The Effects of Inquiry Teaching on Student Science Achievement and Attitudes: Propensity Score Analysis of PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) 2006 Data

• In Event: Inquiry in Practice and in Policy

Abstract

Propensity score analysis was performed within the marginal mean weighting through stratification (MMW-S) approach to examine the effects of the level of openness of inquiry teaching on student science achievement and attitudes with PISA 2006 data. Weighting subjects on MMW-S weight successfully balanced all treatment groups on all selected covariates. Significant effects were identified on both cognitive and attitudinal outcomes. For student science achievement, the highest score was achieved at Level 2 inquiry teaching, i.e. students conduct activities and draw conclusions from data. For student science attitudes, higher level of inquiry teaching resulted in higher scores. The above conclusions were generally held in most PISA 2006 participating countries when the analysis was performed in each country separately.

Authors

• Feng Jiang, New York University

• William F. McComas, University of Arkansas at Fayetteville