The Relationship between Elementary Students’ Problem Solving and Inquiry Learning Skills

The individuals of the 21st century are expected to possess life and high end thinking skills such as entrepreneurship, creativity and problem solving skills. Problem solving skills and inquiry skills from this category are much important in terms of their place in education program and daily life. Determining the situation about these skills and relationship between these skills may be important by the content. Therefore, aim of this study is to determine relationship between students’ problem solving and inquiry learning skill perceptions. Within this aim, “problem solving skill perceptions scale” and “inquiry learning skill perceptions scale” used as data collection tools. 553 students studying in lower secondary education participated in this study. Pearson correlation coefficient used in analysis of collected data and relationship between variables were determined. As a result of data analysis, a significant and positive relationship found between students’ inquiry learning skills and problem solving skills. According to this result it was determined that these two variables affect each other in a positive way and it can be said that individuals with improved problem solving skills also have improved inquiry learning skills. Thus, in next studies it should be taken into account that using techniques and methods which encourages students to inquire would also contribute to their problem solving skill perceptions.