Inquiry-Based Learning Practices for Science Teaching in Elementary Grades: A Literature Review of the Asian Countries

Abstract

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a student-centered approach of instruction that aims at increasing students' active engagement and their skills of investigation, reflection, and critical thinking within real-world expressions and practices. This literature review includes mostly those research studies in which a quasiexperimental approach was used, followed by a pretest-posttest design with random allocation of research participants. As per the aim of this literature review, those research studies were included where elementary grade students were selected as research participants to investigate the effects of IBL approaches on students' science literacy and skills. One of the engaging lessons from this review shows that IBL approach science skills are described as two sides of the same coin. Additionally, almost all reviewed studies defined IBL as students centered approach. Moreover, the effects of IBL are also discussed in detail