Exploring of Inquiry Skills of Teacher Students: Biology, Physics, and Elementary School Teacher Education

Abstract

Inquiry skills are needed by a teacher to create effective learning experiences so that the overall quality of education can improve. This becomes even more important for distance education students, whose characteristics include being independent and active learners. This research aims to determine the level of inquiry abilities of students in the biology education, physics education, and elementary school teacher education programs at the Open University. The subjects of this research were 96 students from various regions. The survey method was implemented by providing an instrument in the form of questions to measure inquiry skills, which were distributed via Google Forms. The research results show that students’ inquiry skills vary. Students in the Biology Education and Physics Education study programs are at an intermediate level, but students in the Elementary School Teacher Education study program are at a low level of inquiry skills. Inquiry skills for each dimension also vary. Based on these results, efforts are needed to improve the inquiry skills of distance education students in the form of training or other habits so that they can implement them.