The impact of web-based collaborative inquiry for science learning in secondary education

Abstract

Current educational practice in higher education shows a growing use of CSCL- environments. In secondary education, however, we only see the first signs of transformation in the age of technology and the Internet, and many of these signs are particularly at the administrative level rather than in the classroom. Nevertheless, research, as well as national standards, support collaborative learning and the integration of ICT as an answer to the decreased interest and motivation in science learning and the growing importance that is attached to inquiry skills. This research project deals with the use of web-based collaborative inquiry as a promising approach for secondary science education. In particular, this study investigated the impact of the implementation of a Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) on students' content knowledge, their inquiry skills and their attitude and engagement towards science. An empirical study in 19 secondary science classes was conducted and 375 students were involved. Additionally, this study focused on gender differences and highlighted the transformation of the teachers' role in web-based teaching. The present study demonstrates the effectiveness of this innovative instructional approach in the attempt of making science accessible and interesting to all and to rectify the gender imbalance in science education.