et al.  Scientific Inquiry and Nature of Science , 2004 .

[14]  Rodger Bybee,et al.  Teaching Science as Inquiry. , 1999 .

[15]  James P. Birk,et al.  Effect of Experience on Retention and Elimination of Misconceptions about Molecular Structure and Bonding , 1999 .

[16]  Richard S. Moog,et al.  A Guided-Inquiry General Chemistry Course , 1999 .

[17]  T. Bindel,et al.  Guided discovery: Law of specific heats , 1997 .

[18]  Rodger W. Bybee,et al.  Scientific Inquiry And Science Teaching , 2006 .