Saudi Science Teachers' Perceptions of Implementing Inquiry in Science Class

Abstract

This study aims to measure science teachers’ perception about their students’ practices in science class, and to measure their model of inquiry teaching. The sample consisted of 127 middle school science teachers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 65 males and 62 females, in the school year 2016/2017, and utilized a questionnaire with two parts, 11 items for their students’ practices, and 27 items related to model of inquiry teaching. The results showed that the general average of teacher’s assessment of their students’ practices in science class was "average", except for finding relevant literature was "low". Teachers' perceptions of their degree of practices of inquiry showed that all the three models "structured, guided, and open" rated as "average". In "Structured Inquiry", the means of males’ responses ranged between (3.60) and (2.61), while the females ranged between (3.92) and (3.02), indicating that both of them are practicing structured inquiry with a range from moderate to high practice. For the "Guided Inquiry" the means ranging between (3.52) and (2.97) for males, and (3.58) and (2.74) for females, indicating that the range from moderate to high practice. And for the perceptions of practicing "Open Inquiry" the means ranged between (3.38) and (2.42) for males, and (3.34) and (2.13) for females, indicating that they practice "Open Inquiry" between moderate and low practice. There were no statistically significant differences between male and female teachers’ perceptions for their students’ practices and of the degree to which they exercised all models of inquiry. Based on the findings, the researcher suggests a number of pedagogical implications.