The Possibilities of Assessing Students’ Scientific Inquiry Skills Abilities Using an Online Instrument: A Small-Scale Study in the Omusati Region, Namibia

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to; explore the possibilities and feasibilities of an online assessment of students' scientific inquiry skills; examine the psychometric properties of the test; ascertain the ability level of the 9 th and 11 th graders scientific inquiry skills. The sample consisted of the ninth and eleventh graders (N=118, 44 boys and 74 girls; age mean=16.42, and (SD) =1.25). In the test of scientific inquiry skills, students were required to use their cognitive skills to answer questions based on different subscales of scientific inquiry processes. The online assessment tool for scientific inquiry skills consisted of 99 items. The Cronbach alpha was .87 α, and two subscales emerged with better reliability of .93 α and .90 α respectively. No significant differences were found between grades and genders concerning performances. The online assessment instrument for students' scientific inquiry skills proved to be feasible and reliable. The findings indicate that online assessment may provide teachers with an easyto-use instrument for monitoring the development of students' scientific inquiry and reasoning skills. However, for this to be realized in Namibian, the government should try to improve the ICT infrastructures in most public schools as per their blueprint.

Computer-Based Assessment and Enhancement of Inductive Reasoning Skills

“…We could not agree more with the literature about that when we noticed the same in our study. One might generalise these results even with some controversial results noticed in other studies, as it was with Kambeyo (2017) when he found no relationship between patents' level of education and pupils' achievement. At the same time, the researcher suggested that economic reasons might cause such a result.…”

Measuring and Fostering Preservice Chemistry Teachers’ Scientific Reasoning Competency

“…Following Klahr and Dunbar's [29] "Dual Space Search," SR models usually cover the domain "conducting scientific investigations" [24] and exhibit at least a three-fold structure involving the facets "hypothesis," "experiment," and "conclusion". However, the respective models differ in the degree of sub-division into up to 9 facets (see Figure 1) [10,24,26,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. For example, the model developed by Fischer and colleagues [30] also covers the problem identification, that is, the analysis of the underlying phenomenon before the generation of hypotheses.…”

“…Moreover, "testing hypotheses" is subdivided into a construction phase (cf. the different notions of planning in Figure 1) and "evidence generation," which is comparable to experimentation and observation [26,28,31]. The last facet of Klahr and Dunbar's [29] model can be divided into "evidence evaluation," such as the preparation and interpretation of experimental findings [26,32], and "drawing conclusions".…”

The Impact of Inquiry-Based Virtual Laboratory on Students' Inquiring Abilities

“…Questionnaire for inquiry abilities is given before and after the learning process which consists of 20 statements with 5 alternative answers (Likert scale). The observation sheets and inquiry ability questionnaires were developed from the synthesis of inquiry stages which led to the emergence of the inquiry abilities of students according to Lou, Blanchard, and Kennedy (2018); Zulfiani and Herlanti (2018); Kambeyo (2017); Wenning (2007); Lukac (2015); Wu and Hsieh (2006); Mumba, Chabalengula and Wise (2007);and the National Research Council (1996). The inquiry syntax used to find out the student inquiry abilities can be seen in Table 2.…”

“…In addition, computers in science learning are appropriate and comfortable, especially when content is used well (Tuysuz, 2010).The use of inquiry-based virtual chemistry laboratories that have been carried out in this study can improve students' inquiry skills before and after the learning process. According to this diagnosis of students' abilities, certain learning environments can create student inquiry skills (Kambeyo, 2017). Inquiry learning, using media plays a role in improving students' thinking skills.…”