[A Study of Inquiry-Based Teaching on the Performance of Black Students on Standardized Tests in Biological Science]

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Acknowledgement

I would like to thank to my supervisor supporting me throughout my project and giving his valuable suggestions. Finally thanks to all my friends and family for their utmost support and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

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Abstract

Recent statistics in the scoring of Inquiry-based science teaching show a marked difference in the scores of black students as compared to their white peers. This particular difference raises concerns for both edification players and students alike. Researchers have sought to understand reasons for underachievement of Black students in core subjects, including science, and found low socio economic status, family influences, failing schools, cultural gaps, lack of Black teachers, and lack of parental involvement as some of the causes Achievement data collected from TIMSS (2007) and PISA(2009) suggested that students of color and students from economically disadvantaged families are underachieving at alarming rates when compared to their White and economically advantaged peer groups (Education Trust, 2005). Closing the academic achievement gap is the highest priority of U.S. schools This situation warrants further investigation to understand why gaps in science achievement among Black, White and an increasing number of multiracial students still persist The current study seeks to determine whether inquiry-based science teaching can improve the scores of Black students on standardized tests In this study, an experimental method was employed to gain insight on inquiry-based laboratory investigation methods to determine its effect on Black student's achievement in standardized tests. The participants were randomly selected and randomly assigned to two groups. One group was exposed to inquiry-based teaching and the control group with conventional method of teaching. The result of the experiments was quantified and the two groups compared to examine the effect of inquiry-based teaching and scores of Black students in biology EOCT.

Data was using EOCT scores in biology conducted by Georgia (DOE, 2011). Repeated- measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to evaluate the mean differences between the groups of students exposed to inquiry-based teaching with students in a traditional classroom. This present study proves to be of great consequence for school administrations and policy makers in the educational domain, as they would be in a better position to account for the difference in scores of students belonging to different races. Corrective steps will minimize similar occurrences in the future. This might provide further pragmatic guidelines for similar settings involving other multi-cultural and multi-race class rooms.

METHODOLOGY

Hypotheses

H0.: in classes where teachers use inquiry-based laboratory investigations Students do not score better on standardized tests as compared to students studying taught under conventional pedagogy .

H1a.: in classes where teachers use inquiry based investigation, students show significant improvement ...