The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study

Charles Mamombe; Kgadi C Mathabathe; Estelle Gaigher

doi:10.29333/ejmste/110391

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Charles Mamombe ¹ ^* , Kgadi C Mathabathe ¹, Estelle Gaigher ¹

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¹ University of Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

A qualitative pre-/post-test case study was conducted to explore the influence of inquiry-based education in eliciting learners’ understanding of the particulate nature of matter in the gaseous phase. Two grade four classes (n=116) were conveniently and purposively sampled from two farm schools in Pretoria, South Africa. Data was collected through pre-test, initial group interviews, post-test, final group interviews and field notes. The pre-intervention data indicated that the continuous, continuous-animistic and the continuous empty models of matter in the gaseous phase dominated learners’ understanding in all the four classes. A considerable decrease in the continuous model was observed in the inquiry classes rather than in the lecture classes post-intervention.

Keywords

conceptual change
continuous model
inquiry-based science education
misconceptions
particulate nature of matter

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, 2020, Volume 16, Issue 1, Article No: em1812

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

Publication date: 14 Oct 2019

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How to cite this article

APA

Mamombe, C., Mathabathe, K. C., & Gaigher, E. (2020). The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(1), em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

Vancouver

Mamombe C, Mathabathe KC, Gaigher E. The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2020;16(1):em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

AMA

Mamombe C, Mathabathe KC, Gaigher E. The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2020;16(1), em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

Chicago

Mamombe, Charles, Kgadi C Mathabathe, and Estelle Gaigher. "The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2020 16 no. 1 (2020): em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

Harvard

Mamombe, C., Mathabathe, K. C., and Gaigher, E. (2020). The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(1), em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391

MLA

Mamombe, Charles et al. "The Influence of an Inquiry-based Approach on Grade Four Learners’ Understanding of the Particulate Nature of Matter in the Gaseous Phase: A Case Study". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 16, no. 1, 2020, em1812. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/110391