Moderating effects of teacher feedback on the associations among inquiry-based science practices and students’ science-related attitudes and beliefs

This study aims to examine the moderating effect of teacher feedback on the associations among inquiry-based science teaching and learning practices and students’ science-related attitudes and beliefs. The data set included 9, 841 15-year-old students from four Chinese provinces (Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Guangdong) who took part in the sixth cycle of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Multiple regression analyses revealed a significant negative association between inquiry-based science practices and students’ epistemological beliefs about science, but the teacher feedback could significantly and positively moderate this association. The results also showed that inquiry-based science practices had significant positive relationships with students’ interest in and enjoyment of science, and science self-efficacy. Moreover, teacher feedback was significantly and positively associated with students’ epistemological beliefs, interest in and enjoyment of science throughout the inquiry process. This study sheds light on the optimal implementation of inquiry-based practices, especially towards improving students’ science-related attitudes and beliefs.