TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTED INQUIRY LEARNING IMPROVES STUDENTS‘ ABILITY TO USE AND UNDERSTAND GRAPHS IN BIOLOGY

Graphs are one of the visual representation frequently used in biology learning. According to the previous research, the use of graphs in science education contribute to the quick understanding of the processes and promote learning by enabling rapid perception of the links and relationships among data. To use and understand graphs is considered as a part of scientific literacy. The significance of graphs in biology education increases in recent time together with increasing use of smart technologies and computer supported media, using visual representation.

On the other hand, recent international studies report students‘ difficulties in creating and reading graphs. Students understanding of graphs seems to be critical across the science disciplines. From this reason such didactic methods are necessary in science education, which helps students to understand graphs and use them properly.

In Czech Republic inquiry approach has been applied in recent years as a new innovative method in science education. Inquiry learning enables students to provide experiments and to work with data, plot the graphs, analysed them and make conclusions. Inquiry learning brings also an opportunity for the science educators to use modern didactic measuring technology, frequently using graphs as the main output visualisation of the data measured. Hence, there are presumptions, that inquiry learning joined with the use of modern measuring technic could contribute to the training of students in using and understanding graphs in biology.

To prove this hypothesis, the survey aimed to the impact of technology supported and inquiry oriented learning unit on student’s ability to use and understand graphs was conducted at Czech basic schools. 119 basic school pupils of 7th grade (12 – 14 years old) were tested by using the questionnaire containing tasks involving solution of graphics problems related to photosynthesis. A pre-test – post-test experimental design was chosen. One group of the participants absolved an inquiry oriented learning unit including students’ measurement of photosynthesis by didactic measuring sets, (Vernier Software & Technology). The participants of the control group absolved the frontal learning unit where graphs of photosynthesis were just shown them on data projector.

The results of the survey showed a highly positive impact of inquiry and technology supported learning on students understanding of graphs. The students educated through technology supported inquiry were more successful in all investigated aspects of creating and understanding graphs: choosing proper type of graph, transferring data from the tab into the graph, interpreting conclusions from the graph, plotting the graph, creating the legend and also assigning the variables to the axes.

This research brings a conclusion, that the students’ ability to use and understand graphs is practise dependent and that inquiry learning supported by technology could be recommended for the use in science education to improve students’ skills in working with graphs.
The contribution brings also inducements for further development of interdisciplinary relations between mathematics and biology in science education.