The Effects of Argument-Driven Inquiry on Grade 12 Students’ Competency in Interpreting Data and Evidence Scientifically and Learning Achievement in Chemistry

Abstract

     This research aimed to 1. Compare students’ pretest and posttest competency in interpreting data and evidence scientifically, and evaluate whether the posttest competency exceeded the 70% criterion, after learning through Argument-Driven Inquiry and 2. Compare students’ pretest and posttest chemistry learning achievement, and to evaluate whether the posttest learning achievement exceeded the 70% criterion, after learning through Argument-Driven Inquiry. The sample consisted of 30 Grade 12 students (Mathayom 6/4) from the Piboonbumpen Demonstration School, Burapha University, during the second semester of the 2025 academic year, selected through cluster random sampling. The research instruments comprised 1) Argument-Driven Inquiry lesson plans in chemistry, 2) Competency test in interpreting data and evidence scientifically, and 3) A chemistry learning achievement test. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired-samples t-test, and one-sample t-test.
     The results revealed that 1. Students’ competency in interpreting data and evidence scientifically after learning through Argument-Driven Inquiry, was significantly higher in the posttest than in the pretest at the .05 level of statistical significance. Nevertheless, the overall posttest scores did not exceed the 70% criterion; however, the posttest scores for competency indicator 2 exceeded the 70% criterion, whereas indicator 1 reached the criterion. 2. Students’ chemistry learning achievement after learning through Argument-Driven Inquiry, was significantly higher in the posttest than in the pretest at the .05 level of statistical significance. Nevertheless, the overall posttest scores did not exceed the 70% criterion; however, the posttest scores for the learning achievement domains of analysis and synthesis exceeded the 70% criterion.