To what extent , the use of inquiry and reflection method of teaching initiates grades 8 chemistry students to become thinkers and researchers?

النوع : Thèse

Recently, chemistry teachers in Lebanese schools have detected lack in intermediate and secondary students’ critical thinking skills, such as solving problems, analyzing data and interpreting experiments results. These might be because of the chemistry curriculum’s content and objectives mismatch. In order to remedy this problem, we have elaborated the Inquiry and Reflection teaching method, and then have implemented it in one Lebanese private school during three months. Nineteen grade-8 students constituted the experimental group and learned via this instructional method, while nineteen grade-8 others formed the control group and learned via the traditional method. In order to measure the impact of the I&R method implementation on the experimental students’ achievement and critical thinking skills, we have compared both group member’s grades in the pre-test, post-test, analysis questions, interpretation problems and argumentative test. In addition, the students’ lab reports and research have been analyzed, and interviews with ten students and four teachers have been conducted in order to measure the experimental group students’ attitude and motivation. Findings show that the experimental group students have improved significantly their achievement and their critical thinking skills, while the control group students have not.