Application of the Scientific Method in Biology Teaching at the High School Level
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/cieninter.v4i3.118Keywords:
scientific method; Biology teaching; scientific competencies; inquiry; experimentation; scientific thinking.Abstract
The development of scientific competencies is a central goal of science education because it enables students to observe phenomena, formulate questions and hypotheses, conduct experiments, analyze data, and draw evidence-based conclusions. This study aimed to analyze the application of the scientific method in baccalaureate teaching and its relationship with the development of scientific competencies among first-year General Unified Baccalaureate students. A quantitative quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with two intact non-equivalent groups was used. Forty students participated: 20 in Class A, taught through a traditional approach, and 20 in Class B, where a teaching sequence based on the scientific method was implemented in Biology. A 28-item questionnaire organized into six dimensions was answered using a five-point Likert-type frequency scale: Never (1), Almost never (2), Sometimes (3), Almost always (4), and Always (5). Descriptive statistics based on frequencies and percentages were used. In the global assessment of scientific competencies, Class A obtained 53.0% (mean 5.30/10), whereas Class B obtained 78.0% (mean 7.80/10), a descriptive difference of 25 percentage points. Class B also achieved higher results in understanding biological concepts, problem and hypothesis formulation, critical thinking, and practical problem solving. The findings indicate that the application of the scientific method was associated with descriptively higher performance in the assessed scientific competencies; however, the study does not establish definitive causality or statistical significance.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lic. Luis Enrique Gutama Gutama , Franklin Marcelo Coronel Maji
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