A Guided Inquiry laboratory to enhance students’ understanding of the Law of Mechanical Energy Conservation

Abstract

This study investigated tenth grade Bhutanese students’ understanding of the law of mechanical energy conservation. A low-cost hands-on model developed using locally available materials designed as an integral part of a guided inquiry laboratory was used as intervention. A single-group pretest-posttest research design was employed. The instruments used to explore the students’ conceptual understanding and views and attitudes were 13 two-tier multiple-choice items and 20 close-ended Likert-based items, respectively. The study also examined the students’ views and attitudes toward a guided inquiry laboratory and the effectiveness of a hands-on model through a semi-structured interview protocol. The data was analysed by calculating the mean, standard deviation, and t-test. The paired-sample t-test indicated a significant enhancement of students’ conceptual understanding due to the intervention of the guided inquiry laboratory from pretest (M=12.59, SD=3.28) to posttest [M=21.39, SD=3.07), t(99) = – 52.14, p<.005]. The findings also indicated students having positive views and attitudes towards the guided inquiry laboratory and the developed hands-on model.