Abstract:

Active learning, inquiry-based activities and students' development of skills and competences for scientific work are the main objectives of physics education at lower secondary school level (age group 11 – 15 years) in Slovakia after the 2008 reform.

Our study is focused on implementation of these goals in the school practise. Using direct observations of physics lessons and teacher interviews we tried to find whether and to what extend the inquiry-based strategies had been used in the classrooms and how student inquiry skills had been developed.

The content analysis was used to identify dominant teacher and student activities and to detect levels of inquiry and corresponding student inquiry skills. The phenomena which could significantly influence the development of the inquiry skills are identified and discussed.

Based on the study results and findings the paper brings suggestions for the improvement of the both future and in-service physics teacher training in the area of inquiry-based teaching.

Keywords:

Physics education, inquiry-based activities, inquiry skills, teacher training, lesson observation.