The Effect of Integrating Aesthetic Understanding in Reflective Inquiry Activities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of integrating aesthetic understanding in reflective inquiry activities. Three typical classes of Taiwanese eighth graders (n = 106) and nine additional low‐achieving students in the same school participated in the study. The treatment for experimental students emphasized scaffolding aesthetic understanding and reflections on inquiry strategies. It was found that the experimental group students consistently outperformed their counterparts on the post‐test and the delayed post‐test in conceptual understanding and application of science knowledge. In addition, the low‐achieving students were motivated by the treatment and made significant progress on the two tests. The results of interview and classroom observation also revealed that the intervention made a difference in students’ affective perceptions.

Keywords:

• Conceptual understanding
• Inquiry
• Reflection
• Aesthetic understanding

Acknowledgement

The authors are thankful for the support of National Science Council, Taiwan, under grant NSC 96‐2511‐S‐026‐002‐MY3.