Abstract

• The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of inquiry-based learning method on students' academic achievements in science at the middle school level. The design used for this study was the quasi-experimental with non-equivalent control group design. Two basic education high schools were selected through purposive sampling method from Sagaing Township. Total of (167) Grade eight students in (2019-2020) Academic Year from two different classes of selected high schools were involved in the study. Two intact classes were randomly selected and the group which was assigned as experimental group was instructed through inquiry-based learning method whereas the other group was traditionally instructed in each school. To determine the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning method over conventional method, an achievement test about science which consisted of (25) items was administered as pretest and posttest to students both in the experimental and control groups. According to the pretest results, the students in both groups were equivalent in general science knowledge. The data obtained from posttest were analysed by the independent samples t-test to compare the achievement of the students between groups. Findings showed that there was a significant difference between the control group and the experimental group for the scores on science achievement test in HS 1 (t = 3.826, p<.000) and HS 2 (t = 7.114, p<.000). According to the result, the use of inquiry-based learning method has significant effect on the science achievement of the students from each school. Therefore, inquiry-based learning method positively contributed to the science teaching method at the middle school level.