Inquiry competence for the study of biodiversity in secondary education: academic performance and pedagogical practices

Abstract

This study analyzes pedagogical practices and student performance in relation to the inquiry competency for the study of biodiversity in Natural Sciences, with the aim of identifying opportunities for improvement at the Rogelio Rodríguez Severiche Educational Institution, located in the urban area of ​​the municipality of Sincelejo, Sucre, Colombia. The research is supported by a mixed-methods perspective, involving qualitative and quantitative elements, which adopts and employs semi-structured interviews with three secondary school teachers and a diagnostic test for 30 ninth-grade students as methodological strategies. Mixed-methods techniques were used for data collection and analysis. The results show that, although teachers value inquiry and promote active approaches in the classroom, limitations persist in the use of structured assessment instruments. Regarding biodiversity, its teaching is mainly based on theoretical and visual approaches, with little connection to the local environment. The diagnostic test revealed that the majority of students were in the medium-low and medium-high performance levels, with no presence at the high level. These results demonstrate the need to strengthen didactic planning, curricular contextualization, and assessment strategies, promoting more situated teaching consistent with the scientific inquiry competency.