A Path Analysis for the Enactment of Science as Inquiry among Philippine Science High School Teachers

Abstract

Teaching science as inquiry has not been widespread despite its documented
effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to determine the path model for
Philippine Science High School (PSHS) science teachers’ intentions to enact
inquiry in the classroom anchored on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
The research instrument used consisted of Self-Assessment of Inquiry Practices
(SIP) and Intentions to Teach Inquiry Questionnaire (ITSI). The respondents
of this study were the science teachers of eleven campuses of the PSHS System.
Results showed a moderate enactment of inquiry in the PSHS classrooms. High
mean scores were obtained for levels of intentions to enact inquiry, attitude,
workplace influence, and perceived capacity of the science teachers towards
inquiry. Path analysis showed a strong correlation between attitude towards
inquiry and workplace influence, between attitude and perceived capacity, and
between workplace influence and perceived capacity. Among the three exogenous
variables tested, only attitude significantly predicted the intention of PSHS
science teachers to enact inquiry. Whereas intentions did not significantly predict
the enactment of inquiry, perceived capacity of PSHS science teachers directly
predicted the enactment of inquiry.