Analysis of Student Learning Trajectories in Inquiry-Based Science Learning

Abstract

This study aims to analyze student learning trajectories in the context of inquiry-based science learning, with a particular focus on how students’ conceptual understanding and thinking processes develop throughout inquiry activities. Employing a qualitative research design, the study involved students participating in structured inquiry-based science learning encompassing problem orientation, question formulation, exploration, data analysis, and conclusion drawing. Data were collected through classroom observations, student worksheets, written responses, and excerpts of classroom discussions, and were analyzed using thematic analysis grounded in the learning trajectories framework. The findings reveal that inquiry-based learning generates diverse learning trajectories, including progressive conceptual trajectories, partial trajectories, and constrained trajectories, reflecting variations in students’ cognitive engagement and conceptual development. The results indicate that inquiry-based learning facilitates the gradual restructuring of students’ conceptual understanding and supports the development of higher-order thinking skills, although students follow different paths in achieving scientific understanding. This study contributes to science education literature by highlighting the importance of examining learning processes rather than solely learning outcomes and underscores the value of learning trajectories as an analytical lens for understanding student learning in inquiry-based science classrooms.