Classroom Teachers' Perceptions of Science and Inquiry-Based Teaching

In: Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi

Abstract

Inquiry-based teaching is an approach that carries the same steps as the process of producing scientific knowledge, where the student is at the center of learning, and where teachers must develop the inquiry skills of both themselves and their students. It can be said that in the first years of childhood, the person students spend the most time with, after their families, is their classroom teacher. The basic knowledge taught in primary school forms the basis of the following levels. An innovative strategy method is essential in the development and implementation of educational activities with a research-based teaching approach. However, teachers need time, resources, training and support to effectively implement inquiry-based teaching in their classrooms and develop inquiry skills. TÜBİTAK 4004 "MAT-SOR Inquiry-Based Activity Development Camp" project was carried out to support classroom teachers within the scope of the Science and Community Support Programs Mathematics Year Special Call. The project aims to increase the competencies of classroom teachers in developing activity plans and to ensure that they acquire the skills required by the 21st century. Within the scope of this project, "mystery boxes" training was organized to help classroom teachers recognize and improve their skills in understanding science and inquiry-based teaching practices. For this purpose, teachers' opinions were taken with open-ended questions before and after the training. The data of the research was obtained from 25 teachers who participated in the project. The data obtained was analyzed using the content analysis method, which is one of the qualitative analysis methods. Three researchers conducted analyzes independently, and then themes and categories were determined. As a result of the study, it was determined that teachers' ideas about science improved, and their ideas about the steps of inquiry-based teaching in general emerged. It can be stated that providing new methods and approaches and applied training contributes to developing educational activities for individuals.