Development of inquiry competencies during junior classes: A replicationstudy using longitudinal design

Abstract

Scientific inquiry plays a major role in science education. So far competency structures related to knowledge gain through inquiry have been identified and analyzed. Different levels of such structures have also been articulated. In a nationwide Austrian study conducted by BIFIE (Bundesinstitut für Bildungsforschung, Evaluation und Entwicklung des österreichischen Schulwesens) competency levels were tested in order to construct a diagnosis instrument for natural sciences to diagnose junior class students. In the presented study we want to replicate the findings of the BIFIE study but not in a crosssectional but in a longitudinal study from 5th to 7th grade. This study design was chosen because we wanted to answer the question how inquiry competencies develop during junior classes and the BIFIE study which was only conducted once in 7th grade could only give cues about the competency level of 7th graders but not about competency development.