Improving students' inquiry learning in web‐based environments by providing structure: Does the teacher matter or platform matter?
Authors: Cui Yiran , Zhao Guoqing , Zhang Danhui 
Published: February 2022

Web‐based scientific inquiry learning is characterized as providing an autonomy‐supportive environment for students to solve scientific problems. However, as a complementary approach for improving students' learning, structure‐supportive strategies in a web‐based learning environment deserve further exploration. Whilst both teachers and platforms could make essential contributions in providing structure support, research findings concerning how teachers could successfully interact with the platform in such an environment are scarce. Grounded on self‐determination theory, two quasi‐experimental studies with pre and post measurements were conducted to address two questions. First, whether structure support could improve students' inquiry learning in an autonomous web‐based inquiry learning environment? Second, what is the relationship between teachers and platforms in doing this? As hypothesized, study 1 provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of applying structure‐supportive instructional strategies in autonomous web‐based scientific inquiry. Study 2 confirmed that students performed best in the class with high structure support provided by both teachers and platforms. The results shed light on the positive impacts of integrating both autonomy and structure support and emphasize the critical role of teachers in a web‐based inquiry learning environment. Additionally, they infer a possible causal link between the efficient application of structure strategies and students' learning outcomes.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

A web‐based scientific inquiry learning environment is helpful in assisting science inquiry learning. However, appropriate scaffolding is critical for students in regulating their learning.

The autonomy‐ and structure‐supportive strategies could positively influence students' academic performance in the traditional face‐to‐face environment. However, how to integrate both strategies in web‐based learning environments deserves more exploration.

Both teachers and platforms should make important contributions in providing structure support, but empirical evidence on how to integrate both are highly needed.

What this paper adds

The findings of the current study contribute to the growing body of literature by highlighting the potential importance of self‐determination theory (SDT) in designing instructional strategies from an integrated perspective, particularly in a web‐based scientific learning environment.

The results shed light on the positive impacts of integrating both autonomy and structure support, but also provide more implications inferring a possible causal link between the efficient application of structure strategies and students' learning outcomes.

The results further indicated the essential role of teachers in a web‐based inquiry science environment.

Implications for practice and/or policy

As we recognize the significance of autonomy‐supportive web‐based learning environments, its weaknesses should not be ignored. In designing such a platform, appropriate structure‐supportive strategies should be integrated to assist Chinese students in self‐regulating their learning.

It is of practical significance for teachers to explore how to better cope with the use of platforms in the classroom and provide meaningful guidance for their students.