How much support do students need when formulating hypotheses in a computer-supported inquiry learning environment: The case of a hypothesis formulation software scaffold

The purpose of this study was to identify the optimum support students need to formulate valid hypotheses, in the context of sinking and floating, when completing an inquiry-based learning sequence of activities in a computer-supported learning environment. In so doing, a pre-post design was implemented, which included three conditions differing in the number of words (i.e., variables and conditionals) included in a hypothesis formulation tool to support students formulate their hypotheses. The participants of the study were 62 eleventh graders and data were collected through the use of tests and logfiles. The results showed that all students improved their inquiry skills, however, the improvement was larger for the group with the maximum number of words provided in the hypothesis tool. Another finding was that the students in the third group (no provision of elements) performed significantly better than the other conditions in the content knowledge test. The results of the study are discussed and interpreted based on the complex interplay of structuring and problematizing student tasks and on time spent on learning tasks.