THE EFFECT OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ON READING PERCEPTION TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

Authors

  • Chanthoul Seam The University of Cambodia, Cambodia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37249/assalam.v9i1.848

Keywords:

Inquiry-Based Learning, Reading Perception, Student Engagement, Language Education, Cambodia

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) on elementary students' reading perception at a private school in Cambodia. IBL is a student-centered instructional strategy that fosters active participation, curiosity, and critical thinking through exploration and discovery. This research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from a questionnaire distributed to 50 students (selected from a population of 150) and qualitative data to provide deeper insights into students' attitudes and engagement with reading activities. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS 20.0. The findings reveal that the use of IBL positively impacts students' reading perception by enhancing motivation, comprehension, and active involvement in learning tasks. Students reported greater interest in reading when lessons were inquiry-driven, interactive, and connected to real-world contexts. Additionally, the study underscores the important role of teachers and school leaders in implementing effective IBL strategies. By promoting student autonomy and a sense of ownership in the learning process, IBL can improve literacy outcomes and foster lifelong reading habits. These results suggest that incorporating IBL into primary education, especially in language instruction, can significantly enrich the learning experience and contribute to more meaningful and student-centered education.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Al-Shamisi, A. (2016). The Effect of WebQuests on Grade 11 Reading Comprehension and Student Perceptions of WebQuests. American International Journal of Contemporary Research, 6(1), 132-143. http://sites.google.com/site/vsportal2007/isabelperez

Barer-Stein, T. (1933). On the meaning of learning: Reflections with Dewey. Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education, 25-50. https://doi.org/10.56105/cjsae.v1i1.2961

Berg, P., Kalleberg, A. L., & Appelbaum, E. (2003). Balancing work and family: The role of high?commitment environments. Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 42(2), 168-188. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-232X.00286

Blumenfeld, P. C., Soloway, E., Marx, R. W., Krajcik, J. S., Guzdial, M., & Palincsar, A. (1991). Motivating project-based learning: Sustaining the doing, supporting the learning. Educational psychologist, 26(3-4), 369-398. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.1991.9653139

Bruner, J. (1990). Culture and human development: A new look. Human development, 33(6), 344-355. https://doi.org/10.1159/000276535

Burhanuddin, W. (2012). Using Inquiry Method to Improve the Students' Reading Comprehension (a Classroom Action Research). Exposure, 1(1), 126-146. https://doi.org/10.26618/ejpbi.v1i1.765

Burrowes, P. A. (2003). A student-centered approach to teaching general biology that really works: Lord's constructivist model put to a test. The American Biology Teacher, 65(7), 491-502. https://doi.org/10.2307/4451548

Cakir, M. (2008). Constructivist approaches to learning in science and their implications for science pedagogy: A literature review. International journal of environmental and science education, 3(4), 193-206. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.859

Chen, H. T., Wang, H. H., Lin, H. S., P. Lawrenz, F., & Hong, Z. R. (2014). Longitudinal study of an after-school, inquiry-based science intervention on low-achieving children's affective perceptions of learning science. International Journal of Science Education, 36(13), 2133-2156. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2014.910630

Chu, S. K. W., Reynolds, R. B., Tavares, N. J., Notari, M., & Lee, C. W. Y. (2017). 21st-century skills development through inquiry-based learning. Singapore: Springer Singapore. DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-2481-8

Chu, S. K. W., Tse, S. K., Loh, E. K. Y., & Chow, K. (2011). Collaborative inquiry project-based learning: Effects on reading ability and interests. Library & Information Science Research, 33(3), 236-243. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2010.09.008

Chu, S. K. W., Tse, S. K., Loh, E. K. Y., Chow, K., Fung, H. F., & Ng, H. W. R. (2008). Primary four students develop reading ability through inquiry-based learning projects. Selected papers from the 37th Annual Conference of the International Association of School Librarianship and the Twelfth International Forum on Research in School Librarianship. International Association of School Librarianship. https://doi.org/10.29173/iasl7964

Crouch, C. H., & Mazur, E. (2001). Peer instruction: Ten years of experience and results. American journal of physics, 69(9), 970-977. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.1374249

Dwyer, B. (2016). Engaging all students in internet research and inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 69(4), 383-389. https://teach.mozilla.org/teach-like-mozilla/web-literacy

Ebert-May, D., Brewer, C., & Allred, S. (1997). Innovation in large lectures: Teaching for active learning. Bioscience, 47(9), 601-607. https://doi.org/10.2307/1313166

Edelson, D. C., Gordin, D. N., & Pea, R. D. (1999). Addressing the challenges of inquiry-based learning through technology and curriculum design. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 8(3-4), 391-450. https://telearn.hal.science/hal-00190609v1

Egan, J. P. (1975). Signal Detection Theory and ROC Analysis Academic Press Series in Cognition and Perception. London, UK: Academic Press. https://lccn.loc.gov/74030817

Einstein, A. (1982). How I created the theory of relativity. Physics today, 35(8), 45-47. https://doi.org/10.2307/27757844

Ekaningrum, V. C., & Prabandari, C. S. (2016). Students" Perception on Pre-reading Activities in Basic Reading II Class of the English Language Education Study Program of Sanata Dharma University. LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching, 18(2), 133-140. http://www.readingrockets.org/article/29624

Elkind, D. (1967). Piaget's theory of perceptual development: Its application to reading and special education. The Journal of Special Education, 1(4), 357-361. https://doi.org/10.1177/002246696700100404

Fielding, N. G. (2012). Triangulation and mixed methods designs: Data integration with new research technologies. Journal of mixed methods research, 6(2), 124-136. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689812437101

French, D., & Russell, C. (2002). Do graduate teaching assistants benefit from teaching inquiry-based laboratories? BioScience, 52(11), 1036-1041. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2002)052[1036:DGTABF]2.0.CO;2

Gibbs Jr, R. W. (1988). Psycholinguistic studies on the conceptual basis of idiomaticity. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4115(08)61535-6

Gormally, C., Brickman, P., Hallar, B., & Armstrong, N. (2009). Effects of inquiry-based learning on students" science literacy skills and confidence. International journal for the scholarship of teaching and learning, 3(2), 16. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2009.030216

Gray, R., & Roger, C. (1987). Conservative laryngectomy: An effective treatment for severe aspiration in motor neurone disease. The Journal of Laryngology & Otology, 101(3), 283-285. https://doi.org/10.1177/000348948809700506

Griffiths*, R. (2004). Knowledge production and the research–teaching nexus: The case of the built environment disciplines. Studies in Higher education, 29(6), 709-726. https://doi.org/10.1080/0307507042000287212

Hake, R. R. (1998). Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. American journal of Physics, 66(1), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.18809

Healey, M., & Roberts, J. (2004). Active learning and the swap shop. Engaging students in active learning: case studies in geography, environment and related disciplines. Cheltenham: University of Gloucestershire, Geography Discipline Network and School of Environment, pp1-8. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098260500130684

Healey, M., Jordan, F., Pell, B., & Short, C. (2010). The research–teaching nexus: a case study of students' awareness, experiences, and perceptions of research. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 47(2), 235-246. http://trnexus.edu.au/uploads/downloads/TR%20Questionnaire.pdf

Hmelo-Silver, C. E. (2004). Problem-based learning: What and how do students learn? Educational psychology review, 16(3), 235-266. https://doi.org/10.1177/016235329702000402

Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Duncan, R. G., & Chinn, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in problem-based and inquiry learning: a response to Kirschner, Sweller, and. Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 99-107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520701263368

Ho, H. N. J., Tsai, M. J., Wang, C. Y., & Tsai, C. C. (2014). Prior knowledge and online inquiry-based science reading: Evidence from eye tracking. International journal of science and mathematics education, 12(3), 525-554. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2022.2072013

Hutchings, K. (2007). Ecocriticism in British romantic studies. Literature Compass, 4(1), 172-202. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-4113.2006.00417.x

Hutchison, A., & Reinking, D. (2011). Teachers" perceptions of integrating information and communication technologies into literacy instruction: A national survey in the United States. Reading Research Quarterly, 46(4), 312-333. https://doi.org/10.1002/RRQ.002

Igelsrud, D., & Leonard , M. A. (1988). Sound Ideas. The American Biology Teacher, 183-186. https://doi.org/10.1662/0002-7685(2000)062[0378:RPM]2.0.CO;2

Justice, C., Rice, J., Roy, D., Hudspith, B., & Jenkins, H. (2009). Inquiry-based learning in higher education: administrators" perspectives on integrating inquiry pedagogy into the curriculum. Higher education, 58(6), 841. DOI 10.1007/s10734-009-9228-7

Kember, D. (1997). A reconceptualisation of the research into university academics' conceptions of teaching. Learning and instruction, 7(3), 255-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0959-4752(96)00028-X

Knight, J. K., & Wood, W. B. (2005). Teaching more by lecturing less. Cell biology education, 4(4), 298-310. https://doi.org/10.1187/05-06-0082

Laugksch, R. C., & Spargo, P. E. (1996). Construction of a paper-and-pencil test of basic scientific literacy based on selected literacy goals recommended by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Public Understanding of Science, 5(4), 331. DOI 10.1088/0963-6625/5/4/003

Lawson, A. E. (1982). The nature of advanced reasoning and science instruction. Journal of Research in Science teaching, 19(9), 743-760. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660190904

Lee, H. L. (2004). The triple-A supply chain. Harvard business review, 82(10), 102-113. https://doi.org/10.5465/20159613

Lee, V. S. (2012). What is inquiry?guided learning? New directions for teaching and learning, 2012(129), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20002

Leonard, J. S. (1989). Women and affirmative action. Journal of Economic perspectives, 3(1), 61-75. DOI: 10.1257/jep.3.1.61

Levy, P., & Petrulis, R. (2012). How do first-year university students experience inquiry and research, and what are the implications for the practice of inquiry-based learning? Studies in Higher Education, 37(1), 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2010.499166

Linn, M. C., Disessa, A., Pea, R. D., & Songer, N. B. (1994). Can research on science learning and instruction inform standards for science education?. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 3, 7-15. https://telearn.hal.science/hal-00190577v1

Linn, M. C., Songer, N. B. & Eylon, B. S. (2996). Knowledge integration and displaced volume. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 9, 287-310. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543058003251

Lott, D. (1983). Analysing and counteracting interference errors. ELT journal, 37(3), 256-261. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/37.3.256

Luckie, D. B., Maleszewski, J. J., Loznak, S. D., & Krha, M. (2004). Infusion of collaborative inquiry throughout a biology curriculum increases student learning: a four-year study of “Teams and Streams”. Advances in Physiology Education, 28(4), 199-209. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00025.2004

Maaß, K., & Artigue, M. (2013). Implementation of inquiry-based learning in day-to-day teaching: a synthesis. ZDM, 45(6), 779-795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2015.02.003

Mansourian, Y. (2010). Evolving perceptions of LIS students about their discipline: Action research with inquiry-based learning approach. Library Review, 59(3), 185-197. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242531011031179

Mayer, R. E. (2004). Should there be a three-strikes rule against pure discovery learning?. American psychologist, 59(1), 14. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0003-066X.59.1.14

McMeniman, J. P., Defoor, P. J., & Galyean, M. L. (2009). Evaluation of the National Research Council (1996) dry matter intake prediction equations and relationships between intake and performance by feedlot cattle1. Journal of Animal Science, 87(3), 1138. DOI:10.2527/jas.2008-1326

McShane,M.S and Glinow,G. 2005. More than understanding. Management Teaching Review, 3(4), 268-270. https://doi.org/10.1177/2379298118810834

Menggo, S. (2018). English learning motivation and speaking ability. Journal of Psychology and Instruction, 2(2), 70-76. https://doi.org/10.23887/jpai.v2i2.15979

National Research Council, Division of Behavioral, Board on Science Education, National Committee on Science Education Standards, & Assessment. (1995). National science education standards. National Academies Press. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=National+Science+Education+Standards+and+National+Research+Council+%28NRC%29+%281996%3A105%29+&btnG=

Natural Curiosity, J. (2011). Natural curiosity. PUtting Knowledge to Work: New DIrections for Knowledge-First Epistemology. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0023020

Nguyen, H. T. (2009). An inquiry-based practicum model: What knowledge, practices, and relationships typify empowering teaching and learning experiences for student teachers, cooperating teachers, and college supervisors? Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5), 655-662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.10.001

Omaggi, E. 1993. Developing EFL learners’ intercultural communicative competence: A gap to be filled. Journal of English as an International Language: From defining EIL competence to designing EIL learning, 86-99. DOI 10.1088/0268-1242/8/1S/024

Papi, M., & Abdollahzadeh, E. (2012). Teacher motivational practice, student motivation, and possible L2 selves: An examination in the Iranian EFL context. Language learning, 62(2), 571-594. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00632.x

Parappilly, M., Siddiqui, S., Zadnik, M., Shapter, J., & Schmidt, L. (2013). An inquiry-based approach to laboratory experiences: Investigating students' ways of active learning. International Journal of Innovation in Science and Mathematics Education, 21(5), 42-53. http://pareonline.net/getvn.asp?v=15&n=11

Pardede, P. (2010). A Review on Reading Theories and its Implication to the Teaching of Reading. UKI: ELT'n Edu~ A cyber-ELT & Edu service from Universitas Kristen Indonesia. https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/theories-reading-2

Prince, M. J., & Felder, R. M. (2006). Inductive teaching and learning methods: Definitions, comparisons, and research bases. Journal of engineering education, 95(2), 123-138. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2168-9830.2006.tb00884.x

Savery, J. R. (2015). Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S. Barrows, 9, 5-15. http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/ijpbl/

Scardamalia, M. (2002). Collective cognitive responsibility for the advancement of knowledge. Liberal education in a knowledge society, 97, 67-98. http://csile.oise.utoronto.ca/abstracts/distributed/

Schneider, B., Salvaggio, A. N., & Subirats, M. (2002). Climate strength: a new direction for climate research. Journal of applied psychology, 87(2), 220. DOI: 10.1037//0021-9010.87.2.220

Shymansky, J. A. (1990). A reassessment of the effects of inquiry?based science curricula of the 60's on student performance. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27(2), 127-144. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.3660270205

Smith, A. (1776). 1994. Teachers perceptions of the special education work environment: Does experience make a difference. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8578.1994.tb00081.x

Smith, P. H., Tamppari, L. K., Arvidson, R. E., Bass, D., Blaney, D., Boynton, W. V., ... & Zent, A. P. (2009). H2O at the Phoenix landing site. Science, 325(5936), 58-61. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172339

Spronken-Smith, R. (2012). Experiencing the process of knowledge creation: The nature and use of inquiry-based learning in higher education. In International Colloquium on Practices for Academic Inquiry. University of Otago (pp. 1-17) http://www.sedl.org/pubs/sedletter/v09n03/practice.html

Spronken-Smith, R., Bullard, J. O., Ray, W., Roberts, C., & Keiffer, A. (2008). Where might sand dunes be on Mars? Engaging students through inquiry-based learning in geography. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 32(1), 71-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2011.616584

Stanovich, K. E. (1980). Toward an interactive-compensatory model of individual differences in the development of reading fluency. Reading research quarterly, 32-71. https://doi.org/10.2307/747348

Tien, L. T., Roth, V., & Kampmeier, J. A. (2002). Implementation of a peer?led team learning instructional approach in an undergraduate organic chemistry course. Journal of Research in Science Teaching: The Official Journal of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, 39(7), 606-632. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.10038

Tierney, R. J., & Pearson, P. D. (1994). A history of literacy education: Waves of research and practice. Teachers College Press. https://doi.org/10.30957/cendekia.v8i2.63

Udovic, D., Morris, D., Dickman, A., Postlethwait, J., & Wetherwax, P. (2002). Workshop biology: demonstrating the effectiveness of active learning in an introductory biology course. Bioscience, 52(3), 272-281. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006-3568(2002)052[0272:WBDTEO]2.0.CO;2

Von Secker, C. E., & Lissitz, R. W. (1999). Estimating the impact of instructional practices on student achievement in science. Journal of research in science teaching, 36(10), 1110-1126. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1098-2736(199912)36:10%3C1110::AID-TEA4%3E3.0.CO;2-T

Wee, B., Fast, J., Shepardson, D., Harbor, J., & Boone, W. (2004). Students' Perceptions of Environmental?Based Inquiry Experiences. School Science and Mathematics, 104(3), 112-118. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1949-8594.2004.tb17991.x

Weinstein, C. E. (1982). Training students to use elaboration learning strategies. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 7(4), 301-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/0361-476X(82)90013-3

Yeung, S. Y. S. (2009). Is student-centered pedagogy impossible in Hong Kong? The case of inquiry in classrooms. Asia Pacific Education Review, 10(3), 377-386. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/320/

?yszkowska, W. (2015). Map perception: theories and research in the second half of the twentieth century. Polish Cartographical Review, 47(4), 179-190. https://doi.org/10.1515/pcr-2015-0017

Downloads

Published

2025-05-06

How to Cite

Seam, C. (2025). THE EFFECT OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ON READING PERCEPTION TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. Jurnal As-Salam, 9(1), 67–89. https://doi.org/10.37249/assalam.v9i1.848