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Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry Instruction on the Motivation of Different Learning Styles Students

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An Erratum to this article was published on 01 August 2007

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate 8th graders with different learning styles their motivation outcomes after implementing 10 weeks (40 hours) inquiry-based teaching. Two hundreds and fifty four 8th graders were involved in experimental group, this group of students experienced inquiry instruction. Two hundreds and thirty two 8th graders were involved in control group, they were taught by traditional science teaching. Students' motivation toward science learning questionnaire (SMTSL) (Tuan, Chin & Shieh, 2005) were implemented in both groups in the beginning and at the end of the study. Students in the experimental group filled out learning preference questionnaire (Lumsdaine & Lumsdaine, 1995) in the beginning of the study. Forty students which represent different learning styles were chosen from five experimental classes to conduct post-test interview. Paired t-test, MANOVA, analytic inductive methods were used for analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data. Findings indicated that after inquiry instruction students' motivation increased significantly (p<.001) than students who enrolled in traditional teaching. Four different learning styles of students increased significantly (p<.005) in SMTSL scales: self-efficacy, active learning strategies, science learning value, performance goal and achievement goal. No significant difference was found among four learning styles of students' motivation after inquiry teaching. Interview data supported that most of students with different learning styles were willing to participate in the inquiry learning activities, while they hold different reasons for their engagement. Findings confirm inquiry-based science teaching can motivate students with different learning styles in science learning.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Institute of Science Education, National Changhua Normal University, Changhua, 500, Taiwan, Republic of China

    Hsiao-Lin Tuan, Chi-Chin Chin, Chi-Chung Tsai & Su-Fey Cheng

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  1. Hsiao-Lin Tuan
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  2. Chi-Chin Chin
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  4. Su-Fey Cheng
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Correspondence to Hsiao-Lin Tuan.

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An erratum to this article is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10763-007-9078-7.

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Tuan, HL., Chin, CC., Tsai, CC. et al. Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry Instruction on the Motivation of Different Learning Styles Students. Int J Sci Math Educ 3, 541–566 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-004-6827-8

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