Inquiry-Based Learning And Its Impact On Academic Performance In Natural Sciences In Students Of Basic General Education.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i1.701Keywords:
Inquiry-Based Learning, Academic Achievement, Natural Sciences, Elementary Education, 5E Model, ConstructivismAbstract
Inquiry-based learning represents a methodological alternative to traditional teaching focused on content transmission. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of inquiry-based learning on the academic performance in Natural Sciences of seventh-grade students at the Adolfo Páez Basic Education School, located in Echeandía, Bolívar Province, Ecuador. A quasi-experimental design was used, consisting of 25 students in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. A pre-test and post-test were administered to measure progress. The experimental group was taught using Bybee's 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), while the control group received a traditional lesson. The study was conducted over eight weeks. Statistically significant results were found between the groups in the post-test with a p-value < .001. It was also observed that in the experimental group there was an increase from 5.92 to 8.24, and in contrast, the control group's values increased from 5.84 to 6.52. Based on these results, it was concluded that inquiry-based learning becomes a strategy and alternative to improve academic performance in Natural Sciences within rural contexts.
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