Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Research in Science and Technological Education, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Background: Innovative, research-informed instructional approaches are essential for shifting traditional teaching methods toward student-centered learning environments. Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), developed by chemical educators in the late 1990s, is one such strategy that promotes active learning through structured, cooperative inquiry. While POGIL has been widely implemented and studied at the high school and post-secondary levels, its use in middle school settings–particularly among students aged 12–13—remains underexplored. This developmental stage is marked by the emergence of formal operational thinking, yet many students still struggle with the abstract reasoning required for understanding particulate-level chemistry concepts. Purpose: This study investigates the effectiveness of POGIL in supporting conceptual understanding of pure substances and mixtures among seventh-grade students, a population still forming foundational scientific schemas. Sample: It involved 58 seventh-grade students (ages 12–13) from two classes at a public school. One student in the POGIL group did not complete the post-test, resulting in 28 students (15 females, 13 males) in the experimental group and 29 students (15 females, 14 males) in the control group. Design and method: Employing a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design, students were assigned to either a POGIL-based instructional group or a teacher-centered, whole-class instruction group. Data were collected using the Pure Substances and Mixtures Achievement Test, which was developed by the research team. To assess the effect of the POGIL, one-way ANCOVA was conducted. Results: The findings showed that implementing POGIL in middle school science significantly enhanced student learning of the pure substances and mixtures unit, yielding a large effect size compared to teacher-centered, whole-class instruction. Conclusion: The inquiry-driven, cooperative structure of POGIL enhanced student engagement and facilitated deeper learning. Unlike many prior studies focusing on older students, this research highlights how POGIL can be adapted to younger audiences navigating complex and abstract chemistry concepts.