Inquiry-based science instruction is widely advocated, but studies based on international large-scale assessments (ILSA) often show inquiry to be negatively associated with achievement. We re-examine this issue by taking a more nuanced look at the inquiry scale in PISA 2015. Previous studies using PISA and other ILSA assume that scales measuring inquiry-based instruction are invariant across regions/countries. This study tests whether measurement invariance could indeed be established, and if not, what regional patterns of instructional practice exist. This study also examines whether the association between inquiry and learning outcomes depend upon the provision of teacher guidance. Participants were 151,721 students from 5,089 schools from 10 highest and 10 lowest science performers in PISA 2015. Multigroup confirmatory factor analyses found that measurement invariance cannot be established, suggesting substantial regional variation in the pattern of inquiry-based instruction. Exploratory factor analyses confirm that at the measurement level, inquiry takes different forms in each region. However, at the conceptual level many regions exhibit a pattern which contrasted between “Guided inquiry” and “Independent inquiry”. Results of structural equation modelling show that inquiry is positively associated with outcomes when it incorporates teacher guidance, and negatively when it doesn’t. This pattern of association is remarkably consistent across the 20 regions examined. These findings are in line with current theories regarding the importance of scaffolding in learning from inquiry. This study suggests that it would be misguided to use PISA findings to support arguments to scale back inquiry and other constructivist approaches to teaching science.
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Aditomo et al. (2019) studied this question.