Effectiveness of inquiry-based learning : how do middle school students learn to maximise the efficacy of a water turbine?

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an inductive pedagogy that best enables learners to construct knowledge, to develop high level reasoning skills, and to increase interest and learning motivation with the use of the contemporary technology-based learning environments. In IBL, students’ self-directed learning is centred on multi-parametric problems that do not have a single correct answer, but they need to find the most desirable behaviour/attitude. Therefore, clear evidence of IBL heterogeneous learning achievements measurement, based on reliable and valid instrument, is still lacking. This paper describes the design and experience of the new student-centred IBL model of open learning at the technology education course, which enables a high level of active self-directed learning. In a treatment group were ninety-one students who experienced IBL in a three-day course activity, while in the control group were three hundred and thirty students. Identical forms of technological literacy tests were carried out as pre- and post-tests. Quantitative research methodology was used to analyse the collected data. The multifaceted nature of IBL and its impact were successfully measured with a technological literacy test. The findings of this study showed that IBL is an effective teaching approach in technology education. The effect size was judged to be large and positive in technological knowledge acquisition, in problem-solving skills development, and in critical thinking and decision-making abilities development. A proposed model suits both females and male students equally. Therefore, a high possibility exists for the use of the new IBL model for technology education