The influence of prior knowledge on experiment design guidance in a science inquiry context

Figures & data

Figure 1. The learning environment.

Figure 2. Online virtual lab ‘Splash’: Archimedes’ principle lab.

Figure 3. Regular experiment design tool.

Figure 4. Minimalist experiment design tool.

Figure 5. Flowchart reflection questions.

Table 1. Test scores by condition.

Test	EDT (N = 52)		EDT+ (N = 48)		EDT− (N = 47)		Total (N = 147)
	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
Buoyancy (max = 25)
Pre-test	16.04	7.31	15.40	7.78	17.28	6.93	16.22	7.34
Post-test	20.69	4.16	19.54	6.27	21.15	4.79	20.46	5.14
Difference score	4.65	6.92	4.15	5.66	3.87	6.24	4.24	6.28
Archimedes’ principle (max = 33)
Pre-test	7.33	6.66	7.15	5.36	7.45	5.56	7.31	5.88
Post-test	13.71	8.59	12.77	6.92	12.83	6.88	13.12	7.50
Difference score	6.38	6.25	5.63	7.24	5.38	5.65	5.82	6.39

Table 2. Classification of students based on their prior knowledge.

Type of student	Pre-test buoyancy	Pre-test Archimedes’ principle
Low prior knowledge	0–6 correct	0–8 correct
Low-intermediate prior knowledge	7–12 correct	9–16 correct
High-intermediate prior knowledge	13–18 correct	17–24 correct
High prior knowledge	19–25 correct	25–33 correct

Table 3. Statistics of students within their prior knowledge group.

PK	Test values			Condition
				EDT−			EDT			EDT+			Total
	H		p	N	M	SD	N	M	SD	N	M	SD	N	M	SD
Buoyancy knowledge gain
L	5.404	2	.067	5	11.20	5.26	7	16.00	4.97	9	8.33	6.02	21	11.57	6.25
L-I	0.358	2	.836	9	8.22	6.12	11	8.18	5.29	12	7.08	5.87	32	7.78	5.59
H-I	2.555	2	.279	8	6.50	4.72	13	3.46	4.91	8	5.00	4.72	29	4.72	4.81
H	0.111	2	.946	25	0.00	3.86	21	−0.24	2.90	19	−0.53	2.12	65	−0.92	3.08
Archimedes’ principle knowledge gain
L	0.536	2	.765	31	6.16	5.70	32	6.00	6.56	29	6.90	8.03	92	6.34	6.74
L-I	6.204	2	.045	14	3.86	5.76	15	8.67	4.98	17	4.41	5.26	46	5.63	5.63
H-I	–	–	–	2	4.00	2.83	3	−0.33	6.66	2	−2.50	3.54	7	0.29	5.06
H	–	–	–	–	–	–	2	5.50	0.71	–	–	–	2	5.50	0.71

Table 4. Test scores of students with low and low-intermediate prior knowledge about Archimedes’ principle.

Test	EDT (n = 32)		EDT+ (n = 29)		EDT− (n = 31)		Total (n = 92)
	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
Low prior knowledge students
Pre-test	3.13	3.12	3.62	3.28	4.35	3.37	3.70	3.26
Post-test	9.13	6.46	10.52	7.02	10.52	6.21	10.03	6.52
Difference score	6.00	6.56	6.90	8.03	6.16	5.70	6.34	6.74
Test	EDT (n = 15)		EDT+ (n = 17)		EDT− (n = 14)		Total (n = 46)
	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD	M	SD
Low-intermediate prior knowledge students
Pre-test	11.60	1.99	11.94	2.30	12.57	3.11	12.02	2.46
Post-test	20.27	5.75	16.35	5.45	16.42	5.75	17.82	5.81
Difference score	8.67	4.98	4.41	5.26	3.86	5.76	5.63	5.63