This study aimed to investigate the effects of the inquiry-based learning approach (IBLA) on students’ critical and creative thinking skills in science. A meta-analysis was conducted on studies published from 2013 to 2023 that were retrieved from seven (7) electronic databases. A total of 29 articles out of 258, 960 articles, from the data search to document retrieval stages, met the eligibility criteria after duplicate removal and screening, and were included in the coding process. The study had a total sample size of 2,253 students. A random-effects model using forest plots generated 31 effect sizes, while publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Rosenthal’s fail-safe N. Findings revealed that the IBLA had generally produced large effect sizes of 1.59 on critical thinking skills and 2.02 on creative thinking skills, indicating substantial learning gains in comparison to conventional teaching approach. However, . variability across studies and potential methodological limitations imply that these large effects should be interpreted with caution. Fail-safe N values also showed that 4,615 unpublished studies for critical thinking skills and 1,342 unpublished studies for creative thinking skills would be needed to bring the p-value beyond the .05 threshold of significance. Overall, IBLA appears to be a highly effective approach for enhancing higher-order thinking skills in science education; however, further rigorous research is recommended to confirm the consistency and generalizability of these findings.
Sarmiento et al. (Thu,) studied this question.
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