과학전람회에 참여한 초등학생의탐구 과정 어려움 분석 = An Analysis of Difficulties in the Inquiry Processes of Elementary Students Participating in Science Fairs

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study aimed to analyze the inquiry processes of elementary school students participating in science fairs and to identify the difficulties that emerge during the inquiry these processes. Eleven student inquiry projects conducted between 2018 and 2026 were examined. Data, including inquiry plans, experimental records, reports, presentation materials, and teacher observation notes, were qualitatively analyzed according to the inquiry phases proposed by Pedaste et al. (2015).
The results showed that the students experienced difficulties in all phases. In the orientation and conceptualization phases, they had difficulty formulating measurable and investigable questions and generating appropriate hypotheses. They also tended to design experiments by changing multiple variables simultaneously rather than systematically structuring variables. In the investigation phase, consistency in measurement and manipulation was not sufficiently maintained. In the data collection and interpretation phase, students struggled to interpret data through repeated measurements and comparisons across conditions and had difficulty identifying patterns and trends from numerical data. In the conclusion phase, they listed results without extending them into generalized explanations, and in the discussion phase, they had difficulty selecting and organizing key findings. These findings suggest that students experience difficulties not only in performing individual inquiry skills, but also in integrating these skills across interconnected inquiry phases. The findings also highlight the need for systematic instructional support at each phase of inquiry.