Abstract
The development of scientifically literate learners that are able to think critically forms the cornerstone of the current Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) curriculum taught in South African schools. This research investigated the use of mobile technology in abductive inquiry-based teaching and learning of chemical bonding by Grade 11 Physical Sciences learners. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design that entailed first collecting quantitative data and then qualitative data to help explain or elaborate on the quantitative results. Two grade 11 Physical Sciences classes were randomly designated as the experimental and control groups at each school. The experimental group experienced activities in a laboratory using mobile technology-enhanced abductive scientific inquiry through the Molecular workbench web-based simulation activities, while the control group did activities in abductive scientific inquiry in a science laboratory without using mobile learning technology. The principal findings from the two schools used in the study indicated that learners within the control group, who were not making use of mobile technologies, experienced a significant increase in their ability to create a scientifically accurate hypothesis which was in accordance with accepted existing scientific knowledge from a phenomenon observed in hands-on science experiments done in class.
Even though similar results were not obtained by the experimental group making use of mobile devices, learners felt that they learnt better in class using mobile-assisted abductive inquiry activities. Participants within the experimental group felt that it created a sense of learner agency amongst themselves, developed their communication skills, made them feel responsible for their own learning and also made learning scientific concepts more fun as opposed to what they are normally exposed to.