Inquiry-Based Instruction in Science and Mathematics in Middle School Classrooms - Examining Its Association With Students’ Attitudes by Gender and Race/Ethnicity

Oct 15, 2026

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AERA Open 2019 article examines whether students who report more inquiry-based instruction in middle school science and mathematics show more positive attitudes toward these subjects. Multilevel, multivariate regression results indicate that, controlling for student, teacher, and school characteristics, higher inquiry-based instruction frequency associates with greater interest, perceived utility, and self-efficacy. Evidence also explores gender and race/ethnicity differences, concluding that attitudes across groups similarly relate to increased inquiry-based exposure.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

Inquiry-based instruction and student attitudes

Method and statistical approach

Findings on interest, utility, and self-efficacy

Gender and race/ethnicity considerations

AERA Open July-September 2019, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 1–17 DOI: 10. 1177/2332858419867653 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)© The Author(s) 2019. [http://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero](http://journals.sagepub.com/home/ero) Inquiry-Based Instruction in Science and Mathematics in Middle School Classrooms: Examining Its Association With Students’Attitudes by Gender and Race/Ethnicity Catherine Riegle-Crumb University of Texas at Austin Karisma Morton University of North Texas Ursula Nguyen University of Texas at Austin Nilanjana Dasgupta University of Massachusetts, Amherst Utilizing a nationally representative sample of middle school students, this article focuses on whether students who report experiencing more inquiry-based instruction in science and mathematics classrooms have more positive attitudes toward these subjects. Results of multilevel, multivariate regression analyses revealed that, net of the inclusion of control variables for student, teacher, and school characteristics, a higher frequency of inquiry-based instruction is significantly associated with greater interest, perceptions of utility, and self-efficacy for science and mathematics. Furthermore, although there is some evidence indicating that compared with female students, male students’perceptions of science utility are higher in relation to more inquiry-based instruction, overall, the weight of evidence clearly leans toward the conclusion that the attitudes of students from different gender and racial/ethnic backgrounds are similarly associated with greater exposure to inquirybased instruction in both their science and mathematics classrooms. Keywords: mathematics, science, attitudes, gender, race/ethnicity Science and mathematics are foundational subjects in students’educational trajectories, as their successful engagement in these subjects in the K–12 years strongly predicts entry into college as well as entry into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) college majors that typically lead to in-demand and economically lucrative jobs in the global economy (Burkam & Lee, 2003; National Research Council [NRC], 2010; Wang, 2013) . As such, there is a vast research literature focusing on understanding the factors that promote students’achievement in these subjects, primarily centered on standardized test performance and, to a lesser extent, enrollment in advanced high school courses (Maltese & Tai, 2010; Xie & Shauman, 2003). While much has been learned through the concerted attention to science and mathematics performance and course-taking, importantly, such outcomes are necessary but not sufficient predictors of students’motivation to pursue and succeed in future STEM trajectories. Specifically, social psychological research has provided strong evidence that young people’s confidence in their abilities (or self-efficacy), interest, and beliefs about the usefulness of science and mathematics strongly shape their decisions to pursue these subjects in the future (Correll, 2001; Dasgupta & Stout, 2014; Eccles & Wang, 2015). And while children begin formal schooling with highly favorable attitudes regarding science and mathematics, their positivity wanes as they move through middle school, such that many students enter highschool lacking confidence in their ability in these subjects, perceiving them as boring and not particularly relevant for their future (Shapiro & Sax, 2011; Whalen & Shelley, 2010) . Moreover, students who decide that science and mathematics are not “for them” in middle school are unlikely to change their mind as they progress through high school and beyond, and they choose to opt out of science and mathematics classes and activities whenever possible (Morgan, Gelbgiser, & Weeden, 2013; Xie & Shauman, 2003). Therefore, the middle school years represent a key period to intervene and potentially turn the

FAQs

What does the article study regarding inquiry-based instruction?

It evaluates whether students who experience more inquiry-based instruction in middle school science and mathematics report more positive attitudes toward these subjects.

Which student attitude outcomes are associated with higher inquiry-based instruction?

Higher inquiry-based instruction is significantly linked to greater interest, perceptions of utility, and self-efficacy in science and mathematics after controlling for student, teacher, and school characteristics.

Do the results differ by gender or race/ethnicity?

The article notes some evidence that male students’ perceptions of science utility can be higher with more inquiry-based instruction, but overall it finds students’ attitudes across gender and racial/ethnic backgrounds are similarly associated with inquiry-based exposure.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Cart