A Dynamic Theory of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching Adaptation

Thesis Abstract

This study addresses the persistent gap between inquiry-based science teaching (IBST) ideals and classroom realities, where teachers often struggle to adapt inquiry practices to diverse student cohorts, curricular demands, and resource constraints. The problem centers on the limited theoretical guidance for dynamic adaptation of IBST that accounts for contextual shifts, student diversity, and evolving scientific practices. The aim is to develop a Dynamic Theory of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching Adaptation (DTIBSTA) that explicates how teachers continuously adjust pedagogical moves, scaffolding, and assessment to sustain inquiry quality while achieving learning outcomes. Specific objectives are (a) to identify factors that trigger pedagogical adaptation in IBST across secondary science classrooms; (b) to model the processes and sequences through which teachers enact adaptive strategies in response to student feedback, materials, and time pressures; (c) to examine the impact of adaptive IBST on students’ scientific inquiry skills, conceptual understanding, and motivation; (d) to validate a dynamic theoretical framework that integrates elements from constructivist theory, sociocultural theory of learning, and Variation Theory; and (e) to formulate actionable guidelines for professional development focused on adaptive inquiry practices. The study adopts a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional survey will be administered to 240 secondary science teachers and 4,800 students across 12 schools, employing a validated Instrument for Measuring Adaptation in Inquiry-Based Teaching (IMAIBT) and standardized assessments of inquiry skill development (ISED) and science motivation scales. Data will be analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test relationships among adaptive teaching practices, contextual factors, and student outcomes. In the qualitative phase, purposive sampling will select 24 teachers representing high, medium, and low adaptation profiles for in-depth classroom observations (n = 96 lessons) and semi-structured interviews (n = 48). Thematic analysis will identify patterns of adaptive moves, triggers, and situational constraints, while process tracing will map sequences of decision-making in response to real-time classroom events. Instrument validity will be established through content validity panels with science education experts and pilot testing in two schools. Reliability will be assessed with Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability measures. Expected findings indicate that DTIBSTA will reveal a set of core adaptive mechanisms (i) diagnostic assessment loops that continuously align inquiry tasks with learner prior knowledge and misconceptions; (ii) flexible scaffolding configurations that adjust cognitive complexity, discourse norms, and collaborative structures; (iii) resource reconfiguration strategies that substitute or augment materials to sustain inquiry affordances; and (iv) feedback-driven task evolution that modulates inquiry prompts, evidence collection, and reflective discourse. It is anticipated that higher degrees of effective adaptive practice will significantly predict gains in students’ inquiry competencies (? > .40, p < .01) and intrinsic motivation (? > .25, p < .05), with school resource adequacy and teacher professional learning quality acting as moderating variables. The qualitative findings are expected to illuminate the tacit knowledge underpinning adaptive routines and how teachers negotiate tensions between curriculum standards and inquiry integrity, thereby enriching the theoretical synthesis. The study contributes to knowledge by theorizing a Dynamic Theory of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching Adaptation that integrates constructivist and sociocultural perspectives with empirical observations of classroom adaptation, operationalizing a practical model for professional development and policy design. The DTIBSTA framework will offer testable propositions about how adaptive decisions unfold temporally, how context shapes adaptive pathways, and how adaptive IBST influences student outcomes across diverse contexts. The recommendations will include (a) professional development programs that cultivate metacognitive awareness of adaptive strategies and evidence-based decision-making; (b) classroom protocols and assessment rubrics aligned with adaptive inquiry cycles; and (c) policy guidance to allocate resources that enable flexible inquiry environments, including time for reflective practice and access to diverse manipulatives and digital simulations. The study concludes that deliberate, theory-driven adaptation is essential for sustaining high-quality IBST and equipping students with robust inquiry skills necessary for 21st-century scientific literacy.