Information Technology in Inquiry-Based Learning: An Alternative Approach to Enhance Students' Perfo

International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

Information Technology in Inquiry-Based Learning: An Alternative Approach to Enhance Students' Performance in Science Joefel T. Libo-on, PhD.1 & Maria Dolyn D. Doromal, PhD.2 College of Arts and Sciences, Romblon State University, Romblon Philippines 2 College of Education, Iloilo State College of Fisheries-Dumangas Campus, Iloilo, Philippines Email Id: onemanbrave@gmail.com 1

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4564311 Abstract Integration of information technology in inquiry-based learning approach in teaching and learning is another endeavor in Science education. Conventional or traditional teaching and learning is an avenue common to the students and teacher where teachers serve as the fountain of knowledge while the student serves as the receiver of the information. To decide whether the method is successful, the science performance of the participants for the controlled and experimental groups was evaluated. The participants are composed of 40 second-year bachelor of elementary education students were half of it is randomly assigned as the control group and the other is assigned as the experimental group. Participants in the experimental group were informed that they are allowed to utilized gadgets during the class, class is scheduled every morning two times a week one after the other with forty minutes of contact time in each group. The experimentation cover five weeks and two days and both groups were using the same book reference having the class focused on properties of matters with three subtopics prescribed based on the BEEd Science curriculum. A researchers-made instrument in Science was developed by the researchers and used in the gathering of data. To ensure resemblance of each group at the start of the intervention, grade matching strategy and pretesting was done as the basis in construct the experimental and control group. The pretest performance of the participants was at the below-average level in both groups. The pretest of the participants resembles each other pretest performance which is also confirmed by testing the difference. The post-test science performance was below average and relative to the post-test science performance of both groups, the experimental group's post-test results were greater than that of the control group. There is an increase in the performance of both groups from pretest to posttest; the test of difference confirmed that both groups had an increase in performance. The increase in the performance of the participants under the inquiry-based approach with the integration of information and technology is higher than that of the conventional approach as confirmed by testing the difference. Hence, the inquiry-based approach with the integration of information and technology is somewhat effective to increase the performance in Science. Challenges that are found in implementing an inquiry-based approach with the integration of the information and technology were the limited internet connectivity to no internet connectivity at home and the limited memory space in the gadget owned by the participants.

Keywords: Inquiry-Based Learning, Information Technology, Performance, True experimental, Philippines.

Introduction The excitement and the sense of wonders of the student in dealing with science during the discussion, laboratory experiments, and videos. Thus, the researchers pursue this study for learning science brings and provides curiosity and wonders for the learners. Like getting to know about tangible things that can be investigated and have results that are easily replicated under similar conditions.

Science questions the world around us drives inquiry and can help explain the phenomena people encountered in their daily lives.

Science forced us to think beyond what we know and can observe and asks the question, 'why?’. This curiosity and wonder which is generated through science are what the researchers wished to foster in classrooms. Inquiry caters to such aspects where students were interested in exploring phenomena in their environment where they carry and plan to investigate.

The writing, reading, and listening which the trust of the traditional teaching and learning are no longer buyable and cannot prepare an individual in a modern workplace (Kim, 2016). Learners nowadays are not fulfilled by just of the traditional way. As such,

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

teachers as for their response find ways that will be suitable for their students to cope-up with this current era of student and fulfilling what the learners must achieve and learn. Teachers are exploring different techniques and approaches to respond to the call for a high quality of education.

Teaching and learning where there is less interference from the teacher, fewer directives from the teacher, and less explanation coming from the teacher are very observable in an inquiry approach of teaching (Holiday, 2006). A style that can create students who were critical thinkers and provides ample opportunities to students in exploring new things or concepts involved for better understanding. More importantly, an inquiry-based teaching style can be run by presenting the students' problems to them for solving and that would escalate their interest (Wang and Posey, 2011). This generation, especially this so-called generation Z learners demanded a significant change in the pedagogical aspect of endeavor or from traditional to the other new approaches that will cater to their curiosity and short span of interest. Also, there is a well-documented integration of web-based technology to provide classroom teaching and learning more collaborative and interactive for inquiry-based learning is required to be effective (Wright, 2010).

The use of integrated information technology is the solution that was found to the difficulty faced by the students in incorporating abstract concepts in inquiry-based learning for sciences courses. The concept of information technology focused on the study of integrating technology resources can enhance and facilitate the learning process of the students (IGI- Global, 2017). Computers are common technologies that provide an interactive interface and also do away with the passivity which is commonly associated with the traditional learning classroom and style of teaching where the teacher serves as the fountain of all the knowledge while the students are just like an empty capsule.

In this current study, the belief of the constructivist is that the students’ constructed the knowledge and understanding of the world and it can be done by providing continuous asking of questions or inquiry or by experiencing itself. It pushes the student to deal more on experimentation, to create more knowledge to deal with the real-world problem solving, then they may reflect on and by talking of how they change their understanding of the concepts and may talk about what are they doing. In the same way, the teacher also shifts from being the fountain of knowledge to that of being a facilitator of the learning process and in the construction of the new knowledge discovered by the students itself and not just a mere reproduction of the previous knowledge or series of facts (Khalid and Azeem, 2012).

Science literacy is a new vision of science courses that can be taught to students by using information technology in an inquirybased approach of learning, which played attention to individual differences. The current study focuses on the determination of the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning with integration of information and technology in the Science performance compared to that of the conventional or traditional lecture approach of learnings as depicted in figure 1. It will further give attention to the difficulties of employing information technology in inquiry based-learning pedagogy.

Independent Variables

Dependent Variable

Figure 1. The schematic diagram of the structure of this study.

Literature Review Perceptions of inquiry may have been considered profound in the twentieth century, but the topic of inquiry is not a new phenomenon to education. Over twenty-five hundred years ago Confucius believed that every person should strive for the continual development of self until excellence is achieved. For this reason, asking a question is prioritized and place at the forefront of the mission for classrooms and students (Tan, 2015).

The effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in science education has been widely valued. Inquiry-based learning engages students in a process of active learning that supports students' conceptual understanding through stimulating conceptual conflicts, testing hypotheses, discussing ideas, sharing opinions, developing evidence-based explanations. While inquiry-based learning is a dynamic

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

approach that can be adapted for almost any learning environment, several components need to be put in place to make the teaching style successful for everyone involved.

One of the components is "A culture of inquiry". According to Inquiry-based learning: On Transforming Wonder into Knowledge, establishing a culture in which students are encouraged to express their thoughts and challenge one another’s ideas is an important first step in the inquiry process. When students feel comfortable and encouraged to share what they are thinking, they are much more likely to contribute to a classroom discussion amongst their peers. Friesen (2013), explained that unless a curriculum has been designed to require a deep understanding of a few significant ideas central to the subject disciplines understudy, teachers would need to spend a significant amount of time interpreting and reconfiguring the guidelines to make them coherent and applicable to the inquiry-based learning approach.

Even though a large component of inquiry-based learning revolves around students, the success of the approach depends on the guidance provided by teachers. According to the Canadian Education Association’s research resource in LePage-Kljajic, (2019) "teachers should guide students to develop a good question for investigation, monitor their inquiry process, and provide guidance when they encounter difficulties." while students learn great from other students, the teacher needs to guide them so they discover the proper knowledge.

When planning for a lesson, teachers may feel the need to begin or frame the discussion around one question or a specific set of questions. However, inquiry-based learning is most effective when the leader has an open-minded approach and is willing to build on spontaneous questions that encourage further thought and discussion amongst the class.

Simply engaging students in authentic inquiry investigations is not enough; students need to be immersed and take ownership of their learning. Teachers must create a culture within the classroom that engages students in collaborative, investigative, and higherorder thinking endeavors (Maass and Artigue, 2013).

Since the central goal of education is teaching critical-thinking skills, inquiry-based learning is an excellent path to this goal. Based partly on the philosophy that "humans are born inquirers", the method focuses on student discovery over pushing information from the instructor. Along the way, the students explore multiple sources and contexts, ask questions and pursue hypotheses, and work to apply their theories to new and diverse situations.

As stated by the National Curriculum Framework, (2012), in the teaching-learning approach the teacher does not give lectures thus creating a situation in the class to make them observe, think, classify, record, conclude and communicate. Thus, an inquiry-based teaching-learning approach promotes the exploration of ideas, experimentation, and critical thinking. The inquiry should relate the real-life experiences of the students to their learning process.

The inquiry approach is not just about asking and answering questions. Learners should be facilitated to engage themselves in the collected data and pose questions for the explanation; using graphs and diagrams for communication and getting clarification of ideas from multiple sources. Inquiry begins with observation and can be carried out through reasoning, hypothesis, experimentation, and activities and communicating ideas effectively to construct an argument and generate knowledge.

In doing this, they actively discover the interrelatedness among concepts, topics, and theories. Inquiry-based learning is an approach to learning that emphasizes the student's role in the learning process. Rather than the teacher telling students what they need to know, students are encouraged to explore the material, ask questions, and share ideas.

According to Taylor (2015), to help categorize teaching methods in this area, he proposes several ways of organizing these various approaches, including one that differentiates between three modes of inquiry: structured inquiry, where teachers provide the issue or problem and some direction on how it should be addressed; guided inquiry, where teachers stimulate the inquiry with questions but students decide how to explore the questions; and open inquiry, where students formulate the questions, identify what needs to be known, collect and analyze the data, offer findings, communicate the results, and evaluate the research.

The key point was that the classroom inquiry emphasizes not only "the process skills of doing tasks and solving problems, but also the cognitive abilities of critical thinking and reasoning" (Bybee, 2004). For example, the 5E inquiry cycle of Bybee employs inquiry-based activities to implement in the class. A range of investigative activities could be involved in each 'E', including Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, and Evaluation. Further, the process of 5E could also be regarded as an instructional strategy when teachers implement instruction.

The benefits of inquiry-based learning extend far beyond a single lesson. In an inquiry-based learning environment, students are encouraged to take control of their learning, which teaches them ownership and accountability. According to (MacKenzie, 2016) inquiry-based learning also promotes increased connectivity to the world and the development of essential 21st-century skills.

The study of Aktamis (2016) reviews the findings of the studies on the effectiveness of inquiry-based science education comparing with traditional learning. In other words, the meta-analysis method was used to combine statistically the numerical data of the studies and to reach a general conclusion using the results of these studies. The study reviewed a total of nineteen studies (37 comparisons in terms of achievement, science process skills, and attitudes towards science) about the effects of inquiry-based science education on the students' academic achievement, science process skills, and attitudes. Meta-analysis results showed that inquiry-based science education had a positive and higher level of effects on students' academic achievement.

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

It was also found that this specific teaching and learning method had a positive and medium level of effect on their science process skills and attitudes towards science. It was found that the inquiry-based learning method used in science education had much more significant effects on student achievement rather than on their science process skills and their attitudes towards science in contrast to the traditional teaching method.

Through inquiry-based instruction has not shown to be an effective practice for students with disabilities, it is vastly becoming the dominant practice in science education (Rizzo, 2015). The purpose of this review is to examine the effects of inquiry-based instruction on science achievement for students with disabilities. The twelve studies, meeting selection criteria, report improvement in science achievement using inquiry practices. The participants and settings, variations of inquiry-based instruction, science achievement measures, and teacher training were addressed in this review.

Two major contributions have resulted from analyzing the twelve studies. First, students with disabilities require supports to participate in an inquiry-based lesson and demonstrate progress on science achievement measures. Second, science achievement improves when components of explicit instruction are utilized in both the general and special education setting for students with disabilities.

In this particular analysis, they were interested in how students perceived these various kinds of inquiry approaches. Students (940 of them) in 15 different inquiry-based courses at four different institutions were surveyed. The instrument asked how the course had encouraged them to engage in activities such as memorizing, explaining, analyzing, applying, evaluating, creating, and reflecting. It also asked the students about learning processes, including whether they were intellectually challenged and encouraged to take responsibility for their learning.

Sahin et al. (2009) used the 5E model with simulations to remediate students' misconceptions. Their results showed that the integration of simulations into the 5E learning model can produce a significant conceptual change in students with alternative conceptions. Fan (2015) promotes the use of web-based simulations for inquiry instruction. They created virtual courseware websites for the life science and Earth science fields of learning. Results indicate that students and teachers in schools ranging from junior to senior high, as well as in the college classroom, benefit from the course. The study said, "Students were excited and motivated to think and discover", particularly about basic concepts and the inquiry principles.

In particular, teachers who held more traditional beliefs about teaching and learning tended to use didactic instructional methods while teachers with more constructivist beliefs tended to use student-centered inquiry-based methods. Understanding their beliefs is a first step in the development of a deeper understanding of educational innovations in the context of complex classroom practices (Hermans, 2018).

Methodology In this current study, the randomized pre-test, post-test control group design was used. Forty (40) randomly chosen students from the Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) II were the participants, half of the class formed the control group and the other half were allocated to be the independent group (See Table 1). They are randomly assigned as an experimental group or the group with the intervention of information technology inquiry-based learning and the group without intervention or the traditional learning (See Figure 2). Two groups were matched and paired, and then the General Point Average (GPA) in Science 1 served as the basis for such a process.

Treatment Group Control Group where

R O1 O3 O2 O4 X

-

R R

O1 O3

X

O2 O4

random assignment experimental pretest control pretest experimental posttest control posttest treatment Figure 2. The Randomized Pretest-Post-test Control Group Design.

To conduct a true experiment 3 criteria must be met. First, there must be control and experimental class, then there must be a variable manipulated by the researcher, and the third condition must be that a random assignment must be present. A control group is a group that resembles and receives no intervention. The experimental group, on the other hand, is another group randomly assigned to the participants where intervention was offered and compared with the control group. The control group offers accurate reference information that is being compared to the experimental group. It is possible to have one control group and more than one experimental group in a true experiment setting; but, in this study, the researchers only concentrated and set out to delimit one group for the experimental group and one group for the control group.

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This research, on the other hand, also offers a qualitative approach to deepen the comprehension of this study. Qualitative data that were taken focused on the challenges of information technology integrated into an inquiry-based learning approach.

The researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the learning method that incorporated inquiry-based information technology learning into the classroom pedagogical discourse. The research is associated with the "Properties of Matter" curriculum subject and is carried out in five (5) weeks and two days during which daily lessons are taught. The venue of the experimental research was done in the College of Education laboratory room. They were grouped according to their previous grades in Science 1.

Table 1 Distribution of the Subjects According to Matching of Variables

Category A. Entire group B. Sex Male Female

Experimental group n % 20 100

Control group n 20

% 100

9 11

8 12

40 60

45 55

Each participant has the opportunity to be randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group using a match-paired method in their Science 1 course of the participants' Grade Point Average (GPA) before grouping the participant of this study. Match group design in this study was randomly assigned two individuals who scored the highest to a different group, e.g. highest score belonged to group A, second and third highest to group B, fourth and fifth-highest to group A, then sixth and seventh highest to group B and so on (Verano and Comighud, 2020). Participants were be given the same topics, syllabus content, worksheets, and exam were taught in two different approaches, the traditional one and that of the information technology inquiry-based approach.

A researchers-made instrument in Science was used in the gathering of data. The study constructed a preliminary instrument of seventy (70) item researcher-made tests covering the content on "Properties in the Matter". The instrument was reviewed and evaluated by five jury members who were experts in the field of Science education, the revision was made on the test following their comments and suggestions, and after it was pilot tested to none subjects of the study, allowing only fifty (50) items multiple choice test for the final draft which then was used to conduct a pre-test and post-test exam to determine the students’ performance in Science. The instrument is composed of two parts; part one is intended to collect the participants’ data and part two the fifty (50) items test in Science.

Performance Test. To determine the students’ performance in Science, the researchers constructed a validated fifty (50) items multiple-choice test. All test items were used to measure the student’s performance in Science between two groups. The topic was focused on “Properties of Matter” subtopics includes Phases and Classification of Matter, Physical and Chemical Properties only.

Content areas of the test were based on the BEEd Science curriculum covering the topics in Science. Pilot testing of the instrument was conducted on 30 which are not included in the participants of the experiments, and the reliability indexes were determined using Cronbach's Alpha. The aforementioned performance test has reliability indexed of .85 for which according to Tavakol and Dennick (2011) it is an acceptable index. For the experimental groups taking subjects on Science, the teaching exercises were carried out for both traditional/control groups and the application of inquiry-based information technology.

The mean scores of the participants for both the experimental and control group's pre-test and post-test were defined using the following scale: Mean score Description 39.81 – 50.00 Excellent 29.61 – 39.80 Very Good 19.41 – 29.60 Average 9.21 – 19.40 Below Average 0.00 – 9.20 Poor Before the actual conduct of the study, a letter of communication for approval was prepared for the heads of the institution involved in the research. This included the Chair of Academics and the Dean of the College of Education who received permission from the Office of the Chair of Academics to undertake the research. Likewise, permission to avail of the subjects was made. The population of the Second Year Bachelor of Elementary Education taking the subject in “Science” was taken from the list provided by the College of Education. Necessary arrangements were done for the administration of the researchers and the use of school facilities, such as the classroom and other necessary data.

The experiment was done in three stages: (1) Pre – experimental Stage, (2) Experimental Stage, and (3) Post- Experimental Stage.

Pre – experimental Stage.

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

Permission to conduct the research was obtained from the Dean's College of Education Office. Instruments were validated and pilot tested for reliability. Materials needed for discussion, quizzes to be included, scheduling of classes was prepared earlier before the experimental phase. In Science 1, the randomly selected and matched paired according to their GPA reveal that the paired party has an equivalent GPA of 83.55 at the beginning of the intervention (See Figure 3).

100

83.5

83.5

GPA

80 60 40 20

6.84

6.669

0 Mean

SD

Mean

Control

SD

Experimental

Fig. 3 Science 1 GPA of Control and Experimental Group

The researchers have taken the option to check the difference to verify that the two groups have a similarity in that they have an identical GPA. Table 2 shows that it appears that there is no substantial difference in the GPA of both groups using the MannWhitney U-test. This only indicates that the two classes mirror one another.

Table 2 The difference in the Science 1 GPA of Control and Experimental Group Group Control Experimental Total

N 20 20 40

Mean Rank 20.50 20.50

Sum of Ranks 410.00 410.00

U-value

p-value

200.000

1.000

This procedure was done a week before the start of the experiment. The randomized pretest – post-test group design was used to pair match the subjects in each group to determine the students' performance in Science using two teaching approaches. The same syllabus, the same worksheet exercises, and quizzes were prepared for two groups. The two groups have differed in the manner of learning approaches. A pre-test was administered to both groups on the first day of the experiment.

23.3

Performance

25

22.85

20 15 Mean

10 4.234

2.922

5

SD

0 Control

Experimental Pretest

Legend: 39.81 – 50.00-Excellent; 29.61 – 39.80-Average; 19.41 – 29.60-Below Average; 9.21 – 19.40-Poor; 0.00 - 9.20-Extremely Poor

Fig. 4 Science Pre-Test Performance

It appears that the Science performance of both controlled and experimental groups is both at the "Below Average" level of 23.3 and 22.85, respectively (See Figure 4). Again, to ensure that both groups are at the same level of science output before the experimental stage, the researchers are testing the substantial difference between the two groups, as shown in Table 3.

Table 3 The difference in the pretest performance of the participants Category Control Experimental

N 20 20

Mean 23.30 22.85

Std. Deviation 2.922 4.234

df

t

Sig. (2-tailed)

38

0.391

0.698

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

The data appears that the Science performance of both groups is of somewhat the same level given the t-value of 0.391 with a pvalue of 0.698. To reiterate, the GPA of both groups are of the same mean value and the Science performance before the experimental stage was were both at somewhat the same level of “Below Average”. This gives the researcher an assurance that both participating groups were of the same level before the experimental stage and gives an idea that both groups are ideal to be subjected to experimentation.

Experimental Stage.

The two groups were taught using different learning approach, a forty (40) minutes class for both groups was held in the morning in a different classroom environment a gap of twenty minutes was given before the start of the other class to give ample time to students in going out and in of the room and for the teachers to prepare the materials needed by the experimental group.

In experimental learners, the teacher and the learner used phones to access the data, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and simulations, assignments through web pages, and even fun and games related to the topic "properties in the matter".

The teachers ask the learner at the beginning of the experimental class about what they know and what they want to know about the properties of matter. Students in this group were also told that they were permitted to use technology in the classroom. The students opted to utilize laptops, mobile phones, minicomputers, and tablets. The Internet connection that was already established in the college were openly accessed by the students. During the duration of the inquiry-based approach, it was supplemented also by videos compiled by the teacher and presentations via MS PowerPoints. Teacher planning documents; photographs, student work, presentations, websites, video simulation, posters; informal interviews with teachers and students were collected by the teacher all through-out the course of the class. At first, there is resistance from students but as the class progressed, they also learned to adapt.

As one of the students commented that they still prefer the traditional-directed approach for which they were used to and they have the same outputs and some felt that they learned more when they were told by the teacher specifically what to do.

On the other hand, the traditional-teacher-directed method was for students in the control group. In this class, the teacher defines the concepts, all instruction is coming from the teacher and in common practice, the teacher provides discussion and worksheets for students. The worksheet is corrected then returned to the students. If there are things that the student in this group need to interact they may recite orally or provide the solution through the chalkboard. Usually, each lesson consisted of the instructor presenting the best way to resolve issues.

For both traditional and study classes, the same textbook was used, "Chemistry " by Openstax- custom edition, online reading, and video presentation given by the teacher to access the experimental group after every discussion, while photocopy reading from the control group, activities were also provided for each group. It took five (5) weeks and two (2) days for the study, five (5) weeks for the instruction, two (2) days for the pretest and post-test submission.

Post – experimental stage.

After the interventions, a post-test was given to the students. Students' experiences about how the class runs were also gathered to provide quality data for this study. To assess the success of both the control and experimental group, all the results that were obtained, reported, organized or tallied, and interpreted.

Ethical considerations

To secure, ethical issues are considered, this study went through the process of review of the Research Ethics Review Committee (ERC) of the university. To address ethical concerns, the study ensured that the participants are anonymous, these are used definitely coded and not named explicitly. To create trustworthiness and reliability, the respondents signed an informed consent document.

In particular, the research also accepted the idea that the processes involved must be ethically directed in the course of the study so that the respondents do not suffer any physical, mental, and emotional damage, and that the scope of participation is very limited.

Hence, this study to the best of the researcher’s efforts adhered to such ethical principles as it will unfold until the duration of this conduct.

Result and Discussion Post-test Performance Level

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30

26.95

26.25

Performance

25 20 15

Mean

10

4.347

4.253

5

SD

0 Control

Experimental Postest

Legend: 39.81 – 50.00-Excellent; 29.61 – 39.80-Average; 19.41 – 29.60-Below Average; 9.21 – 19.40-Poor; 0.00 - 9.20-Extremely Poor

Fig. 5 Science Post-Test Performance

The control and experimental post-test performance were both at a 'Below Average' level of 26.25 and 26.95, respectively. Given that the results of the participants in the pre-test (see Figure 4), all the pre-tests of the two groups of participants were at the "below average level" of performance, but the mean value tends to improve from pre-test to post-test. However, when comparing the performance of both the control group and the experimental group (see Table 4) after the intervention, it appears that there is no substantial difference in the participant's performance level in the two groups; [t(38)=-0.515; p=0.610]. This affirms that both the control and experimental post-performance are at the same level. Further, it affirms the claim of Meiers (2007) that even though there is a resistance at the start of shifting from one-pedagogical approach to another, performance improvement is still visible and those students that are comfortable in the traditional lecture approached do not inbuilt interpersonal skills and teamwork.

Table 4 The difference After the Intervention Group Control Experimental

N 20 20

Mean 26.25 26.95

SD 4.253 4.347

df

t

Sig. (2-tailed)

38

-0.515

0.610

Both the control group and the experimental group demonstrate changes in their success in science (See Table 5). The participant demonstrates a substantial increase in their science performance for the control group with a mean difference of around 2.950 from the pretest to posttest;[t(19)=-2.830; p=0.011]. Likewise, the improvement was also indicated in the science performance of the experimental group whereas a 4.100 increase in the mean performance was observed; [t (19) = -3.492; p=0.002]. He concluded in the study by Adrini, et al. (2016) that the attitudes of students changed after using the learning model of the inquiry. The results also showed that most of the learning outcomes of the students in the inquiry learning approach are optimistic and that the investigation not only improves academic abilities but also all future students, including the development of emotions and skills.

Table 5 The difference between Control and Experimental Group Group Pretest (Control) Post-test (Control) Pre-test (Experimental) Post-test (Experimental)

Mean 23.30 26.25 22.85 26.95

SD 2.922 4.253 4.234 4.347

Mean Difference

df

t

Sig. (2-tailed)

-2.950

19

-2.830

0.011

-4.100

19

-3.492

0.002

Table 6 The difference in the Performance’ Mean Gain Group Control Experimental

N 20 20

Mean -2.95 -4.10

SD 4.662 5.251

df

t

Sig. (2-tailed)

38

0.732

0.046

Looking at and contrasting the performance gain of each group of participants, the experimental group tends to have a higher mean gain of about 4.10 compared to the control group of about 2.95, and a substantial difference is observed, [t(38)= 0.732; p=0.046].

This indicates that the inquiry-based with information technology integration performs better than that of the group under the conventional teaching approach. Results also showed that the experimental group participants had higher mean scores and broader variability relative to the mean scores of those in a controlled group, but students were unable to achieve the objective of at least a

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

much higher output in science. They were unable to optimize their learning experiences and, despite ample inputs and substantial activities given, struggled to fully articulate themselves through inquiry-based learning.

Similarly, in Crider’s (2013)'s research, two classes taught using traditional methods were compared to two classes taught through the 5E system of instruction mode experimental group performs better especially in the analysis. Likewise, the study made by Crider (2013), compared two classes taught by traditional methods with two classes taught using the 5E instructional model method. The study indicated that the experimental groups had a much greater understanding of the information covered especially on questions that required interpretation.

A consistent previous study by Mensah-Wonkyi and Adu (2016) found that comparing traditional school methods and inquiry-based approach in a primary math program; the inquiry-based approach shows better performance than the other. This only affirms that the inquiry-based approach is effective. Also, this study can be compared to the inquiry-based curriculum in Ferguson (2010) and the traditional curriculum where the teaching in inquiry-based given to the test is higher understanding than the method given to the conventional group. The results also showed that students taught through inquiry-based methods have a high level of positive perception to enliven their learning environment, while those taught by traditional methods have a low/negative learning environment.

Since the experimental group uses technology to enhance learning, that contributed to the increase in their performance in science.

According to the researchers, modern teaching tools such as the use of ICT facilitates students to increase their participation and encourage them to practice what they have learned in a simulated environment (Raja and Najmonnisa, (2018). Whereas, the traditional methods are largely theoretical and do not engage the students personally or professionally in learning by doing.

Therefore, avoiding the experiential learning method is simply not an option.

However, in the post-test, the group of students (control group) who were taught using the conventional learning method performed less, suggesting that these students learned less and displayed inconsistent results than the group of students (experimental group) who were taught using the approach of experiential learning. It also showed that students who were taught using the inquiry-based learning approach with integrated information technology demonstrated greater awareness and comprehension of the theoretical context. The findings coincide with the study of Mupa and Chinooneka (2015), that although both the groups were tested using the same assessment in the final exam (posttest), the change in the learning approach became a contributing factor in students’ understanding.

Difficulties in Employing Information Technology in Inquiry-Based Learning In inquiry-based learning, students undertake some or all of the following activities: Research has found that inquiry-based activities can boost students' learning in a wide range of school subjects. There is evidence that inquiry-based learning can motivate students to learn and advance their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. However, the effectiveness of technology in inquiry-based learning depended on many cases as seen in this study. Inquiry-based learning has a positive minimal effect on students' performance in Science though their scores were "below average" as seen on the data given.

In the five (5) weeks of observation done by the researchers, various factors may contribute to the “below average” result of students' performance in Science. This batch of BEEd students was pioneered of K12 program, almost half of the class are in Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track, the unguided or minimally-guided inquiry may not work for these type of students who have less previous knowledge or ability in the subject area. When the demands of the learning activities exceed students’ abilities, their learning is blocked and they may develop misunderstandings about the topic.

Other researchers have found either little or no statistically significant differences in student performance in inquiry or have found increased abilities for reflection and ability to describe concepts, but not in general knowledge or comprehension (Berg, et al., 2003).

Comparing these studies is somewhat difficult since each differed in the type, scope, degree, and definition of the inquiry activities as well as the student populations and instruments used to assess the learning gains.

Students’ previous performance in Science can identify their level of comprehension. In their Science 1, most students have a "below average" score. Half of the class were electronics and electricity majors and since the program was dissolved, they have to be enrolled in the BEEd program for them to continue schooling.

The researcher asked one of the students 'is it ok for you that you are taking up this course (BEEd), wherein you are going to teach elementary students?". Students pointed out that he doesn't like the course firsthand, but because if he transfers to other universities they are going to start a new course and the concern for the distance of the other university from home The student will stay and pursue the course as Student 1 said: “…this is not my first choice… but since my original course has been dissolve I opt to transfer but constrains like distance of other university and I will start to from the beginning of the other program.” They do not find the subjects or problems particularly interesting or intellectually stimulating, they often have difficulty staying focused and have issues with retaining important information. They have less attention span. Often these types of learners are considered non-readers.

Several students pointed out negative issues during the class “I still wanted the traditional type of learning since the teacher provides us the correct information”. Some say, inadequate resources at home like technology causing to dislike studying." I don'

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021 like it because there are not enough resources at home – we don't have the internet at home and my mobile phone cannot store files because of low memory storage". They found it hard to come up with certain topics/ assignments since no gadgets can be used during the study.

Lastly, time constraints may be one of the factors responsible for the below-average performance of the students during the study.

Activities can be performed better if the Science class is exposed at a good time, but in this study, only forty (40) minutes of the session was spent in every class schedule. Since the study is done early in the morning of Tuesday and Thursday, most of them got late during the discussion. Students tend to understand and recall what they saw more than what they got. Students who cannot learn well were poor in their performance.

Hence, from the aforementioned above a more high content performance must be obtained by implementing active teaching and learning methods, to get the respected and/or desired to learn outcomes and performance.

Conclusion Basing on the results of the current study it is safe to conclude that: (a) there is a sign of improvement in science performance of the students in both the control and experimental group; (b) there is an improvement in the science performance of students in both groups from pretest to posttest, and (c) the integration of information technology in an inquiry-based approach is effective in improving the science performance of the students.

The Implication for Theory and Practice The findings of the present study have led to some implications for information technology theory and practice in inquiry-based learning, and science results.

For theory. The outcome of this study challenged today's educators, especially those who taught science that information technology must be used in learning not only in science but also in other subjects, particularly experiments and activities, in an inquiry-based learning approach which is an effective learning strategy.

The results of this study substantiated the constructivist theory, constructivist believed that students established their understanding and knowledge of the world through experience by continuously asking questions or by an investigation. The positive impact of using technology in inquiry-based learning has transformed students from simply passive recipients to active learning participants.

Instead of simply mechanically ingesting information from the teachers or textbooks, students were often directed by the teachers, actively building their knowledge.

Another challenge is the impact of teachers' and students' attitudes on the inquiry process. Teachers that have never taught with a constructivist approach believed they have never been opened to the learning theory due to "rigid curricula, and inadequate preservice and in-service educational experiences”. On the other hand, students have more frequently been exposed to more teachercentered instruction and have little to no experience in the inquiry.

For practice. The research indicates that in an inquiry-based learning approach, information technology is an important teaching strategy to enhance the performance of students in science. If information technology is practiced inside the classroom in inquirybased learning, planning and understanding must be done to make it more successful. This learning method will help both the teacher and the students. The pressures of teachers and students would be decreased and learners would be encouraged to think creatively. Inquiry-based learning has drawbacks, but many teachers and students are still the preferred option. To be effective in inquiry-based learning, however, instructors need to completely immerse themselves in this process, planning to address the needs of students effectively when acting as a facilitator. Providing students with rubrics to follow helped ensure that they stayed on assignment, developing skills to develop their social and emotional learning and future college and job preparation skills.

Students in this study were novices in using inquiry learning. It would be interesting to have interviewed students who stated that they gave less effort in the lesson and those who reported high effort. If teachers knew about the individual performance levels of students, they could find reasons why knowledge during a specific lesson is not invested. In particular, the students' learning styles or their approach to a lesson's content could provide important information. Inquiry unit therefore clearly seemed to reach students with a willingness for long-term learning; students with less effort tended to reach lower knowledge scores in the long-term.

Students with low effort scores, even within the best learning circumstances, will unlikely achieve meaningful learning levels.

The study results were reinforced by the studies performed by the following researcher: Silm, et al., (2017) concluded that after using an inquiry learning approach, the attitudes of students changed. The results also showed that most of the learning outcomes of the student in the approach to inquiry learning are optimistic and that the inquiry not only improves academic abilities but also all future students, including the development of emotions and skills. Also, an inquiry-based curriculum was recorded by Ferguson (2010) and comparable results were found in a conventional curriculum. In their study, it was found that students taught by the inquiry-based approach scored higher than the conventional method taught by the group, suggesting a rather strong comprehension of the inquiry instructions of students than their traditional group counterparts.

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International Journal of Advance Study and Research Work (2581-5997)/ Volume 4/Issue 2/February 2021

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