How Does an Inquiry-Based Instructional Approach Predict the STEM Creative Productivity of Specialized Science High School Students?

Creative productivity has not been studied much as an outcome of specialized science high schools. Rather, STEM career choices, acquisition of a STEM degree, and taking advanced STEM courses were taken as outcomes. This study examined whether the inquiry-based instructional approaches experienced by students predict their creative productivity and whether its effects are mediated through co-cognitive factors, school engagement, and school GPA. This study is part of a national longitudinal study about students from Science Academies, a type of specialized science high school in South Korea. A total of 599 students at Science Academies were surveyed on experiences of inquiry-based instructional approaches, co-cognitive factors, school engagement, and school GPA in math and science in their second year, and on creative productivity in their last year at Science Academies. Creative productivity was measured by the number of awards received from STEM competitions for research, problem solving, or projects. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the convergent validity of the measurement model. Structural equation modeling analysis and bootstrapping analysis revealed the direct, indirect, and total effects of inquiry-based instructional approaches on creative productivity. Inquiry-based instructional approaches experienced by students at Science Academies had a sequentially positive impact on co-cognitive factors, school engagement, and school GPA, ultimately contributing to creative productivity.