Dr. Ahmad Rafee bin Che Kassim

Deputy Director

Educational Planning and Research Division

Ministry of Education Malaysia

Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE)

in Malaysia

Develop holistic and integrated potential of individuals

• Intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically

balanced and harmonious

• Firm belief in and devotion to God.

• Knowledgeable and competent

• Possess high moral standards

Education in Malaysia

• Learn about themselves and the environment

• Acquire knowledge and skills in science and technology

• Enable pupils to apply these knowledge and skills based

on scientific attitudes and noble values

• To make decisions and solve problems

in everyday life

Aims of the science curriculum in

Malaysia

(a) Knowledge, Understanding and Application,

(b) Skills and Processes

(c) Ethics and Attitudes.

Inquiry is founded on three integral

domains

• View science as meaningful and useful

• Student as an inquirer

• Students enjoy

and value science

Science Curriculum

• Impart the excitement and value of science

• Facilitators and role models

• Creates a learning environment

Teacher is the leader of inquiry

• Scientists and students engage in to study the world

• Critical aspects:

1. the what (content)

2. the how (process)

• Go beyond the facts and

the outcomes

Scientific inquiry

Provide students the opportunities to:

• Ask questions

• Be actively engaged

• Formulate and communicate

Scientific Inquiry

Degree of responsibility students have in:

1. Posing and responding to:

• Questions,

• Designing investigations

• Evaluating

2. Communicating their learning

Inquiry-based learning

• Learn science concepts, principles, and theories;

• Develop science process skills

• Attitudes for scientific inquiry.

• Teachers can incorporate the

features of Question, Evidence,

Explanation, Connections and

Communication and provide students with experiences

Primary purpose for inquiry-based

instruction

• Hands-on learning, from concrete to abstract.

• Meaningful learning experiences

• Cultivate students interest and

curiosity in science

Teachers role

1. Concept Cartoon

2. Concept Mapping

3. Cooperative Learning

4. Demonstration

5. Field Trip

6. Games

7. Investigation

8. Problem Solving

16 suggested approaches of inquiry-

based learning

9. Projects

10. Questioning

11. Role Play, Drama, Dance

and Movement

12. Stories

13. Strategies for Active and

Independent Learning

(SAIL)

16 suggested approaches of inquiry-

based learning

14. Information and Communication Technologies

15. National Education

16. Ethics and Attitudes

Challenges

Factors underlying the declining enrolment

and quality of student outcomes in STEM

Limited awareness about STEM

Perceived difficulty of STEM

Content-heavy curriculum

Inconsistent quality of teaching and learning

Limited and outdated infrastructure

Misconceptions

• Misconception 1: All science taught

through student-directed inquiry.

• Misconception 2: Inquiry cannot be

carried out by students effectively.

• Misconception 3: Inquiry teaching

always occur with hands-on

activities.

Implementation of IBSE in Malaysia

• 1960s – Conducting experiments

• 1960s to 1980s – Science as separate subject, Primary School

• 1983 onwands (KBSR) – Science infused with Geography,

History & Civic (Man and his Environment).

• 1992 - Science as separate subject again.

- Science inquiry programmes in Teachers Training

Institutes and Universities

Implementation of IBSE in Malaysia

• Core strategies: Inquiry and

conduction experiments

• Matriculation Programme

• TIMSS 2007 & TIMSS 2011: students not regularly

conduct experiments

Way Forward

• Future generation: critical, creative, innovative

• IBSE teacher training

• Move from rote learning to constructive

approaches.

Inquiry: Learning through Discovery

• Find information

• Question

• Investigate

• Draw conclusion

• Thinking skills and scientific skills are developed further.

Conclusion

• Every student needs to develop skills of inquiry and learn

how to continue acquiring knowledge throughout their lives.

• Higher-order thinking skills and the ability to innovate are

especially critical in a rapidly evolving technological world

Thank You