inquiry-based learning

This study was motivated by science and social studies (IPAS) learning that remained relatively teacher-centered, with limited student participation and suboptimal conceptual understanding of the Changing Earth topic. The study aimed to analyze the implementation of the Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) model, identify the challenges encountered, and describe the teacher’s efforts to address those challenges in Grade V at SD Negeri 078011 Tetehosi. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed. The participants consisted of one Grade V teacher as the key informant and six students as supporting informants. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s interactive model through data collection, reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. Data trustworthiness was established through source and technique triangulation. The findings show that IBL was implemented through six stages: orientation, problem formulation, hypothesis formulation, data collection, hypothesis testing, and conclusion drawing. The learning activities encouraged students to observe, ask questions, discuss, investigate, compare evidence with initial assumptions, and present conclusions. The main challenges included low confidence, differences in learning abilities, communication barriers, limited learning media, and limited instructional time. The teacher addressed these challenges by using audio-visual media and simple simulations, heterogeneous grouping, individual support, motivation, positive reinforcement, and a safe learning environment. Overall, IBL provided a more active and meaningful learning experience, although its implementation still required adaptive instructional support. ABSTRAK Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh pembelajaran IPAS yang masih cenderung berpusat pada guru, rendahnya keaktifan sebagian murid, serta belum optimalnya pemahaman konsep pada materi Bumi Berubah. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis penerapan model Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), mengidentifikasi kendala yang dihadapi, dan mendeskripsikan upaya guru dalam mengatasi kendala tersebut pada kelas V SD Negeri 078011 Tetehosi. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis studi kasus. Informan terdiri atas satu guru kelas V sebagai informan kunci dan enam murid sebagai informan pendukung. Data dikumpulkan melalui observasi, wawancara semi-terstruktur, dan dokumentasi, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan model interaktif Miles dan Huberman melalui pengumpulan data, reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Keabsahan data diperoleh melalui triangulasi sumber dan teknik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa IBL diterapkan melalui enam tahap, yaitu orientasi, perumusan masalah, perumusan hipotesis, pengumpulan data, pengujian hipotesis, dan penarikan kesimpulan. Pembelajaran mendorong murid mengamati, bertanya, berdiskusi, melakukan penyelidikan, membandingkan data dengan dugaan awal, dan mempresentasikan kesimpulan. Kendala utama meliputi rendahnya kepercayaan diri, perbedaan kemampuan belajar, hambatan komunikasi, keterbatasan media, dan waktu pembelajaran. Guru mengatasinya melalui penggunaan media audiovisual dan simulasi sederhana, kelompok heterogen, pendekatan personal, motivasi, penghargaan, dan suasana belajar yang aman. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa IBL dapat menghadirkan pengalaman belajar yang lebih aktif dan bermakna, meskipun pelaksanaannya masih memerlukan dukungan yang adaptif.

This study contributes to the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) by examining how case-based teaching and threshold concepts promote culturally inclusive pedagogical practices among pre-service teachers (PSTs). Our research design reflects SoTL principles by taking a systematic, transparent, iterative, and collaborative approach to collecting, analysing, and sharing data. Our work is explicitly aligned with theoretical frameworks, and we address unresolved issues in order to facilitate transformative learning. We aimed to explore how PSTs perceive culturally inclusive pedagogy and professional competence in a case-based course. Three key findings emerged: increased awareness of classroom diversity, a change in the PSTs’ understanding of culturally inclusive teaching, and resistance to exploratory learning designs. Many PSTs demonstrated transformative learning and sound professional judgment. However, some expressed resistance and uncertainty, underscoring the importance of scaffolding and support. The findings align with the literature on threshold concepts as gateways to boundary crossing and a deeper understanding of diversity in SoTL. The results highlight the potential of case-based teaching to encourage metacognitive reflection and to promote inclusive educational practices in teacher education programs. The study demonstrates that designing inquiry-based learning activities that integrate case studies and threshold concepts can facilitate critical reflection and metacognition among PSTs.

This article reviews the evidence base for a range of contemporary, student-centred curriculum design methodologies, including inquiry-based learning (IBL), problem-based learning (PBL), project-based learning (PjBL), challenge-based learning (CBL), place-based learning and competency-based education (CBE), and considers their applicability to the design of a contemporary undergraduate criminology degree. Drawing on systematic reviews, meta-analyses and recent empirical literature, the article evaluates the theoretical underpinnings, andragogical benefits and structural limitations of each approach. It situates these findings within the requirements of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Subject Benchmark Statement for Criminology (QAA, 2022), which explicitly positions research and critical enquiry as foundational to the discipline and calls for curriculum designs that embed equality, diversity and inclusion, education for sustainable development, and professional partnership. The article argues that no single methodology is sufficient on its own and that a principled hybrid model, drawing selectively on the strengths of each approach, offers the most coherent and evidence-informed basis for criminology curriculum design. Implications for degree revalidation, staff development, assessment design and partnership are discussed.

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are an essential mechanism for collaborative professional learning of teachers. However, evidence remains limited on the specific activities secondary school Biology teachers engage in within PLCs and their perceived contribution to competence-based teaching in Tanzania. This study investigated the PLC activities conducted by secondary school Biology teachers in Dodoma City and their perceived contribution to competence-based teaching practices. Social Constructivist Theory guided the study. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire from 103 Biology teachers in 60 randomly selected public and private secondary schools and analysed using descriptive statistics. The key findings show that teachers engaged mainly in practice-oriented activities: collaborative lesson planning (83.5% of respondents) and peer observation (52.4%) were the only activities reported by more than half of the teachers, whereas setting and reviewing goals (21.4%) and action research and inquiry-based learning (16.5%) were the least practised. Teachers rated the contribution of PLC activities to competence-based teaching as great on all six indicators (M = 3.99–4.18). The strongest contributions were in preparing competence-based lesson plans integrating lessons into real-life situations and involving students in classroom activities, while formative assessment received the lowest, though still high, rating. These findings imply that PLCs benefit learners by helping teachers deliver more learner-centred, contextualised, and participatory lessons, which are the classroom conditions through which competence-based learning and academic performance are improved. The study recommends strengthening inquiry-oriented PLC activities, particularly action research and the collaborative analysis of assessment evidence, so that PLCs can more fully support learners’ achievement.

The article examines the potential of mindfulness exercises for promoting students’ well-being and improving the effectiveness of English language teaching in higher education institutions of Ukraine. The relevance of the study is due to the increasing levels of stress, anxiety, emotional exhaustion, and reduced motivation among students, particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, which highlights the need for educational approaches that support both academic achievement and psychological well-being. The paper reviews contemporary theoretical and empirical research on mindfulness, outlines its core principles, and analyses their application to the foreign language classroom. Particular attention is paid to the contribution of mindfulness to reducing foreign language anxiety, strengthening emotional regulation, increasing resilience, motivation, self-efficacy, concentration, memory, communication skills, and speaking performance. The article also discusses the pedagogical principles underlying effective mindfulness instruction, including intention, attention, attitude, inquiry-based learning, and the creation of a supportive and non-judgemental learning environment. Furthermore, the principles of non-judgement, acceptance, beginner’s mind, patience, non-striving, trust, letting go, and compassion are interpreted in relation to English language learning. Based on the analysed literature, the paper proposes a set of practical mindfulness activities that can be integrated into English language lessons, including mindful breathing, listening, writing, conversations, body scanning, movement, grounding, visualisation, art practices, and savouring. These activities may be used as lesson warm-ups, fillers, transitions, or independent learning tasks to foster students’ emotional well-being while simultaneously developing their communicative competence. It is concluded that mindfulness represents a valuable pedagogical approach capable of creating psychologically safe and engaging learning environments that support both language acquisition and personal development.

The article provides a theoretical and methodological rationale for the use of creative psychological and pedagogical technologies in teaching subject-specific methodologies of natural science disciplines in higher education. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to shift from the acquisition of reproductive knowledge to productive, inquiry-oriented, and professionally focused learning activities in the training of prospective teachers in natural science disciplines. Such activities enable students to generate ideas, formulate and test hypotheses, model natural processes, make methodologically grounded decisions, and create educational products. The aim of the article is to clarify the concept of creative psychological and pedagogical technologies, identify the features that determine their creative orientation, and substantiate the principles, conditions, and criteria for their selection and implementation in the professional training of prospective teachers of natural science disciplines. The study is theoretical and analytical in nature. The source base comprises regulatory documents, research articles, and methodological publications addressing the development of creativity, inquiry- and problem-based learning, teacher education in natural science disciplines, and the use of project-based, digital, and geoinformation tools. Analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalization, systematization, classification, pedagogical modeling, and methodological extrapolation were employed. Creative psychological and pedagogical technologies are understood as pedagogical technologies whose organization creates conditions for productive creative activity through openness to problems, variability of possible solutions, independent generation and verification of ideas, and the creation of a result that is new to the learner. Their implementation in natural science teacher education requires combining originality and variability with scientific validity, evidence-based reasoning, and verifiability. The methodological tools were systematized according to their functional purposes, distinguishing pedagogical technologies, methods, and types of activity, educational approaches, and digital tools. Psychological and pedagogical conditions and criteria for their selection were identified. The theoretical analysis provides grounds for considering problem- and inquiry-based learning, project-based learning, case-based learning, design thinking, modeling, open-ended tasks, geoinformation services, and virtual laboratories as promising tools for organizing creatively oriented learning activities of prospective teachers of natural science disciplines. Their appropriate integration may potentially contribute to the development of creative, critical, and systemic thinking, inquiry skills, and the ability to apply knowledge in non-standard educational and professional situations; however, these effects require further empirical verification. The findings may be used to develop educational programs and instructional materials for the professional training of prospective teachers in natural science disciplines.

Creativity is a core competency within Kenya’s Competency-Based Education framework, and Integrated Science offers opportunities for learners to investigate, collaborate, experiment, and apply scientific knowledge. However, limited context-specific evidence exists on how teachers combine instructional strategies to foster creativity in Junior School Integrated Science. This study assessed variations in teachers’ combined use of inquiry-based, collaborative, experiential and hands-on, and technology-enhanced strategies in public Junior Schools in Ainabkoi Sub-County, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. Guided by Piaget’s Cognitive Constructivist Theory, it adopted a pragmatic worldview and convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Questionnaires were completed by 81 Integrated Science teachers, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 Lead Integrated Science Teachers. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis. Collaborative learning recorded the highest use (M = 4.06, SD = 0.65), followed by inquiry-based learning (M = 3.94, SD = 0.66), experiential/hands-on learning (M = 3.54, SD = 0.53), and technology-enhanced instruction (M = 2.92, SD = 0.37). HCA yielded three exploratory profiles distinguished by relative emphasis on technology, inquiry and experiential learning, and collaboration. Interviews indicated that teachers adapted strategy combinations to lesson demands, resources, time, class size, and preparation requirements. The findings show variation in teachers’ reported practices, supporting differentiated professional development and improved access to practical and digital resources. Learner creativity was not directly measured.

This study examined the implementation and perceived effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) strategies in science among teachers and students in five public junior high schools in Panabo City, Davao del Norte. Anchored in Constructivist Learning Theory, Social Constructivism, Progressive Inquiry, and Cognitive Load Theory, it employed a quantitative descriptive-correlational design. Respondents comprised 31 Science teachers selected through total enumeration and 100 Grade 10 students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using validated researcher-developed questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and independent samples t-tests. Teachers rated IBL implementation as Highly Implemented (M = 4.66) and its effectiveness as Highly Effective (M = 4.71), whereas students rated implementation as Implemented (M = 4.17) and effectiveness as Effective (M = 4.09). Significant positive relationships emerged between implementation and perceived effectiveness, with stronger associations in students’ assessments. Significant differences between teacher and student ratings indicated disparities in their classroom perceptions. The findings concerned student engagement, conceptual understanding, scientific inquiry skills, collaborative learning, and problem-solving abilities. The study proposed the INQUIRE+ Professional Development Program to strengthen Science teachers’ inquiry-based instruction through coaching, collaborative lesson study, reflective practice, and systematic monitoring and evaluation. It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) by supporting improved Science instruction and continuing teacher development. Its contribution to educational and institutional sustainability lies in promoting sustained professional learning, school-based collaboration, and evidence-informed instructional improvement across participating schools and varied local classroom learning contexts. Further evaluation of the proposed program is needed to establish its effectiveness after implementation.

This study aims to synthesize the relationship between deep learning strategies and students' critical thinking skills within the context of Economics education. Employing a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) methodology, we examined 24 scholarly publications. The synthesis reveals three key findings: (1) a deep learning approach has a significant influence on higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and critical thinking abilities; however, this relationship is complex and mediated by variables such as epistemological beliefs, perceptions of the learning context, and intrinsic motivation. (2) The adoption of a deep learning approach does not automatically result in high-level critical thinking skills; therefore, such skills require explicit and structured development. (3) Inquiry-based learning strategies, structured collaboration, and the integration of technology as a cognitive scaffold have proven most effective in promoting both aspects synergistically. This study offers practical implications for the design of Economics instruction—specifically regarding the cultivation of deep knowledge and the development of critical thinking skills—within the framework of the Kurikulum Merdeka (Independent Curriculum).

This research explores how learning science through Project-Based Learning (PBL) can increase student engagement by influencing student interest and academic performance in the 7th-grade classroom. While elementary students often enjoy science because it is very hands-on, middle school introduces a more structured instruction, which can reduce student motivation and lead to a decrease in engagement. This study sought to understand whether Project-Based Learning (PBL) could help bridge the gap between engagement and rigor. PBL provides students with opportunities to explore authentic, real-world problems, collaborate with peers, and apply scientific concepts in meaningful contexts. Students actively construct knowledge through inquiry, experimentation, and reflection. These elements align closely with the goals of middle school science education—to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills while maintaining student interest and joy in learning. The study was conducted in two 7th-grade science classrooms, one of which included a dual-language Spanish program. Students participated in science units designed around PBL principles that emphasized inquiry-based projects, collaboration, and student choice. Data were collected using pre- and post-interest surveys and pre- and post-unit assessments to measure shifts in student attitudes, engagement, and academic performance.

This study designed and validated a Technology-Enhanced Inquiry-Based Learning Package (TIBLEP) for junior secondary natural science in a resource-constrained context, addressing the offline connectivity barriers common in under-resourced schools. A Design and Development Research (DDR) approach guided needs analysis, design, development, expert validation, revision, and field implementation. TIBLEP was built as an offline environment combining curriculum-aligned content, guided inquiry, multimedia demonstrations, self-paced navigation, and formative feedback. Five experts assessed the package across six dimensions. Sixty Grade 8 students from two intact classes then completed a five-week field trial (30 in the TIBLEP group and 30 in the conventional group), with interviews capturing participant experiences. Expert ratings were consistently positive (grand mean = 3.69, SD = 0.29), with the highest ratings for overall suitability (M = 3.78) and the lowest for technology integration (M = 3.60). Posttest achievement was higher for TIBLEP (M = 68.30, SD = 6.20) than for the control group (M = 54.70, SD = 5.80). Interviews indicated perceived gains in conceptual clarity, autonomy, engagement, collaboration, and teachers' technological competence. TIBLEP is a feasible, expert-validated offline model for inquiry-oriented science learning where connectivity is unreliable and access remains uneven. The package offers teachers and policymakers a validated, curriculum-aligned tool for delivering inquiry-based science instruction without depending on internet access.

Twenty First Century Skills (21st CS) are considered to be a pathway of STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) Education, yet there is limited evidence at a large scale of the implementation of STEM/STEAM pedagogy in secondary schools of Pakistan. The research sought to understand the self-reported classroom practices of secondary school teachers across nine domains of pedagogical and infrastructural practices associated with STEM/STEAM learning, and to examine the differences in practices by teachers from different localities and males and females. The design of the study was descriptive, cross-sectional survey. The respondents comprised 1,099 STEM/STEAM engaged secondary teachers from all seven administrative provinces/territories of Pakistan who filled an 8-item Yes/No Resource Availability index along with a structured 51 item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale, which measured 8 practice constructs: Project- and Problem-Based Learning, Hands-On and Model-Making Practices, Inquiry-Based Learning, Use of Digital Tools and Technology, Arts Integration, Collaborative Learning, Problem-Solving and Design Thinking, and STEM/STEAM Competitions and Achievement Exposure. The instrument was expert validated and showed great internal consistency (α overall was .905). Results: Teachers indicated that they were implementing Project/Problem Based Learning (PBL) at a high level (M = 3.57), Competitions and Achievement Exposure at a high level (M = 3.48), and Arts Integration at a moderate level (M = 3.42), while they were implementing Collaborative Learning at a moderate level (M = 3.39), Problem Solving and Design Thinking at a moderate level (M = 3.34), and Inquiry Based Learning at a moderate level (M = 3.32), and Hands On/Model Making at a comparatively low level (M = 3.05). In general, 49.5% of cases, material and infrastructural resources were available. There was no significant difference between the availability of resources available to teachers by gender, but there was a significant difference by urban and rural (χ² = 22.449, p < .001), with teachers from urban schools saying they had less available in their classroom than teachers from rural schools, possibly because of the overcrowding of urban schools, rather than the fact that rural school resources are superior. Conclusion: relatively high levels of engagement with teacher-directed/low material cost practices and practices depending on sustained student autonomy or on physical materials or infrastructure or on the digital are relatively limited, with the exception of practices that rely on physical materials and infrastructure. Implications: The results justify investing more in infrastructure and professional development in hands-on, inquiry, and technologically focused practice and in the reallocation of resources based on per-capita classroom load instead of on an urban/rural administrative classification.

This qualitative pilot examined the feasibility and professional value of an interdisciplinary science-education intervention in three Bedouin kindergartens in Rahat, Israel. Eight preservice early-childhood teachers and eight preservice elementary-science teachers worked in interdisciplinary pairs during eight inquiry-oriented sessions and a 30-hour professional learning community. The study asked how participants described confidence, collaboration, and culturally contextualized science teaching. Reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended responses, discussions, field notes, and final reflections identified perceived growth in confidence, reciprocal disciplinary learning, and value in connecting inquiry to children’s environment. Children’s outcomes were not measured, and no causal or population-level claims are made. The study offers a contextually grounded model for teacher preparation and identifies requirements for larger prospective research in comparable underserved educational contexts.

این مطالعه‌ی کیفی مقدماتی، امکان‌سنجی و ارزش حرفه‌ای یک مداخله‌ی میان‌رشته‌ای آموزش علوم را در سه مهدکودک بَدَوی در شهر رهط، اسرائیل مورد بررسی قرار داد. هشت دانشجوی معلمی آموزش اوایل کودکی و هشت دانشجوی معلمی علوم ابتدایی، طی هشت جلسه‌ی مبتنی بر پژوهش و یک جامعه‌ی یادگیری حرفه‌ای به مدت ۳۰ ساعت، به صورت زوج‌های میان‌رشته‌ای همکاری کردند. پرسش اصلی پژوهش این بود که شرکت‌کنندگان چگونه اعتماد به نفس، همکاری و آموزش علوم با زمینه‌ی فرهنگی را توصیف می‌کنند. تحلیل تماتیک بازتابیِ پاسخ‌های باز، بحث‌ها، یادداشت‌های میدانی و تأملات نهایی، رشد ادراک‌شده در اعتماد به نفس، یادگیری متقابل میان‌رشته‌ای و ارزش پیوند دادن پژوهش با محیط کودکان را شناسایی کرد. پیامدهای مربوط به کودکان اندازه‌گیری نشد و هیچ ادعای علی یا در سطح جمعیت ارائه نمی‌شود. این مطالعه، مدلی مبتنی بر زمینه برای آماده‌سازی معلمان ارائه می‌دهد و الزامات پژوهش‌های آینده‌ی بزرگ‌تر در زمینه‌های آموزشی محروم مشابه را مشخص می‌کند.

This study was conducted to examine the validity of Guided Inquiry-based learning devices on the human respiratory system topic in supporting students’ critical thinking skills and conceptual understanding. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model and was limited to the development stage, focusing on product validation. The developed learning devices consisted of a learning module, student worksheets (LKPD), and an assessment instrument containing 18 multiple-choice questions. Product validation was conducted by two expert validators and two practitioner validators using structured validation sheets. Validation data were analyzed descriptively by calculating the average scores obtained from the validators. The results showed that the learning module achieved validation scores ranging from 94 –100, the student worksheets 94 –100, and the assessment instrument 96 –100, indicating that all developed learning devices were categorized as very valid. Therefore, the Guided Inquiry-based learning devices are considered suitable for biology learning on the human respiratory system. However, this study was limited to product validation and did not evaluate the practicality or effectiveness of the learning devices in improving students’ critical thinking skills and conceptual understanding.

این پژوهش با هدف بررسی روایی ابزار یادگیری مبتنی بر کاوش هدایت‌شده در موضوع دستگاه تنفس انسان به منظور حمایت از مهارت‌های تفکر انتقادی و درک مفهومی دانش‌آموزان انجام شد. این مطالعه با رویکرد پژوهش و توسعه (R&D) و با استفاده از مدل ADDIE صورت گرفت و به مرحله توسعه محدود شد و تمرکز آن بر اعتبارسنجی محصول بود. ابزار یادگیری توسعه‌یافته شامل یک ماژول یادگیری، برگه‌های کار دانش‌آموز (LKPD) و یک ابزار ارزشیابی متشکل از ۱۸ سؤال چندگزینه‌ای بود. اعتبارسنجی محصول توسط دو ارزیاب خبره و دو ارزیاب عملی با استفاده از برگه‌های اعتبارسنجی ساختاریافته انجام شد. داده‌های روایی به صورت توصیفی و با محاسبه میانگین امتیازات دریافتی از ارزیابان تحلیل شد. نتایج نشان داد که ماژول یادگیری امتیاز روایی بین ۹۴ تا ۱۰۰، برگه‌های کار دانش‌آموز بین ۹۴ تا ۱۰۰ و ابزار ارزشیابی بین ۹۶ تا ۱۰۰ را کسب کردند که نشان‌دهنده آن است که تمامی ابزار یادگیری توسعه‌یافته در دسته بسیار معتبر قرار می‌گیرند. بنابراین، ابزار یادگیری مبتنی بر کاوش هدایت‌شده برای آموزش زیست‌شناسی در مبحث دستگاه تنفس انسان مناسب تلقی می‌شود. با این حال، این پژوهش به اعتبارسنجی محصول محدود بود و به بررسی عملی بودن یا اثربخشی ابزار یادگیری در بهبود مهارت‌های تفکر انتقادی و درک مفهومی دانش‌آموزان نپرداخت.

Science education seeks not only to expand learners' knowledge but also to develop scientific ways of explaining natural phenomena. This requires more than transmitting disciplinary information. Learners must recognise why scientific concepts become necessary, how they extend or revise existing explanations, and under what conditions they provide meaningful accounts of the physical world. The educational challenge therefore concerns not only which concepts should be taught, but also the instructional reasoning surrounding their introduction.Science education research has generated substantial knowledge through conceptual change, inquiry-based learning, model-based instruction, learning progressions, productive preparation, and related traditions. These approaches have shown the importance of engaging prior ideas, recognising explanatory limitations, refining representations, and applying knowledge across contexts. Yet one decision connecting many of these processes often remains implicit: the introduction of formal scientific concepts (Duit and Treagust, 2012;Méheut and Psillos, 2004;Steenhof et al., 2020;Minner et al., 2010;Campbell et al., 2015).In this article, formal concept entry refers to the point at which a scientific construct is presented in an explicit disciplinary form, for example as a named concept or definition, symbolic or mathematical representation, law, model, or related formal structure. Such constructs frequently enter instruction through curricular sequence, textbook organisation, or teaching convention. These arrangements may be appropriate, but the educational justification for formal concept entry is seldom examined directly: not whether the construct belongs in the curriculum, but whether its formal presentation is coordinated with the explanatory work Commented [S[1]: 'U' was missing in '.edu'. Now that is included learners are expected to perform. This issue has renewed practical importance as learners increasingly encounter completed definitions, derivations, simulations, and explanations through digital platforms and generative artificial intelligence before instruction has established their explanatory significance. Greater access to formal scientific information does not itself establish when a construct becomes meaningful within learners' developing understanding (Kumar et al., 2026). This Opinion therefore argues that formal concept entry deserves explicit consideration as an instructional decision. The central question is not whether formal scientific concepts should be introduced early or late, but whether their introduction is instructionally justified by the explanatory work learners are expected to perform.To support reflection on this question, I propose the Concept Genesis Framework (CGF). CGF is an instructor-facing conceptual architecture for examining how formal scientific concepts are prepared, introduced, interpreted, and integrated within learning. It neither replaces established educational theories nor prescribes a universal teaching sequence. Its contribution is to provide a coherent language for considering the instructional justification of formal concept entry.CGF does not arise from a single theory of learning. Its design draws on several established traditions that converge on a common instructional concern: learners interpret new scientific ideas through prior understanding, may need to recognise limitations in existing explanations, and require representational and explanatory support to integrate new disciplinary constructs.Conceptual-change scholarship provides one foundation through its attention to existing conceptions, explanatory inadequacy, and the restructuring of understanding (Strike and Posner, 1982;Duit and Treagust, 2012). Nersessian (1989) adds a representational perspective by emphasising that scientific understanding involves the construction and coordination of conceptual and mathematical representations rather than the reception of completed definitions alone. Inquiry and teaching-learning sequence research further situate such conceptual development within deliberately organised instructional activity (Sandoval and Reiser, 2004;Méheut and Psillos, 2004).CGF does not depend on a single philosophical doctrine. Its orientation is epistemic and instructional: scientific concepts are treated as disciplinary resources for explanation, representation, and prediction rather than as isolated verbal or symbolic entities. ThisReviewer comment 1 has been addressed Paragraph beginning -Concepts, equations------and ending (Kumar et al., 2026), has been replaced with the new paragraph-starting -In this article---------and ending (Kumar et al., 2026).orientation is compatible with constructivist perspectives insofar as it recognises prior understanding and active meaning-making. CGF is not, however, proposed as a constructivist theory of learning, nor does it assume that learners independently rediscover disciplinary knowledge. Its narrower concern is whether the instructional conditions surrounding formal concept entry allow a scientific construct to perform meaningful explanatory work within a learning situation.The ten elements of CGF are consequently described as instructional functions rather than whether it can be used across related contexts (Disciplinary Transfer); and how it supports subsequent learning (Forward Linkage). The framework does not claim that these ten functions are empirically invariant or that all must occur in a fixed order. Depending on the concept, discipline, learners, and instructional purpose, they may overlap, recur, be compressed, or be unnecessary.Scientific concepts are not merely definitions, symbols, or equations. They are intellectual tools developed to explain, organise, and predict phenomena. Although learners often encounter them in completed disciplinary form, instruction must determine how they can become meaningful explanatory resources rather than isolated information.CGF organises ten instructional functions around this problem. The number ten reflects this analytical differentiation of instructional work surrounding formal concept entry rather than an assumed set of invariant cognitive stages. These functions describe a flexible educational logic, not fixed learner stages or a mandatory sequence. Depending on the concept, discipline, learners, and instructional purpose, they may overlap, recur, be compressed, or be unnecessary. (Sandoval and Reiser, 2004;Rea-Ramirez et al., 2009). Its educational value lies in orienting learners towards a meaningful explanatory objective.As learners attempt to address the question, they may recognise that their current explanations or reasoning strategies are insufficient. CGF describes this recognition as Cognitive Tension.It is neither required nor sufficient for conceptual change, but it can help learners recognise the limits of their existing explanatory resources (Strike and Posner, 1982;Rea-Ramirez et al., 2009).: correction of the wording in Figure 1 from "comprises of ten instructional functions" to "comprises ten instructional functions." Minor typographical errors identified within the figure have also been corrected.Recognition of these limitations may generate Epistemic Need: an appreciation that an additional scientific construct is required to explain, organise, or predict observations more adequately. Epistemic need differs from curiosity alone because it concerns the perceived explanatory necessity of a new concept. It may emerge spontaneously or through instructional guidance (Lee et al., 2021).Instruction may then examine the boundaries, assumptions, or inadequacies of existing explanations. A model may fail under new conditions, conflict with evidence, or prove too limited for a broader domain (Rea-Ramirez et al., 2009;Sommeillier et al., 2021).Identifying such limitations does not require rejecting earlier explanations entirely. Scientific understanding often develops through extension, refinement, and specification rather than complete replacement.Historical reconstruction can show why concepts emerged, but it is only one route to explanatory necessity. The need for a concept may also become visible through experimental anomalies, engineering constraints, mathematical inconsistency, model comparison, simulation, or unresolved disciplinary questions (Matthews, 1992). The objective is not to reproduce scientific history, but to clarify the explanatory conditions that justify introducing a formal scientific concept.Concept Genesis denotes the instructional point at which the formal scientific construct is explicitly introduced, stabilised, or recognised as an appropriate response to the identified explanatory problem. It does not imply that learners independently reinvent disciplinary knowledge or experience a single moment of discovery. Terminology or representations may appear earlier, but Concept Genesis marks the point at which they acquire coherent disciplinary meaning (Stamovlasis et al., 2005;Cook, 2006).Concepts gain precision through equations, symbols, graphs, diagrams, models, or other disciplinary representations. CGF defines formalisation broadly because representationalPeriod is included, which was missing practices differ across scientific fields. Concept Genesis and Formalisation are analytically distinct but educationally interconnected and may develop recursively.Correctly manipulating a representation does not necessarily indicate understanding (Stamovlasis et al., 2005). Scientific Interpretation connects formal constructs with their explanatory meaning, assumptions, domains of applicability, predictive capacity, and disciplinary significance. It therefore links procedural use with conceptual understanding.Understanding becomes educationally valuable when learners can extend it beyond the immediate instructional setting. Disciplinary Transfer involves applying a concept across related problems, conditions, contexts, or scales. Transfer should not be assumed from success on familiar tasks but treated as an outcome requiring instructional design and observation (Lobato and Hohensee, 2021).Through Forward Linkage, a newly acquired concept becomes a resource for subsequent models, explanations, and disciplinary learning. Formal concept entry is therefore not only about introducing an individual construct, but also about supporting the progressive organisation of scientific understanding across a curriculum.Taken together, these functions enable educators to examine how formal scientific concepts are prepared, introduced, interpreted, extended, and connected. CGF does not prescribe a universal route to learning. It provides a structured language for considering whether formal concept entry is instructionally justified within a particular educational context.CGF is a conceptual lens for instructional planning and reflection, not a new theory of learning, a validated instructional model, or a prescriptive teaching method. It does not replace inquirybased learning, conceptual change, model-based instruction, productive preparation, learning cycles, teaching-learning sequences, or related evidence-informed approaches (Méheut and Psillos, 2004;Minner et al., 2010;Duit and Treagust, 2012;Campbell et al., 2015).Instead, it organises instructional functions recognised across these traditions around the specific question of formal concept entry.The framework does not require all ten functions to appear, nor does it prescribe their order. Scientific disciplines differ in conceptual structure, mathematical demands, representational practices, and curricular constraints. Learners also differ in prior knowledge, educational goals, cognitive resources, and learning contexts. The functions may therefore overlap, recur, or be omitted.CGF also does not advocate delayed instruction. Early introduction of terminology, diagrams, notation, or simplified models may sometimes provide necessary scaffolding (Cook, 2006). In other situations, learners may benefit from first recognising an explanatory limitation. The relevant judgement concerns not timing in isolation, but whether a formal scientific concept can support the explanatory work required within the learning situation.The framework may be especially useful for concepts that are abstract, counterintuitive, mathematically constituted, foundational for later learning, or commonly presented only in completed formal form. It may be unnecessary for straightforward factual knowledge, routine procedural skills, directly observable phenomena, or situations in which immediate explicit instruction is clearly appropriate.Its educational value remains an empirical question. CGF should therefore be treated as a conceptual proposition that invites evaluation across disciplines, educational levels, and instructional settings.Learners may reproduce definitions, derivations, or equations while remaining uncertain about why a construct became necessary, what problem it addresses, or where it applies. Procedural competence remains educationally important, but it does not always develop together with explanatory understanding (Stamovlasis et al., 2005). Formal concept entry should therefore be judged not only by what learners can perform, but also by the understanding that the construct is intended to support.Concept introduction is also rarely a single event. Terminology, qualitative descriptions, diagrams, equations, computational procedures, and canonical explanations need not enter instruction simultaneously. Each may serve a different role. Formal concept entry is therefore better understood as a distributed instructional process whose components can be introduced according to their explanatory function.This perspective also refines the idea of learner readiness. Readiness is not simply the completion of prerequisite activities. It concerns the relationship between the explanatory demands of a learning situation and learners' capacity to integrate a new construct meaningfully. Prior knowledge, representational support, cognitive demands, recognition of limitations, and instructional guidance all shape this capacity (Cook, 2006;Steenhof et al., 2020).Learner difficulty alone does not justify introducing a formal scientific concept. Productive struggle is not an educational goal in itself, and immediate explanation does not necessarily prevent understanding. Effective teaching requires judgement about when exploration, representation, explanation, and direct guidance are most educationally useful (Steenhof et al., 2020).Because these judgements vary across thermodynamics, quantum chemistry, biology, engineering, and other disciplines, CGF remains deliberately flexible. Its purpose is not to standardise concept introduction, but to make the reasoning behind it more visible.The principal contribution of CGF is to make explicit an instructional decision often embedded within broader pedagogy: why a formal scientific concept is introduced at a particular point in learning. This perspective complements existing educational research rather than competing with it. Diverse traditions may organise teaching differently, yet many confront the transition from provisional or intuitive explanations to formal scientific concepts. Treating that transition as an object of reflection may create a useful point of dialogue across approaches.The framework also has implications for curriculum design and educational research. Curricula typically specify what should be taught but provide less guidance about the reasoning supporting the introduction of particular concepts, representations, or mathematical formulations (Méheut and Psillos, 2004). Attention to formal concept entry may help educators align curricular expectations, learner preparedness, explanatory demands, and instructional support. In research, it may offer an additional dimension for describing interventions and interpreting differences across learning environments.Its relevance is heightened by contemporary digital learning. Learners may now encounter formal scientific language and representations before an instructional context has established their explanatory significance (Kumar et al., 2026). The educator's role therefore extends beyond providing information towards helping learners understand when and why formal constructs become useful.Several limitations remain. CGF has not undergone systematic empirical validation and does not claim that explicit attention to concept entry will necessarily improve understanding or transfer. Its functions may not operate uniformly across disciplines, learner populations, or educational levels. Instructional decisions also remain shaped by curriculum, assessment, institutional constraints, teacher expertise, available time, and learner diversity.Future studies may investigate how educators currently justify formal concept entry, how such judgements vary across disciplines, and whether making them explicit influences conceptual understanding, transfer, curriculum design, teacher education, or research reporting. These studies would not seek a universal rule for early or delayed instruction. They would examine whether greater transparency regarding the reasoning behind concept entry contributes meaningfully to science education.In conclusion, the educational significance of a formal scientific concept lies not only in its disciplinary content, but also in the instructional judgement governing when it becomes meaningful within learners' developing explanations of the natural world. CGF offers a conceptual architecture for examining that judgement. Recognising formal concept entry as an explicit instructional decision may help clarify how scientific knowledge becomes meaningful during learning.

آموزش علوم نه تنها به گسترش دانش فراگیران می‌پردازد، بلکه هدف آن توسعه شیوه‌های علمی تبیین پدیده‌های طبیعی نیز هست. این امر فراتر از انتقال صرف اطلاعات تخصصی است. فراگیران باید دریابند چرا مفاهیم علمی ضرورت می‌یابند، چگونه این مفاهیم تبیین‌های موجود را گسترش داده یا اصلاح می‌کنند و تحت چه شرایطی می‌توانند تبیین‌های معناداری از جهان فیزیکی ارائه دهند. بنابراین، چالش آموزشی صرفاً به این محدود نمی‌شود که کدام مفاهیم باید آموزش داده شوند، بلکه استدلال آموزشی پیرامون معرفی آن‌ها نیز اهمیت دارد. پژوهش‌های آموزش علوم از طریق تغییر مفهومی، یادگیری مبتنی بر پژوهش، آموزش مبتنی بر مدل، پیشرفت‌های یادگیری، آمادگی مولد و سنت‌های مرتبط، دانش قابل توجهی تولید کرده‌اند. این رویکردها اهمیت درگیر کردن ایده‌های پیشین، شناسایی محدودیت‌های تبیینی، اصلاح بازنمایی‌ها و به‌کارگیری دانش در زمینه‌های مختلف را نشان داده‌اند. با این حال، تصمیمی که بسیاری از این فرایندها را به هم پیوند می‌دهد، اغلب ضمنی باقی می‌ماند: ورود مفاهیم علمی رسمی (Duit و Treagust، ۲۰۱۲؛ Méheut و Psillos، ۲۰۰۴؛ Steenhof و همکاران، ۲۰۲۰؛ Minner و همکاران، ۲۰۱۰؛ Campbell و همکاران، ۲۰۱۵). در این مقاله، ورود رسمی مفهوم به نقطه‌ای اشاره دارد که یک سازه علمی به صورت صریح و تخصصی، مانند یک مفهوم یا تعریف نام‌گذاری‌شده، بازنمایی نمادین یا ریاضی، قانون، مدل یا ساختار رسمی مرتبط ارائه می‌شود. این سازه‌ها اغلب از طریق توالی برنامه درسی، سازماندهی کتاب درسی یا عرف تدریس وارد آموزش می‌شوند. این ترتیبات ممکن است مناسب باشند، اما توجیه آموزشی برای ورود رسمی مفهوم به ندرت به طور مستقیم بررسی می‌شود: نه اینکه آیا سازه باید در برنامه درسی باشد، بلکه آیا ارائه رسمی آن با کار تبیینی که از فراگیران انتظار می‌رود هماهنگ است. این مسئله با توجه به اینکه فراگیران بیش از پیش با تعاریف کامل، استنتاج‌ها، شبیه‌سازی‌ها و تبیین‌ها از طریق بسترهای دیجیتال و هوش مصنوعی مولد پیش از آنکه اهمیت تبیینی آن‌ها در آموزش تثبیت شده باشد مواجه می‌شوند، اهمیت عملی تازه‌ای یافته است. دسترسی بیشتر به اطلاعات علمی رسمی به خودی خود تعیین نمی‌کند که چه زمانی یک سازه درک معناداری در فهم در حال رشد فراگیران پیدا می‌کند (Kumar و همکاران، ۲۰۲۶). بنابراین، این مقاله بر این باور است که ورود رسمی مفهوم شایسته توجه صریح به عنوان یک تصمیم آموزشی است. پرسش اصلی این نیست که آیا مفاهیم علمی رسمی باید زود یا دیر معرفی شوند، بلکه این است که آیا معرفی آن‌ها با کار تبیینی که از فراگیران انتظار می‌رود، توجیه آموزشی دارد یا خیر. برای حمایت از تأمل در این پرسش، چارچوب تکوین مفهوم (CGF) پیشنهاد می‌شود. CGF معماری مفهومی برای مدرسان است تا بررسی کنند که چگونه مفاهیم علمی رسمی آماده، معرفی، تفسیر و در یادگیری ادغام می‌شوند. این چارچوب جایگزین نظریه‌های آموزشی موجود نیست و توالی تدریس جهان‌شمولی را تجویز نمی‌کند. سهم آن ارائه زبانی منسجم برای تأمل درباره توجیه آموزشی ورود رسمی مفهوم است. CGF از یک نظریه واحد یادگیری نشأت نمی‌گیرد. طراحی آن مبتنی بر چند سنت تثبیت‌شده است که بر یک دغدغه مشترک آموزشی تمرکز دارند: فراگیران ایده‌های علمی جدید را از طریق فهم پیشین تفسیر می‌کنند، ممکن است لازم باشد محدودیت‌های تبیین‌های موجود را شناسایی کنند و برای ادغام سازه‌های تخصصی جدید به حمایت بازنمایی و تبیینی نیاز دارند. پژوهش‌های تغییر مفهومی با توجه به تصورات موجود، ناکافی بودن تبیین‌ها و بازسازی فهم، یکی از بنیان‌ها را فراهم می‌کنند (Strike و Posner، ۱۹۸۲؛ Duit و Treagust، ۲۰۱۲). Nersessian (۱۹۸۹) با تأکید بر اینکه فهم علمی مستلزم ساخت و هماهنگی بازنمایی‌های مفهومی و ریاضی است و نه صرفاً دریافت تعاریف کامل، دیدگاه بازنمایی را می‌افزاید. پژوهش‌های یادگیری مبتنی بر پژوهش و توالی تدریس-یادگیری نیز این تحول مفهومی را در فعالیت آموزشی سازمان‌یافته قرار می‌دهند (Sandoval و Reiser، ۲۰۰۴؛ Méheut و Psillos، ۲۰۰۴). CGF به یک مکتب فلسفی خاص وابسته نیست. رویکرد آن معرفت‌شناختی و آموزشی است: مفاهیم علمی به عنوان منابع تخصصی برای تبیین، بازنمایی و پیش‌بینی تلقی می‌شوند، نه صرفاً موجودیت‌های لفظی یا نمادین منفرد. این رویکرد با دیدگاه‌های سازنده‌گرایانه تا جایی سازگار است که فهم پیشین و ساخت فعال معنا را به رسمیت می‌شناسد. با این حال، CGF به عنوان نظریه سازنده‌گرای یادگیری پیشنهاد نمی‌شود و فرض نمی‌کند که فراگیران به طور مستقل دانش تخصصی را بازکشف می‌کنند. دغدغه محدودتر آن این است که آیا شرایط آموزشی پیرامون ورود رسمی مفهوم اجازه می‌دهد یک سازه علمی در یک موقعیت یادگیری کارکرد تبیینی معنادار ایفا کند یا خیر. به همین دلیل، ده عنصر CGF به عنوان کارکردهای آموزشی توصیف می‌شوند، نه اینکه آیا می‌توان آن را در زمینه‌های مرتبط به کار برد (انتقال تخصصی) و چگونه از یادگیری بعدی حمایت می‌کند (پیوند رو به جلو). این چارچوب ادعا نمی‌کند که این ده کارکرد به طور تجربی ثابت یا همه باید به ترتیب مشخصی رخ دهند. بسته به مفهوم، رشته، فراگیران و هدف آموزشی، ممکن است این کارکردها همپوشانی، تکرار، فشرده یا غیرضروری باشند. مفاهیم علمی صرفاً تعاریف، نمادها یا معادلات نیستند. آن‌ها ابزارهای فکری هستند که برای تبیین، سازماندهی و پیش‌بینی پدیده‌ها توسعه یافته‌اند. اگرچه فراگیران اغلب آن‌ها را به صورت کامل و تخصصی دریافت می‌کنند، آموزش باید تعیین کند که چگونه می‌توانند به منابع تبیینی معنادار تبدیل شوند، نه اطلاعات منفرد. CGF ده عنصر را سازمان می‌دهد.

In recent years, psychological strain among young people has increased worldwide due to numerous social crises. School and classroom performance requirements are primary sources of stress for students. Classroom stress emerges when the demands of a teaching situation surpass personal resources, such as self-efficacy beliefs (SEB). Scientific inquiry-based activities, including experiments or modeling, pose a significant challenge in science lessons because students have limited resources in this area, even by the end of lower secondary school. Consequently, an elevated stress level is anticipated in such situations. This exploratory study examined secondary school students’ heart rate variability (n = 86 valid data sets), an indicator of physiological stress, during inquiry-based and non-inquiry-based (communication) situations in science lessons. Moreover, a hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted to investigate whether stress levels differed as a function of individual dispositions that encompassed both stress levels and scientific SEBs. Overall, no significantly elevated stress level was observed during inquiry-based situations. Nevertheless, three types of students with different physiological stress responses were identified, suggesting that individual dispositions are pivotal in guiding personalized stress prevention in science lessons.

در سال‌های اخیر، فشار روانی در میان جوانان در سراسر جهان به دلیل بحران‌های اجتماعی متعدد افزایش یافته است. الزامات عملکردی مدرسه و کلاس درس از منابع اصلی استرس برای دانش‌آموزان به‌شمار می‌روند. استرس کلاسی زمانی بروز می‌کند که الزامات یک موقعیت آموزشی از منابع فردی، مانند باورهای خودکارآمدی (SEB)، فراتر رود. فعالیت‌های علمی مبتنی بر پژوهش، از جمله آزمایش یا مدل‌سازی، در درس علوم چالشی قابل توجه محسوب می‌شوند، زیرا دانش‌آموزان حتی تا پایان دوره متوسطه اول نیز منابع محدودی در این زمینه دارند. بنابراین، انتظار می‌رود که در چنین موقعیت‌هایی سطح استرس افزایش یابد. این مطالعه اکتشافی، تغییرپذیری ضربان قلب دانش‌آموزان دوره متوسطه (n = 86 مجموعه داده معتبر) را به عنوان شاخصی از استرس فیزیولوژیک، در موقعیت‌های مبتنی بر پژوهش و غیرمبتنی بر پژوهش (ارتباطی) در کلاس‌های علوم مورد بررسی قرار داد. علاوه بر این، یک تحلیل خوشه‌ای سلسله‌مراتبی به منظور بررسی تفاوت سطوح استرس بر اساس ویژگی‌های فردی که هم سطوح استرس و هم SEB علمی را در بر می‌گرفت، انجام شد. به طور کلی، در موقعیت‌های مبتنی بر پژوهش، افزایش معناداری در سطح استرس مشاهده نشد. با این حال، سه نوع دانش‌آموز با پاسخ‌های متفاوت استرس فیزیولوژیک شناسایی شدند که نشان می‌دهد ویژگی‌های فردی در هدایت پیشگیری شخصی‌سازی‌شده از استرس در کلاس‌های علوم نقش محوری دارند.