Abstract:
Students' scientific inquiry competencies (SICs) are not only essential for success in science-related fields
but also contribute to their overall intellectual and personal development. These competencies prepare
students to face the challenges of the 21st century, promoting lifelong learning and becoming informed,
critically thinking citizens. Therefore, it is important to investigate learning factors that are suspected to be
essential for promoting these competencies. This study aimed to ascertain the mediating effect of learning
approaches on the relationship between social engagement in experiments and SICs. A cross-sectional
survey research design was adopted. 337 Laboratory Science and Technology (LST) students from five
technical institutions in Tanzania were selected to take part in this study. Data were collected by
administering social engagement and learning approaches survey questionnaires as well as the SICs test,
and finally subjected to mediation analysis. The results revealed that students’ social engagement during the
experiment has a significant positive effect on their use of the deep learning approach and not their use of
the surface learning approach. In addition to that, it was found that students’ social engagement during
scientific experiments has a significant positive effect on SICs, both in the presence and absence of
mediators. Also, the results confirmed that students’ use of a deep learning approach has a significant
positive effect on SICs, while students’ use of a surface learning approach has a significant negative effect
on SICs. Lastly, the study established that only students’ use of a deep learning approach was a significant
positive partial mediator of the relationship between students’ social engagement during scientific
experiments and SICs. In conclusion, students’ social engagement and use of a deep learning approach are
beneficial learning factors for promoting students’ SICs. Thus, it was recommended that instructors, while
facilitating students’ execution of laboratory activities, emphasize students’ collaboration and use of a deep
learning approach for enhancing their SICs
