Gender differences in science learning: How is students' questioning quality through STEM based e-module?

Abstract

Science learning in this century has highly demanding for students' outcome. Higher order thinking skills has become a main goal for science educator. Higher order thinking skills include critical thinking skills. creative thinking skills, argumentative skills, inquiry skills and others. Inquiry skills or questioning skills is highly important for students in science learning to construct that skills, students should have a curiosity. Learning strategy, method, and approach must be effective to promote it. One of them is STEM learning which is covered in technology such as electronic books. So, that this research using STEM based E-module to construct students questioning skills. However, there are differences of learning style, reading habit, and others between girls' and boys' students which effect their skill. Purposes of this research is to investigate how the question quality of girls' and boys' students using STEM based E-module in science learning. The method that is used pre-experimental with subject 26 students, 24 girls' students and 2 boys' students as freshman in second semester who take science courses in environmental theme. The technique to take the data in this research is used recording activity from Free Conference Call applications, reading test, and observation. The instruments such as transcript from WhatsApp application chatting group, Free Conference Call application recording activity, questionnaire, and "Pojok Inquiry"activity which is linked in STEM based E-module that consist of five reading material or narration for each sub-theme. Data analysed by using question quality category rubric. The results shown that there is difficulty to investigate significant differences of question quality between boys' and girls' students obviously. However, there are interesting results of the questions quality category results of girls' and boys' students. Boys has outperformed in understanding, relationship, and evaluation category than girls' students, while girls' students have outperformed in information, finding & solution than boys' students.