Inquiry-Based Learning and 5E Model in Laboratory Practices: A Professional Development Program For Prospective Classroom Teachers

The purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of the professional development program, which was developed to teach prospective teachers inquiry- and 5E model-based laboratory activities, on prospective classroom teachers’ ability to develop laboratory activities and on their beliefs about inquiry-based approach and laboratory activities based on this approach. The professional development program that was developed for that purpose was implemented in the following three stages: “Theoretical foundations of inquiry-based approach”, “Inquiry-based laboratory activities, inquiry-based approach, and laboratory activities”, and “Implementation of the inquiry-based laboratory activities developed by prospective teachers”. The research was conducted in two hours per week for 25 weeks in total with 35 prospective teachers attending the courses Science and Technology Laboratory Practice I and II in the Sub-Department of Classroom Teaching, Department of Elementary Education, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Ankara University. The research utilized both quantitative and qualitative 1data sources. The quantitative data collection tool was the “Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities Evaluation Questionnaire” that was developed by the researcher. The qualitative data collection tools were the open-ended questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative research findings indicated that the prospective teachers were successful in developing inquiry-based laboratory activities and that the program that was developed for that purpose was highly effective. The qualitative research findings showed that the program increased the prospective teachers’ confidence and interest in the courses. The prospective teachers stated that they felt more interested in the course so that their learning could be permanent at the end of the course. The professional development program played an important role in helping the prospective teachers understand the effect of inquiry-based approach on science learning and teaching, and realize the importance of experiments and the contributions of the practices to their professional development. Moreover, the prospective teachers believed that in that approach students participate actively so that they can develop their science process skills.