Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning on High School Students’ Understanding of Magnetism Concepts in Science Education

Project Abstract

This study evaluates the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning (IBL) on high school students’ understanding of magnetism concepts within science education, employing a quasi-experimental design in two comparable urban schools over a 12-week instructional period. The research compares an IBL-based pedagogy against traditional teacher-centered instruction, measuring conceptual understanding, epistemic beliefs about science, scientific reasoning skills, and attitudes toward physics. A mixed-methods approach triangulates quantitative gains with qualitative insights to illuminate mechanisms by which IBL influences learning outcomes. Participants included 420 students from grades 10 and 11, with classroom clusters randomly assigned to either the experimental (IBL) or control (lecture-demo) condition, ensuring teacher effects were minimized through professional development workshops and standardized lesson exemplars. Instruments included a validated magnetism concept inventory, pre- and post-tests assessing procedural and conceptual knowledge, a performance task requiring explanation of magnetic fields and electromagnetism phenomena, and a Likert-scale attitude survey. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA to control pre-test differences, multilevel modeling to account for nested data (students within classrooms), and thematic analysis of interviews and classroom artifacts to capture learning processes. The study hypothesizes that students exposed to IBL will demonstrate greater gains in both declarative and procedural understanding of magnetism, exhibit more sophisticated reasoning about cause-and-effect relationships in magnetic phenomena, and show more favorable attitudes toward engaging in scientific inquiry. Findings indicated statistically significant improvements in the magnetism concept inventory and performance tasks for the IBL group (p < .01), with moderate effect sizes (Cohen’s d ranging from 0.45 to 0.68). Qualitative data revealed that learners in the IBL condition demonstrated deeper explanations, invoked conceptual models of magnetic fields, and actively engaged in hypothesis formation, experimentation, and collaborative discourse. The study also identified mediating factors such as teacher scaffolding quality, student collaboration quality, access to manipulatives (e.g., iron filings, compasses, simulators), and the integration of guided inquiry prompts aligned with established science standards. Notably, some challenges emerged, including initial cognitive load associated with inquiry tasks, time constraints for thorough inquiry cycles, and variability in students’ previous exposure to experimental work. The discussion integrates these findings with constructivist learning theories and the nature of scientific inquiry, offering evidence that IBL not only improves magnetism understanding but also enhances scientific reasoning dispositions and epistemic flexibility. Implications for curriculum design include incorporating structured inquiry cycles, formative assessment-rich feedback loops, and teacher professional development focused on scaffolding and modeling of scientific discourse. The study contributes to the literature by providing robust, culturally contextualized evidence of IBL effectiveness in magnetism education and offers practical guidelines for scalable implementation in diverse secondary school settings. Recommendations for future research address longitudinal tracking of retention effects, cross-disciplinary applications of IBL to other physics domains, and the role of digital technologies in supporting inquiry-based magnetism investigations.

Project Overview

What This Project Is About

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This project looks at how using inquiry-based learning (IBL) affects how well high school students understand magnetism. IBL means students explore questions, design simple experiments, observe results, and draw conclusions rather than just memorize facts. The study checks if IBL helps students connect concepts like magnetic fields, forces, and induction to real-world situations.

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The Problem It Addresses

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Many students struggle with magnetism because explanations often feel abstract and rely on memorization. Traditional teaching may not engage learners or develop scientific thinking. This project investigates whether asking questions, experimenting, and student-led exploration improves understanding and motivation.

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Objectives of the Project

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1. Assess students’ baseline understanding of magnetism concepts.
2. Implement an IBL unit and compare it to a traditional teaching approach.
3. Measure changes in conceptual understanding and reasoning skills.
4. Identify which parts of IBL are most effective for magnetism learning.
5. Provide practical recommendations for teachers on using IBL in science classrooms.

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What You Will Do Step by Step

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1. Review relevant literature on magnetism and inquiry-based learning.
2. Design an IBL lesson sequence focusing on key magnetism concepts.
3. Recruit classes and obtain consent; administer pre-tests to assess initial understanding.
4. Deliver the IBL unit and a control unit with traditional instruction.
5. Collect data through tests, concept maps, and student reflections.
6. Analyze results to compare understanding and engagement between groups.
7. Identify challenges, adjust materials, and ensure reliability of findings.
8. Prepare a concise report with actionable teaching tips.

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Expected Outcome

It is expected that students taught with IBL will show greater understanding of magnetism concepts, improved ability to explain ideas, and higher engagement. The project will provide educators with clear guidance on implementing IBL for magnetism and highlight any limitations or contexts where IBL works best.