A Case Study on the Use of Inquiry-Based Instruction to Improve Science Learning in Junior High Schools in Ghana

Abstract

The study examined how Inquiry-Based Learning affects students' academic progress in science lessons and whether this approach can help low-proficiency users of English to comprehend scientific concepts. The study used a Quasi-Experimental design and looked at it through the lens of Self-Determination theory. The study included a total of 40 second-year Junior High School students from two distinct classes. The research was aimed at students aged between 13 and 15 years, and therefore, only students within that age range were selected to participate. Students in the experimental group received Inquiry-Based instruction, while the control group used traditional instruction. The study lasted for four weeks and was an experimental one. To see if Inquiry-Based learning is more effective than traditional teaching, a test with 20 questions was used as a pre-test and a post-test for both the experimental group and the control group. The results of the study showed that students who were taught using an inquiry-based method scored higher than those who were taught through a traditional technique. The main finding of this study is that students in the experimental group, who had a low level of English proficiency, were able to understand the lesson without switching to their native language to explain concepts.