inquiry-based learning project: Topics by Science.gov

Sample records for inquiry-based learning project

Urban Schools' Teachers Enacting Project-Based Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

2006-01-01

What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks,…
When Collaborative Learning Meets Nature: Collaborative Learning as a Meaningful Learning Tool in the Ecology Inquiry Based Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rozenszayn, Ronit; Assaraf, Orit Ben-Zvi

2011-01-01

This research suggests utilizing collaborative learning among high school students for better performance on ecology inquiry-based projects. A case study of nine 12th grade students who participated in collaborative learning sessions in the open field and in class is examined. The results show that the students concentrated on discussing the…
"Applying anatomy to something I care about": Authentic inquiry learning and student experiences of an inquiry project.

PubMed

Anstey, Lauren M

2017-11-01

Despite advances to move anatomy education away from its didactic history, there is a continued need for students to contextualize their studies to make learning more meaningful. This article investigates authentic learning in the context of an inquiry-based approach to learning human gross anatomy. Utilizing a case-study design with three groups of students (n = 18) and their facilitators (n = 3), methods of classroom observations, interviews, and artifact collection were utilized to investigate students' experiences of learning through an inquiry project. Qualitative data analysis through open and selective coding produced common meaningful themes of group and student experiences. Overall results demonstrate how the project served as a unique learning experience where learners engaged in the opportunity to make sense of anatomy in context of their interests and wider interdisciplinary considerations through collaborative, group-based investigation. Results were further considered in context of theoretical frameworks of inquiry-based and authentic learning. Results from this study demonstrate how students can engage anatomical understandings to inquire and apply disciplinary considerations to their personal lives and the world around them. Anat Sci Educ 10: 538-548. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.
What Kindergarten Students Learn in Inquiry-Based Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samarapungavan, Ala; Patrick, Helen; Mantzicopoulos, Panayota

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine how participation in an inquiry-based science program impacts kindergarten students' science learning and motivation. The study was implemented as part of a larger, federally funded research project, the Scientific Literacy Project or SLP (Mantzicopoulos, Patrick, & Samarapungavan, 2005). The study…
Teacher Discourse Strategies Used in Kindergarten Inquiry-Based Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Karleah; Crabbe, Jordan Jimmy; Harris, Charlene

2017-01-01

This study examines teacher discourse strategies used in kindergarten inquiry-based science learning as part of the Scientific Literacy Project (SLP) (Mantzicopoulos, Patrick & Samarapungavan, 2005). Four public kindergarten science classrooms were chosen to implement science teaching strategies using a guided-inquiry approach. Data were…
An Inquiry-Based Approach to Teaching Research Methods in Information Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albright, Kendra; Petrulis, Robert; Vasconcelos, Ana; Wood, Jamie

2012-01-01

This paper presents the results of a project that aimed at restructuring the delivery of research methods training at the Information School at the University of Sheffield, UK, based on an Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) approach. The purpose of this research was to implement inquiry-based learning that would allow customization of research methods…
Increasing Bellevue School District's elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science: Using ideas from contemporary learning theory to inform professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maury, Tracy Anne

This Capstone project examined how leaders in the Bellevue School District can increase elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science through the use of professional learning activities that are grounded in ideas from human learning theory. A framework for professional development was constructed and from that framework, a set of professional learning activities were developed as a means to support teacher learning while project participants piloted new curriculum called the Isopod Habitat Challenge. Teachers in the project increased their understanding of the learning theory principles of preconceptions and metacognition. Teachers did not increase their understanding of the principle of learning with understanding, although they did articulate the significance of engaging children in student-led inquiry cycles. Data from the curriculum revision and professional development project coupled with ideas from learning theory, cognition and policy implementation, and learning community literatures suggest Bellevue's leaders can encourage peer-to-peer interaction, link professional development to teachers' daily practice, and capitalize on technology as ways to increase elementary teachers' capacity for teaching inquiry-based science. These lessons also have significance for supporting teacher learning and efficacy in other subject areas and at other levels in the system.
Urban schools' teachers enacting project-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tal, Tali; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.

2006-09-01

What teaching practices foster inquiry and promote students to learn challenging subject matter in urban schools? Inquiry-based instruction and successful inquiry learning and teaching in project-based science (PBS) were described in previous studies (Brown & Campione, [1990]; Crawford, [1999]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, Bass, & Fredricks, [1998]; Krajcik, Blumenfeld, Marx, & Solloway, [1994]; Minstrell & van Zee, [2000]). In this article, we describe the characteristics of inquiry teaching practices that promote student learning in urban schools. Teaching is a major factor that affects both achievement of and attitude of students toward science (Tamir, [1998]). Our involvement in reform in a large urban district includes the development of suitable learning materials and providing continuous and practiced-based professional development (Fishman & Davis, in press; van Es, Reiser, Matese, & Gomez, [2002]). Urban schools face particular challenges when enacting inquiry-based teaching practices like those espoused in PBS. In this article, we describe two case studies of urban teachers whose students achieved high gains on pre- and posttests and who demonstrated a great deal of preparedness and commitment to their students. Teachers' attempts to help their students to perform well are described and analyzed. The teachers we discuss work in a school district that strives to bring about reform in mathematics and science through systemic reform. The Center for Learning Technologies in Urban Schools (LeTUS) collaborates with the Detroit Public Schools to bring about reform in middle-school science. Through this collaboration, diverse populations of urban-school students learn science through inquiry-oriented projects and the use of various educational learning technologies. For inquiry-based science to succeed in urban schools, teachers must play an important role in enacting the curriculum while addressing the unique needs of students. The aim of this article is to describe patterns of good science teaching in urban school.
Teaching Science with Web-Based Inquiry Projects: An Exploratory Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Aubree M.; Knight, Stephanie L.; Wu, X. Ben; Schielack, Jane F.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research is to explore a new computer-based interactive learning approach to assess the impact on student learning and attitudes toward science in a large university ecology classroom. A comparison was done with an established program to measure the relative impact of the new approach. The first inquiry project, BearCam, gives…
Exploring Marine Ecosystems with Elementary School Portuguese Children: Inquiry-Based Project Activities Focused on "Real-Life" Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guilherme, Elsa; Faria, Cláudia; Boaventura, Diana

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate how young students engage in an inquiry-based project driven by real-life contexts. Elementary school children were engaged in a small inquiry project centred on marine biodiversity and species adaptations. All activities included the exploration of an out-of-school setting as a learning context. A total…
"Applying Anatomy to Something I Care About": Authentic Inquiry Learning and Student Experiences of an Inquiry Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anstey, Lauren M.

2017-01-01

Despite advances to move anatomy education away from its didactic history, there is a continued need for students to contextualize their studies to make learning more meaningful. This article investigates authentic learning in the context of an inquiry-based approach to learning human gross anatomy. Utilizing a case-study design with three groups…
Is Project Based Learning More Effective than Direct Instruction in School Science Classrooms? An Analysis of the Empirical Research Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dann, Clifford

An increasingly loud call by parents, school administrators, teachers, and even business leaders for "authentic learning", emphasizing both group-work and problem solving, has led to growing enthusiasm for inquiry-based learning over the past decade. Although "inquiry" can be defined in many ways, a curriculum called "project-based learning" has recently emerged as the inquiry practice-of-choice with roots in the educational constructivism that emerged in the mid-twentieth century. Often, project-based learning is framed as an alternative instructional strategy to direct instruction for maximizing student content knowledge. This study investigates the empirical evidence for such a comparison while also evaluating the overall quality of the available studies in the light of accepted standards for educational research. Specifically, this thesis investigates what the body of quantitative research says about the efficacy of project-based learning vs. direct instruction when considering student acquisition of content knowledge in science classrooms. Further, existing limitations of the research pertaining to project based learning and secondary school education are explored. The thesis concludes with a discussion of where and how we should focus our empirical efforts in the future. The research revealed that the available empirical research contains flaws in both design and instrumentation. In particular, randomization is poor amongst all the studies considered. The empirical evidence indicates that project-based learning curricula improved student content knowledge but that, while the results were statistically significant, increases in raw test scores were marginal.
Guided-Inquiry Experiments for Physical Chemistry: The POGIL-PCL Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunnicutt, Sally S.; Grushow, Alexander; Whitnell, Robert

2015-01-01

The POGIL-PCL project implements the principles of process-oriented, guided-inquiry learning (POGIL) in order to improve student learning in the physical chemistry laboratory (PCL) course. The inquiry-based physical chemistry experiments being developed emphasize modeling of chemical phenomena. In each experiment, students work through at least…
Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills.

PubMed

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy.
Poster Development and Presentation to Improve Scientific Inquiry and Broaden Effective Scientific Communication Skills †

PubMed Central

Rauschenbach, Ines; Keddis, Ramaydalis; Davis, Diane

2018-01-01

We have redesigned a tried-and-true laboratory exercise into an inquiry-based team activity exploring microbial growth control, and implemented this activity as the basis for preparing a scientific poster in a large, multi-section laboratory course. Spanning most of the semester, this project culminates in a poster presentation of data generated from a student-designed experiment. Students use and apply the scientific method and improve written and verbal communication skills. The guided inquiry format of this exercise provides the opportunity for student collaboration through cooperative learning. For each learning objective, a percentage score was tabulated (learning objective score = points awarded/total possible points). A score of 80% was our benchmark for achieving each objective. At least 76% of the student groups participating in this project over two semesters achieved each learning goal. Student perceptions of the project were evaluated using a survey. Nearly 90% of participating students felt they had learned a great deal in the areas of formulating a hypothesis, experimental design, and collecting and analyzing data; 72% of students felt this project had improved their scientific writing skills. In a separate survey, 84% of students who responded felt that peer review was valuable in improving their final poster submission. We designed this inquiry-based poster project to improve student scientific communication skills. This exercise is appropriate for any microbiology laboratory course whose learning outcomes include the development of scientific inquiry and literacy. PMID:29904518
Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors Toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Annetta, Leonard A.; Frazier, Wendy M.; Folta, Elizabeth; Holmes, Shawn; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2013-02-01

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based curricula was employed to determine how science teacher's attitudes and efficacy where impacted while designing science-based video games. The study's mixed-method design ascertained teacher efficacy on five factors (General computer use, Science Learning, Inquiry Teaching and Learning, Synchronous chat/text, and Playing Video Games) related to technology and gaming using a web-based survey). Qualitative data in the form of online blog posts was gathered during the project to assist in the triangulation and assessment of teacher efficacy. Data analyses consisted of an Analysis of Variance and serial coding of teacher reflective responses. Results indicated participants who used computers daily have higher efficacy while using inquiry-based teaching methods and science teaching and learning. Additional emergent findings revealed possible motivating factors for efficacy. This professional development project was focused on inquiry as a pedagogical strategy, standard-based science learning as means to develop content knowledge, and creating video games as technological knowledge. The project was consistent with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework where overlapping circles of the three components indicates development of an integrated understanding of the suggested relationships. Findings provide suggestions for development of standards-based science education software, its integration into the curriculum and, strategies for implementing technology into teaching practices.
Inquiry-Based Integrated Science Education: Implementation of Local Content “Soil Washing” Project To Improve Junior High School Students’ Environmental Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syifahayu

2017-02-01

The study was conducted based on teaching and learning problems led by conventional method that had been done in the process of learning science. It gave students lack opportunities to develop their competence and thinking skills. Consequently, the process of learning science was neglected. Students did not have opportunity to improve their critical attitude and creative thinking skills. To cope this problem, the study was conducted using Project-Based Learning model through inquiry-based science education about environment. The study also used an approach called Sains Lingkungan and Teknologi masyarakat - “Saling Temas” (Environmental science and Technology in Society) which promoted the local content in Lampung as a theme in integrated science teaching and learning. The study was a quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest control group design. Initially, the subjects were given a pre-test. The experimental group was given inquiry learning method while the control group was given conventional learning. After the learning process, the subjects of both groups were given post-test. Quantitative analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U-test and also a qualitative descriptive. Based on the result, environmental literacy skills of students who get inquiry learning strategy, with project-based learning model on the theme soil washing, showed significant differences. The experimental group is better than the control group. Data analysis showed the p-value or sig. (2-tailed) is 0.000 <α = 0.05 with the average N-gain of experimental group is 34.72 and control group is 16.40. Besides, the learning process becomes more meaningful.
Peer Sharing Facilitates the Effect of Inquiry-Based Projects on Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Hui-Min; Behan, Kristina Jackson

2010-01-01

Authentic assessment exercises are similar to real-world tasks that would be expected by a professional. An authentic assessment in combination with an inquiry-based learning activity enhances students' learning and rehearses them for their future roles, whether as scientists or as informed citizens. Over a period of 2 years, we experimented with…
Virtual Solar System Project: Learning through a Technology-Rich, Inquiry-Based, Participatory Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barab, Sasha A.; Hay, Kenneth E.; Squire, Kurt; Barnett, Michael; Schmidt, Rae; Karrigan, Kristen; Yamagata-Lynch, Lisa; Johnson, Christine

2000-01-01

Describes an introductory undergraduate astronomy course in which the large-lecture format was moved to one in which students were immersed in a technologically-rich, inquiry-based, participatory learning environment. Finds that virtual reality can be used effectively in regular undergraduate university courses as a tool through which students can…
What Students Really Think about Doing Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard, Warren

2011-01-01

There are many types of inquiry activities out there: Demonstrations, guided or scaffolded inquiry labs, open- or free-inquiry labs, and problem-based or project-based learning activities are all staples in science education. The importance of inquiry is highlighted in such documents as the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and the…

Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning: POGIL and the POGIL Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moog, Richard S.; Creegan, Frank J.; Hanson, David M.; Spencer, James N.; Straumanis, Andrei R.

2006-01-01

Recent research indicates that students learn best when they are actively engaged and they construct their own understanding. Process-Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) is a student-centered instructional philosophy based on these concepts in which students work in teams on specially prepared activities that follow a learning cycle paradigm.…
Use of Genomic Databases for Inquiry-Based Learning about Influenza

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledley, Fred; Ndung'u, Eric

2011-01-01

The genome projects of the past decades have created extensive databases of biological information with applications in both research and education. We describe an inquiry-based exercise that uses one such database, the National Center for Biotechnology Information Influenza Virus Resource, to advance learning about influenza. This database…
Challenges and Support When Teaching Science through an Integrated Inquiry and Literacy Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ødegaard, Marianne; Haug, Berit; Mork, Sonja M.; Sørvik, Gard Ove

2014-01-01

In the Budding Science and Literacy project, we explored how working with an integrated inquiry-based science and literacy approach may challenge and support the teaching and learning of science at the classroom level. By studying the inter-relationship between multiple learning modalities and phases of inquiry, we wished to illuminate possible…
Unraveling the Motivational Effects and Challenges of Web-Based Collaborative Inquiry Learning across Different Groups of Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raes, Annelies; Schellens, Tammy

2015-01-01

This study deals with the implementation of a web-based collaborative inquiry (WISE) project in secondary science education and unravels the contribution and challenges of this learning approach to foster students' motivation to learn science, and its relation with student and class-level characteristics. An empirical mixed methods study in 13…
WISE Science: Web-based Inquiry in the Classroom. Technology, Education--Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slotta, James D.; Linn, Marcia C.

2009-01-01

This book shares the lessons learned by a large community of educational researchers and science teachers as they designed, developed, and investigated a new technology-enhanced learning environment known as WISE: The Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment. WISE offers a collection of free, customizable curriculum projects on topics central to the…
Reflections as near-peer facilitators of an inquiry project for undergraduate anatomy: Successes and challenges from a term of trial-and-error.

PubMed

Anstey, Lauren M; Michels, Alison; Szymus, Julianna; Law, Wyanne; Edwin Ho, Man-Hymn; Qu, Fei; Yeung, Ralph T T; Chow, Natalie

2014-01-01

Near-peer facilitators (senior students serving as facilitators to their more junior peers) bring a unique student-based perspective to teaching. With fewer years of teaching experience however, students who become involved in a facilitator role typically develop related skills quickly through a process of trial-and-error within the classroom. The aim of this paper is to report on the authors' own experiences and reflections as student near-peer facilitators for an inquiry-based project in an undergraduate anatomy course. Three areas of the facilitator experience are explored: (1) offering adequate guidance as facilitators of inquiry, (2) motivating students to engage in the inquiry process, and (3) fostering creativity in learning. A practical framework for providing guidance to students is discussed which offers facilitators a scaffold for asking questions and assisting students through the inquiry process. Considerations for stimulating intrinsic motivations toward inquiry learning are made, paying attention to ways in which facilitators might influence feelings of motivation towards learning. Also, the role of creativity in inquiry learning is explored by highlighting the actions facilitators can take to foster a creative learning environment. Finally, recommendations are made for the development of formalized training programs that aid near-peer facilitators in the acquisition of facilitation skills before entering into a process of trial-and-error within the classroom. © 2013 American Association of Anatomists.
Integrating Technology and Pedagogy for Inquiry-Based Learning: The Stanford Mobile Inquiry-Based Learning Environment (SMILE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckner, Elizabeth; Kim, Paul

2014-01-01

Despite the long-standing interest in educational technology reforms, many researchers have found that it is difficult to incorporate advanced information and communications technologies (ICT) in classrooms. Many ICT projects, particularly in the developing world, are limited by the lack of integration between pedagogy and technology. This article…
Information Fluency for Undergraduate Biology Majors: Applications of Inquiry-based Learning in a Developmental Biology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gehring, Kathleen M.; Eastman, Deborah A.

2008-01-01

Many initiatives for the improvement of undergraduate science education call for inquiry-based learning that emphasizes investigative projects and reading of the primary literature. These approaches give students an understanding of science as a process and help them integrate content presented in courses. At the same time, general initiatives to…
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Practical Inquiry-Based Learning Bioinformatics Module on Undergraduate Student Engagement and Applied Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, James A. L.

2016-01-01

A pedagogic intervention, in the form of an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning project (as a practical student-led bioinformatics module), was assessed for its ability to increase students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. Elements assessed were process-specific knowledge following module completion,…
The Use of Wikis in a Science Inquiry-Based Project in a Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lau, Wilfred W. F.; Lui, Vicky; Chu, Samuel K. W.

2017-01-01

This study explored the use of wikis in a science inquiry-based project conducted with Primary 6 students (aged 11-12). It used an online wiki-based platform called PBworks and addressed the following research questions: (1) What are students' attitudes toward learning with wikis? (2) What are students' interactions in online group collaboration…
The 5E Instructional Model: A Learning Cycle Approach for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duran, Lena Ballone; Duran, Emilio

2004-01-01

The implementation of inquiry-based teaching is a major theme in national science education reform documents such as "Project 2061: Science for All Americans" (Rutherford & Alhgren, 1990) and the "National Science Education Standards" (NRC, 1996). These reports argue that inquiry needs to be a central strategy of all…
A Study of Student Engagement in Project-Based Learning across Multiple Approaches to STEM Education Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Alfred; Miro, Danielle

2016-01-01

Objective: In this study, we investigated the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) activities in four secondary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education settings to examine the impact of inquiry based instructional practices on student learning. Method: Direct classroom observations were conducted during the…
An early start to STEM education among year 1 primary students through project-based inquiry learning in the context of a magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safiee, N.; Jusoh, Z. M.; Noor, A. M. H. M.; Tek, O. E.; Salleh, S. M.

2018-01-01

For the needs of the 21st century, the Government of Malaysia has conceptualized the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025 which embodies 11 strategic and operational shifts. In Shift 1, it is emphasized that the quality of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education will be enhanced. This study employed the mixed-method approach using the “one-group pre-test and post-test design”. Accordingly, this paper describes the pedagogical practice of Project-based Inquiry Learning (PIL) which promotes STEM Education among Year 1 students in the move to progress in tandem with Shift 1. Specifically, using the context of a magnet which has been stipulated in the Primary School Standard Curriculum, Year 1 students experienced the STEM Education through the STEM Pedagogy in which they raised questions upon the presentation of a relevant stimulus (Inquiry Phase), explored the ways in which a train carriage or coach could be assembled by means of recycled materials and magnets (Exploration Phase), designed a train carriage (Design Phase), and ultimately reflected on their inventions (Reflection Phase). The cognitive and affective impacts through the use of this Project-based Inquiry Learning are presented. Implications for the teaching and learning of science are discussed within the context of STEM Education.
Scientific Inquiry, Digital Literacy, and Mobile Computing in Informal Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marty, Paul F.; Alemanne, Nicole D.; Mendenhall, Anne; Maurya, Manisha; Southerland, Sherry A.; Sampson, Victor; Douglas, Ian; Kazmer, Michelle M.; Clark, Amanda; Schellinger, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Understanding the connections between scientific inquiry and digital literacy in informal learning environments is essential to furthering students' critical thinking and technology skills. The Habitat Tracker project combines a standards-based curriculum focused on the nature of science with an integrated system of online and mobile computing…
Life-Cycle Thinking in Inquiry-Based Sustainability Education--Effects on Students' Attitudes towards Chemistry and Environmental Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juntunen, Marianne; Aksela, Maija

2013-01-01

The aim of the present study is to improve the quality of students' environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry teaching by combining the socio-scientific issue of life-cycle thinking with inquiry-based learning approaches. This case study presents results from an inquiry-based life-cycle thinking project: an interdisciplinary…
Focusing on the Processes of Science Using Inquiry-oriented Astronomy Labs for Learning Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Speck, Angela; Ruzhitskaya, L.; Whittington, A.; Witzig, S.

2010-01-01

The U.S. National Science Education Standards provide guidelines for teaching science through inquiry, where students actively develop their understanding of science by combining scientific knowledge with reasoning and thinking skills. Inquiry activities include reading scientific literature, generating hypotheses, designing and carrying out investigations, interpreting data, and formulating conclusions. Inquiry-based instruction emphasizes questions, evidence, and explanation, the essential features of inquiry. We present two projects designed to develop learning materials for laboratory experiences in an undergraduate astronomy course. First, we engage students in inquiry-based learning by using "mini-journal” articles that follow the format of a scientific journal article, including a title, authors, abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion and citations to peer-reviewed literature. The mini-journal provides a scaffold and serves as a springboard for students to develop and carry out their own follow-up investigation. They then present their findings in the form of their own mini-journal. This mini-journal format more directly reflects and encourages scientific practice. We use this technique in both introductory and upper level courses. The second project develops 3D virtual reality environments to help students interact with scientific constructs, and the use of collaborative learning tools to motivate student activity, deepen understanding and support knowledge building.
Assessing All Dimensions of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Furco, Andrew

2010-01-01

At its most basic level, service learning integrates community service activities with intentional learning components to enhance students' understanding of subject content and to meet identified community needs. Although service learning is similar to other active learning pedagogies--such as project-based, problem-based, inquiry-based, and…
Partners in Inquiry: A Collaborative Life Science Investigation with Preservice Teachers and Kindergarten Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckhoff, Angela

2017-01-01

This article documents a collaborative project involving preservice early childhood education students' development of inquiry-based learning experiences alongside kindergarten students within a science methods course. To document this project, I utilized a multiple methods approach and data included classroom observations, transcripts from lesson…
Jumping In: Redefining Teaching and Learning in Physical Education through Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyne, Jaime; Hollas, Tori; Potter, Jalene P.

2016-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is an inquiry-based instructional approach that allows students to gain knowledge and skills by investigating and respond to engaging, complex problems or challenges. For some, PBL may seem like an unnatural fit in PE classrooms. However, this article describes how, with careful and creative planning, PBL can easily…
Assessment of Inquiry Skills in the SAILS Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Chris

2014-01-01

Inquiry provides both the impetus and experience that helps students acquire problem solving and lifelong learning skills. Teachers on the Strategies for Assessment of Inquiry Learning in Science Project (SAILS) strengthened their inquiry pedagogy, through focusing on seeking assessment evidence for formative action. This paper reports on both the…

Telling Active Learning Pedagogies Apart: From Theory to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cattaneo, Kelsey Hood

2017-01-01

Designing learning environments to incorporate active learning pedagogies is difficult as definitions are often contested and intertwined. This article seeks to determine whether classification of active learning pedagogies (i.e., project-based, problem-based, inquiry-based, case-based, and discovery-based), through theoretical and practical…
Disciplinary Literacy and Inquiry: Teaching for Deeper Content Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spires, Hiller A.; Kerkhoff, Shea N.; Graham, Abbey C. K.

2016-01-01

Disciplinary literacy is gaining momentum as an approach to adolescent literacy. Believing that a key aspect of disciplinary literacy is knowledge construction, the authors introduce a model for relating disciplinary literacy with project-based inquiry. Rather than merely exploring topics during inquiry, students use practices of a discipline to…
Teacher Perception of Project-Based Learning in a Technology-Infused Secondary School Culture: A Critical Cine-Ethnographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gratch, Jonathan

2012-01-01

Project-based learning has long been used in the educational realm as it emphasis a student-centered strategy which promotes meaning, enriched learning that enhances inquiry and problem-solving skills in a rich, authentic environment. The relevance and authentic design of projects may further be enhanced by the use of technology in the classroom.…
Inquiry-Based Learning in Mathematics: Designing Collaborative Research with Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makar, Katie; Dole, Shelley

2013-01-01

A series of research projects were implemented over seven years to understand and facilitate teachers' experiences in adopting inquiry. An overview of the project, methodology and key outcomes are outlined as a basis for the partnership described in this symposium. We end the paper with a list of recommendations for designing collaborative…
Inquiry Guided Learning Projects for the Development of Critical Thinking in the College Classroom: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Danielle C.

2014-01-01

This paper describes the inaugural success of implementing Inquiry Guided Learning Projects within a college-level human anatomy and physiology course. In this context, scientific inquiry was used as a means of developing skills required for critical thinking among students. The projects were loosely designed using the Information Search Process…
Using guided inquiry and the information search process to develop research confidence among first year anatomy students.

PubMed

Bentley, Danielle Christine; Robinson, Andrea Cristina; Ruscitti, Robert Joseph

2015-01-01

With the growing volume of obtainable medical information and scientific literature, it is crucial that students in the field of allied health professions develop and refine the research skill set necessary to effectively find, retrieve, analyze, and use this information. This skill set can be effectively developed using student inquiry; an active learning process where students answer questions using research and data analysis. Therefore, with the pedagogical goal of developing information literacy among a cohort of allied health professional trainees, first year students studying human anatomy completed inquiry-based projects that were structured within the framework of the Information Search Process. This article thoroughly describes the conceptualization, creation, improvement, implementation, and assessment of the projects beginning with version one, the Student Inquiry Projects. Following a pilot of the Student Inquiry Projects various evidence-based improvements resulted in the final project version called the Inquiry Guided Learning Projects (IGLPs). A full assessment of the IGLPs revealed that students' self-perceived confidence improved for all tested research skills including: research question development, research question selection, exploration of peer-review literature, acquisition of resources, effective communication of results, and literature citation (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, six months following project completion students retained improved confidence in research question development and effective communication of results, with 90% of students indicating the IGLPs were directly responsible for these improvements. By guiding students through the Information Search Process, the IGLPs successfully developed research confidence among allied health trainees. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.
Challenges and Support When Teaching Science Through an Integrated Inquiry and Literacy Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ødegaard, Marianne; Haug, Berit; Mork, Sonja M.; Ove Sørvik, Gard

2014-12-01

In the Budding Science and Literacy project, we explored how working with an integrated inquiry-based science and literacy approach may challenge and support the teaching and learning of science at the classroom level. By studying the inter-relationship between multiple learning modalities and phases of inquiry, we wished to illuminate possible dynamics between science inquiry and literacy in an integrated science approach. Six teachers and their students were recruited from a professional development course for the current classroom study. The teachers were to try out the Budding Science teaching model. This paper presents an overall video analysis of our material demonstrating variations and patterns of inquiry-based science and literacy activities. Our analysis revealed that multiple learning modalities (read it, write it, do it, and talk it) are used in the integrated approach; oral activities dominate. The inquiry phases shifted throughout the students' investigations, but the consolidating phases of discussion and communication were given less space. The data phase of inquiry seems essential as a driving force for engaging in science learning in consolidating situations. The multiple learning modalities were integrated in all inquiry phases, but to a greater extent in preparation and data. Our results indicate that literacy activities embedded in science inquiry provide support for teaching and learning science; however, the greatest challenge for teachers is to find the time and courage to exploit the discussion and communication phases to consolidate the students' conceptual learning.
Strengthening Teaching and Research Links: The Case of a Pollution Exposure Inquiry Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spronken-Smith, Rachel; Kingham, Simon

2009-01-01

In recent years there has been a move towards the strengthening of teaching and research links in the undergraduate curriculum. Inquiry-based learning offers an opportunity for students to engage in research tasks and consequently students can develop valuable research skills, as well as working on projects aligned to staff research interests.…
Shifting more than the goal posts: developing classroom norms of inquiry-based learning in mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makar, Katie; Fielding-Wells, Jill

2018-03-01

The 3-year study described in this paper aims to create new knowledge about inquiry norms in primary mathematics classrooms. Mathematical inquiry addresses complex problems that contain ambiguities, yet classroom environments often do not adopt norms that promote curiosity, risk-taking and negotiation needed to productively engage with complex problems. Little is known about how teachers and students initiate, develop and maintain norms of mathematical inquiry in primary classrooms. The research question guiding this study is, "How do classroom norms develop that facilitate student learning in primary classrooms which practice mathematical inquiry?" The project will (1) analyse a video archive of inquiry lessons to identify signature practices that enhance productive classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and facilitate learning, (2) engage expert inquiry teachers to collaborate to identify and design strategies for assisting teachers to develop and sustain norms over time that are conducive to mathematical inquiry and (3) support and study teachers new to mathematical inquiry adopting these practices in their classrooms. Anticipated outcomes include identification and illustration of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry, signature practices linked to these norms and case studies of primary teachers' progressive development of classroom norms of mathematical inquiry and how they facilitate learning.
The inquiry continuum: Science teaching practices and student performance on standardized tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jernnigan, Laura Jane

Few research studies have been conducted related to inquiry-based scientific teaching methodologies and NCLB-required state testing. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the strategies used by seventh-grade science teachers in Illinois and student scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) to aid in determining best practices/strategies for teaching middle school science. The literature review defines scientific inquiry by placing teaching strategies on a continuum of scientific inquiry methodologies from No Inquiry (Direct Instruction) through Authentic Inquiry. Five major divisions of scientific inquiry: structured inquiry, guided inquiry, learning cycle inquiry, open inquiry, and authentic inquiry, have been identified and described. These five divisions contain eight sub-categories: demonstrations; simple or hands-on activities; discovery learning; variations of learning cycles; problem-based, event-based, and project-based; and student inquiry, science partnerships, and Schwab's enquiry. Quantitative data were collected from pre- and posttests and surveys given to the participants: five seventh grade science teachers in four Academic Excellence Award and Spotlight Award schools and their 531 students. Findings revealed that teachers reported higher inquiry scores for themselves than for their students; the two greatest reported factors limiting teachers' use of inquiry were not enough time and concern about discipline and large class size. Although the correlation between total inquiry and mean difference of pre- and posttest scores was not statistically significant, the survey instrument indicated how often teachers used inquiry in their classes, not the type of inquiry used. Implications arose from the findings that increase the methodology debate between direction instruction and inquiry-based teaching strategies; teachers are very knowledgeable about the Illinois state standards, and various inquiry-based methods need to be stressed in undergraduate methods classes. While this study focused on the various types of scientific inquiry by creating a continuum of scientific inquiry methodologies, research using the continuum needs to be conducted to determine the various teaching styles of successful teachers.
A Method for Teacher Inquiry in Cross-Curricular Projects: Lessons from a Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avramides, Katerina; Hunter, Jade; Oliver, Martin; Luckin, Rosemary

2015-01-01

Many changes in teaching practices (such as introduction of e-assessment) are initiated by school management, or by a lead teacher, but have direct impact on the learning designs of others. However, models of teachers as innovators, conducting evidence-based inquiry into their students' learning, view the teacher as initiator of change in their…
The Study of Project-Based Learning in Preservice Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Ashley Ann

2016-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is a teaching approach where students engage in the investigation of real-world problems through their inquiries. Studies found considerable support for PBL on student performance and improvement in grades K-12 and at the collegiate level. However, fewer studies have examined the effects of PBL at the collegiate level…
Lives in Context: Facilitating Online, Cross-Course, Collaborative Service Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elwood, Susan A.

2014-01-01

An inquiry-based, cross-course, collaborative structure is being implemented toward a graduate program's goals of using project-based learning as a consistent, core learning experience in each course cycle. This paper focuses upon the course collaborative structure and the two key forms of assessment used in each collaborative cycle: a progressive…
Yesterday's Students in Today's World—Open and Guided Inquiry Through the Eyes of Graduated High School Biology Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorfman, Bat-Shahar; Issachar, Hagit; Zion, Michal

2017-12-01

Educational policy bodies worldwide have argued that practicing inquiry as a part of the K-12 curriculum would help prepare students for their lives as adults in today's world. This study investigated adults who graduated high school 9 years earlier with a major in biology, to determine how they perceive the inquiry project they experienced and its contribution to their lives. We characterized dynamic inquiry performances and the retrospective perceptions of the inquiry project. Data was collected by interviews with 17 individuals—nine who engaged in open inquiry and eight who engaged in guided inquiry in high school. Both groups shared similar expressions of the affective point of view and procedural understanding criteria of dynamic inquiry, but the groups differed in the expression of the criteria changes occurring during inquiry and learning as a process. Participants from both groups described the contribution of the projects to their lives as adults, developing skills and positive attitudes towards science and remembering the content knowledge and activities in which they were involved. They also described the support they received from their teachers. Results of this study imply that inquiry, and particularly open inquiry, helps develop valuable skills and personal attributes, which may help the students in their lives as future adults. This retrospective point of view may contribute to a deeper understanding of the long-term influences of inquiry-based learning on students.
Teacher Collaborative Inquiry as a Professional Development Intervention: Benefits and Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deni, Ann Rosnida Md.; Malakolunthu, Suseela

2013-01-01

The paper reports on a collaborative learning project coded as the teacher inquiry community that was carried out over a year in a private higher education institution to improve the professional capability of language-based subject teachers. Nine teachers completed the project all of whom were females and shared work experience of 2-29 years. Six…
Evaluating the effectiveness of a practical inquiry-based learning bioinformatics module on undergraduate student engagement and applied skills.

PubMed

Brown, James A L

2016-05-06

A pedagogic intervention, in the form of an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning project (as a practical student-led bioinformatics module), was assessed for its ability to increase students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. Elements assessed were process-specific knowledge following module completion, qualitative student-based module evaluation and the novelty, scientific validity and quality of written student reports. Bioinformatics is often the starting point for laboratory-based research projects, therefore high importance was placed on allowing students to individually develop and apply processes and methods of scientific research. Students led a bioinformatic inquiry-based project (within a framework of inquiry), discovering, justifying and exploring individually discovered research targets. Detailed assessable reports were produced, displaying data generated and the resources used. Mimicking research settings, undergraduates were divided into small collaborative groups, with distinctive central themes. The module was evaluated by assessing the quality and originality of the students' targets through reports, reflecting students' use and understanding of concepts and tools required to generate their data. Furthermore, evaluation of the bioinformatic module was assessed semi-quantitatively using pre- and post-module quizzes (a non-assessable activity, not contributing to their grade), which incorporated process- and content-specific questions (indicative of their use of the online tools). Qualitative assessment of the teaching intervention was performed using post-module surveys, exploring student satisfaction and other module specific elements. Overall, a positive experience was found, as was a post module increase in correct process-specific answers. In conclusion, an inquiry-based peer-assisted learning module increased students' engagement, practical bioinformatic skills and process-specific knowledge. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:304-313 2016. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
An Action Research Project by Teacher Candidates and Their Instructor into Using Math Inquiry: Learning about Relations between Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betts, Paul; McLarty, Michelle; Dickson, Krysta

2017-01-01

This paper reports on what two teacher candidates and their instructor learned from an action research project into the use of inquiry to teach mathematics. We use a model of the relation between theory and practice in teacher education to interpret what we learned about inquiry. This model describes three modes for teacher candidates to learn…
Guided Inquiry Learning With Sea Water Battery Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mashudi, A.

2017-02-01

Science learning process is expected to produce valuable product, innovative and real learning environment, and provide memorable learning experience. That orientation can be contained in Inquiry Based Learning. SMP N 4 Juwana is located close to the beach. That’s why, Sea Water Battery Project is very suitable to be applied in learning activity as an effort to fulfill the renewable energy based on local wisdom. This study aims to increase interest, activity and achievement of students. Learning implementation stage, namely : Constructing Sea Water Battery project, observation, group presentations, and feedback. Sea Water Battery is renewable energy battery from materials easily found around the learner. The materials used are copper plate as the anode, zinc plate as the cathode and sea water as the electrolyte. Average score of students Interest on the first cycle 76, while on the second cycle 85. Average score of students Activity on the first cycle 76 and on the second cycle 86. Average score of students achievement on the first cycle 75, while on the second cycle 84. This learning process gave nurturant effect for students to keep innovating and construct engineering technology for the future.
Information fluency for undergraduate biology majors: applications of inquiry-based learning in a developmental biology course.

PubMed

Gehring, Kathleen M; Eastman, Deborah A

2008-01-01

Many initiatives for the improvement of undergraduate science education call for inquiry-based learning that emphasizes investigative projects and reading of the primary literature. These approaches give students an understanding of science as a process and help them integrate content presented in courses. At the same time, general initiatives to promote information fluency are being promoted on many college and university campuses. Information fluency refers to discipline-specific processing of information, and it involves integration of gathered information with specific ideas to form logical conclusions. We have implemented the use of inquiry-based learning to enhance and study discipline-specific information fluency skills in an upper-level undergraduate Developmental Biology course. In this study, an information literacy tutorial and a set of linked assignments using primary literature analysis were integrated with two inquiry-based laboratory research projects. Quantitative analysis of student responses suggests that the abilities of students to identify and apply valid sources of information were enhanced. Qualitative assessment revealed a set of patterns by which students gather and apply information. Self-assessment responses indicated that students recognized the impact of the assignments on their abilities to gather and apply information and that they were more confident about these abilities for future biology courses and beyond.
Information Fluency for Undergraduate Biology Majors: Applications of Inquiry-based Learning in a Developmental Biology Course

PubMed Central

Gehring, Kathleen M.

2008-01-01

Many initiatives for the improvement of undergraduate science education call for inquiry-based learning that emphasizes investigative projects and reading of the primary literature. These approaches give students an understanding of science as a process and help them integrate content presented in courses. At the same time, general initiatives to promote information fluency are being promoted on many college and university campuses. Information fluency refers to discipline-specific processing of information, and it involves integration of gathered information with specific ideas to form logical conclusions. We have implemented the use of inquiry-based learning to enhance and study discipline-specific information fluency skills in an upper-level undergraduate Developmental Biology course. In this study, an information literacy tutorial and a set of linked assignments using primary literature analysis were integrated with two inquiry-based laboratory research projects. Quantitaitve analysis of student responses suggests that the abilities of students to identify and apply valid sources of information were enhanced. Qualitative assessment revealed a set of patterns by which students gather and apply information. Self-assessment responses indicated that students recognized the impact of the assignments on their abilities to gather and apply information and that they were more confident about these abilities for future biology courses and beyond. PMID:18316808

Integrating STEM education through Project-Based Inquiry Learning (PIL) in topic space among year one pupils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ng, Chee Hoe; Adnan, M.

2018-01-01

This research aims to investigate the effect of integrating STEM education through Project-based Inquiry Learning (PIL) and the users of the STEM modules which consists of five projects on topic Space in Year One Mathematics Syllabus in Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) of Malaysia. STEM education in primary school focuses on the introduces and awareness of students about the importance of STEM education. The projects in STEM modules are covering the different ethnic cultures in Malaysia. The modules are designed using the four phases in PIL. Concepts and the explanation of STEM education on each project are emphasized and provided in the modules so the teachers able to carry out the projects by using the modules. By using the modules in primary Mathematics, the students and teachers will be more understanding on how to integrate the Mathematics’ concepts in STEM education.
A Multi-Faceted Approach to Inquiry-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brudzinski, M. R.; Sikorski, J.

2009-12-01

In order to fully attain the benefits of inquiry-based learning, instructors who typically employ the traditional lecture format need to make several adjustments to their approach. This change in styles can be intimidating and logistically difficult to overcome. A stepwise approach to this transformation is likely to be more manageable for individual faculty or departments. In this session, we will describe several features that we are implementing in our introductory geology course with the ultimate goal of converting to an entirely inquiry-based approach. Our project is part of the Miami University initiative in the top 25 enrolled courses to move towards the “student as scholar” model for engaged learning. Some of the features we developed for our course include: student learning outcomes, student development outcomes, out-of-class content quizzes, in-class conceptests, pre-/post-course assessment, reflective knowledge surveys, and daily group activities.
A Journey of Surprises: Rivers Reveal Their Secrets to Idaho Students Researching Water Quality through Rigorous Scientific Inquiry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boss, Suzie

2002-01-01

Idaho secondary students learn the scientific method through outdoor environmental projects related to water quality monitoring. A program trains teachers to design project-based learning and provides extensive followup support. Five-day summer workshops immerse teachers in the types of projects they will orchestrate with their own students.…
Which Type of Inquiry Project Do High School Biology Students Prefer: Open or Guided?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sadeh, Irit; Zion, Michal

2012-01-01

In teaching inquiry to high school students, educators differ on which method of teaching inquiry is more effective: Guided or open inquiry? This paper examines the influence of these two different inquiry learning approaches on the attitudes of Israeli high school biology students toward their inquiry project. The results showed significant…
New Evaluation Vector through the Stanford Mobile Inquiry-Based Learning Environment (SMILE) for Participatory Action Research

PubMed Central

An, Ji-Young

2016-01-01

Objectives This article reviews an evaluation vector model driven from a participatory action research leveraging a collective inquiry system named SMILE (Stanford Mobile Inquiry-based Learning Environment). Methods SMILE has been implemented in a diverse set of collective inquiry generation and analysis scenarios including community health care-specific professional development sessions and community-based participatory action research projects. In each scenario, participants are given opportunities to construct inquiries around physical and emotional health-related phenomena in their own community. Results Participants formulated inquiries as well as potential clinical treatments and hypothetical scenarios to address health concerns or clarify misunderstandings or misdiagnoses often found in their community practices. From medical universities to rural village health promotion organizations, all participatory inquiries and potential solutions can be collected and analyzed. The inquiry and solution sets represent an evaluation vector which helps educators better understand community health issues at a much deeper level. Conclusions SMILE helps collect problems that are most important and central to their community health concerns. The evaluation vector, consisting participatory and collective inquiries and potential solutions, helps the researchers assess the participants' level of understanding on issues around health concerns and practices while helping the community adequately formulate follow-up action plans. The method used in SMILE requires much further enhancement with machine learning and advanced data visualization. PMID:27525157
Creating Polyphony with Exploratory Web Documentation in Singapore

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Sirene; Hoo, Lum Chee

2012-01-01

We introduce and reflect on "Images of Teaching", an ongoing web documentation research project on preschool teaching in Singapore. This paper discusses the project's purpose, methodological process, and our learning points as researchers who aim to contribute towards inquiry-based professional learning. The website offers a window into…
Learning to Take an Inquiry Stance in Teacher Research: An Exploration of Unstructured Thought-Partner Spaces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawton-Sticklor, Nastasia; Bodamer, Scott F.

2016-01-01

This article explores a research partnership between a university-based researcher and a middle school science teacher. Our partnership began with project-based inquiry and continued with unstructured thought-partner spaces: meetings with no agenda where we wrestled with problems of practice. Framed as incubation periods, these meetings allowed us…
The Undergraduate Classroom as a Community of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Cara Taylor

2012-01-01

This project contributes to the literature on action research and undergraduate pedagogy for leadership development through application and expansion of existing theory on collaborative ways of teaching and learning. I applied a participatory, inquiry-based approach to teaching an undergraduate course in leadership studies over four semesters…
The Poisons Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Barbara A.

1998-01-01

Details a project in which students explore and study the poisons in their environment by asking and finding answers to their own research questions. Includes some suggestions for involving students successfully in inquiry-based learning. (DDR)
Learning about the Types of Plastic Wastes: Effectiveness of Inquiry Learning Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Wing-Mui Winnie; Cheng, Nga-Yee Irene; Chow, Cheuk-Fai; Zhan, Ying

2016-01-01

This study aims to examine the impacts of the inquiry learning strategies employed in a "Plastic Education Project" on primary students' knowledge, beliefs and intended behaviour in Hong Kong. Student questionnaires and a test on plastic types were adopted for data collection. Results reveal that the inquiry learning strategies…
Instituting systems-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement: a curriculum of inquiry.

PubMed

Wilper, Andrew P; Smith, Curtis Scott; Weppner, William

2013-09-16

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that training programs integrate system-based practice (SBP) and practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) into internal medicine residency curricula. CONTEXT AND SETTING: We instituted a seminar series and year-long-mentored curriculum designed to engage internal medicine residents in these competencies. Residents participate in a seminar series that includes assigned reading and structured discussion with faculty who assist in the development of quality improvement or research projects. Residents pursue projects over the remainder of the year. Monthly works in progress meetings, protected time for inquiry, and continued faculty mentorship guide the residents in their project development. Trainees present their work at hospital-wide grand rounds at the end of the academic year. We performed a survey of residents to assess their self-reported knowledge, attitudes and skills in SBP and PBLI. In addition, blinded faculty scored projects for appropriateness, impact, and feasibility. We measured resident self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and skills at the end of the academic year. We found evidence that participants improved their understanding of the context in which they were practicing, and that their ability to engage in quality improvement projects increased. Blinded faculty reviewers favorably ranked the projects' feasibility, impact, and appropriateness. The 'Curriculum of Inquiry' generated 11 quality improvement and research projects during the study period. Barriers to the ongoing work include a limited supply of mentors and delays due to Institutional Review Board approval. Hospital leadership recognizes the importance of the curriculum, and our accreditation manager now cites our ongoing work. A structured residency-based curriculum facilitates resident demonstration of SBP and practice-based learning and improvement. Residents gain knowledge and skills though this enterprise and hospitals gain access to trainees who help to solve ongoing problems and meet accreditation requirements.
The experiences of science teachers' particpation in an inquiry-based professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackson, Emily A.

Once a leader in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, the United States (U.S.) is now far behind many countries. There is growing concern that the U.S. is not preparing a sufficient number of students in the areas of STEM. Despite advancement of inquiry learning in science, the extent to which inquiry learning has been implemented on a classroom level falls short. The purpose of this study was to learn about the experiences of science teachers' participation in an inquiry-based professional development. A mixed method research design was used for this study to collect data from ten Project MISE participants. The qualitative data was collected using semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews, focus group interviews, observations, and document analysis of teacher portfolios and analyzed using constant comparative method. The quantitative data were collected through administration of a pretest and posttest instrument that measures the content knowledge of the science teachers and analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. The participants of this mixed methods study provided compelling evidence that Project MISE has a profound impact on their instructional practice, networking abilities, opportunities for reflection, and content knowledge.
Beyond Changing Culture in Small High Schools: Reform Models and Changing Instruction with Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ravitz, Jason

2010-01-01

This study describes the status of small school reforms in U.S. high schools and contemplates their future. It asks how cultural and instructional reforms differ across school reform types. Analyses focus on indicators of teacher and student culture as well as instructional reforms including project-based learning (PBL) and other inquiry-related…
Exploring English Language Learners (ELL) experiences with scientific language and inquiry within a real life context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Algee, Lisa M.

English Language Learners (ELL) are often at a distinct disadvantage from receiving authentic science learning opportunites. This study explored English Language Learners (ELL) learning experiences with scientific language and inquiry within a real life context. This research was theoretically informed by sociocultural theory and literature on student learning and science teaching for ELL. A qualitative, case study was used to explore students' learning experiences. Data from multiple sources was collected: student interviews, science letters, an assessment in another context, field-notes, student presentations, inquiry assessment, instructional group conversations, parent interviews, parent letters, parent homework, teacher-researcher evaluation, teacher-researcher reflective journal, and student ratings of learning activities. These data sources informed the following research questions: (1) Does participation in an out-of-school contextualized inquiry science project increase ELL use of scientific language? (2) Does participation in an out-of-school contextualized inquiry science project increase ELL understanding of scientific inquiry and their motivation to learn? (3) What are parents' funds of knowledge about the local ecology and does this inform students' experiences in the science project? All data sources concerning students were analyzed for similar patterns and trends and triangulation was sought through the use of these data sources. The remaining data sources concerning the teacher-researcher were used to inform and assess whether the pedagogical and research practices were in alignment with the proposed theoretical framework. Data sources concerning parental participation accessed funds of knowledge, which informed the curriculum in order to create continuity and connections between home and school. To ensure accuracy in the researchers' interpretations of student and parent responses during interviews, member checking was employed. The findings suggest that participation in an out-of-school contextualized inquiry science project increased ELL use of scientific language and understanding of scientific inquiry and motivation to learn. In addition, parent' funds of knowledge informed students' experiences in the science project. These findings suggest that the learning and teaching practices and the real life experiential learning contexts served as an effective means for increasing students' understandings and motivation to learn.
Inquiry-Based Learning in China: Lesson Learned for School Science Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2014-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is widely considered for science education in this era. This study aims to explore inquiry-based learning in teacher preparation program and the findings will help us to understanding what inquiry-based classroom is and how inquiry-based learning are. Data were collected by qualitative methods; classroom observation,…
Using Technology to Engage Preservice Elementary Teachers in Learning about Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Loretta L.; MacArthur, James R.; Akaygün, Sevil

2011-01-01

Elementary teachers are often required to teach inquiry in their classrooms despite having had little exposure to inquiry learning themselves. In a capstone undergraduate science course preservice elementary teachers experience scientific inquiry through the completion of group projects, activities, readings and discussion, in order to develop a…
Learning about Cells as Dynamic Entities: An Inquiry-Driven Cell Culture Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palombi, Peggy Shadduck; Jagger, Kathleen Snell

2008-01-01

Using cultured fibroblast cells, undergraduate students explore cell division and the responses of cultured cells to a variety of environmental changes. The students learn new research techniques and carry out a self-designed experiment. Through this project, students enhance their creative approach to scientific inquiry, learn time-management and…
Inquiry-based learning transitions to interdisciplinary research at a small primarily undergraduate institution.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehto, H.; Ward, J. W.

2016-12-01

Inquiry-based learning has been shown by many to be a useful way of engaging students and fostering a deeper learning of the subject matter. In traditional geophysics courses we use our equipment in a quad on campus or to a nearby site to have our students run surveys that countless students have run before. While this approach is active and does promote a deeper learning than a lecture only course, it can still be stale and unauthentic. By using new and unexplored sites for inquiry-based learning projects within our courses, we provide opportunities for students to be part of an authentic research experience. Inquiry-based learning started in my geophysics course when I needed a site for my students to run a resistivity survey on. My colleague, James Ward, recommended a site that was contaminated with salts believed to be from either an unlined (or improperly lined) brine pit or a leaking casing from old oil field operations. The goal of the project was to use a resistivity survey to determine the shape and therefore cause of the salt source. The students in my geophysics class were introduced to the `client' (James Ward) who told them about the site and the two different hypotheses for the source of the salt contamination. The students studied site images, looked at soil data, and then each proposed a plan for the resistivity survey. We then met in the field and the students were given a quick explanation of how the system worked and what they needed to do that day. The students were told to take thorough notes, lots of photographs, and ask as many questions as they needed to understand what was going on. On the following Monday I broke the students up into groups and taught them how to use the EarthImager 2D software to analyze the data. The students were then required to interpret their data and write-up a technical report for our `client' individually. The final graded technical reports suggested that authentic, inquiry-based learning facilitated a deeper understanding of the process of science and of the geophysical method used. In addition, the students who worked on this study have seen it turn into real research at the institution. Six undergraduate, independent, faculty-mentored research projects and one external, private grant for faculty in geology and agriculture have come from this project so far.
Marine Debris Clean-Ups as Meaningful Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stepath, Carl M.; Bacon, Joseph Scott

2010-01-01

This seven to eight week hands-on Marine Debris Clean-up Project used a service project to provide an introduction of marine science ecology, watershed interrelationships, the scientific method, and environmental stewardship to 8th grade middle school students. It utilized inquiry based learning to introduce marine debris sources and impacts to…
Variables that impact the implementation of project-based learning in high school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunningham, Kellie

Wagner and colleagues (2006) state the mediocrity of teaching and instructional leadership is the central problem that must be addressed if we are to improve student achievement. Educational reform efforts have been initiated to improve student performance and to hold teachers and school leaders accountable for student achievement (Wagner et al., 2006). Specifically, in the area of science, goals for improving student learning have led reformers to establish standards for what students should know and be able to do, as well as what instructional methods should be used. Key concepts and principles have been identified for student learning. Additionally, reformers recommend student-centered, inquiry-based practices that promote a deep understanding of how science is embedded in the everyday world. These new approaches to science education emphasize inquiry as an essential element for student learning (Schneider, Krajcik, Marx, & Soloway, 2002). Project-based learning (PBL) is an inquiry-based instructional approach that addresses these recommendations for science education reform. The objective of this research was to study the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) in an urban school undergoing reform efforts and identify the variables that positively or negatively impacted the PBL implementation process and its outcomes. This study responded to the need to change how science is taught by focusing on the implementation of project-based learning as an instructional approach to improve student achievement in science and identify the role of both school leaders and teachers in the creation of a school environment that supports project-based learning. A case study design using a mixed-method approach was used in this study. Data were collected through individual interviews with the school principal, science instructional coach, and PBL facilitator. A survey, classroom observations and interviews involving three high school science teachers teaching grades 9--12, were also used in the data collection process. The results of the study indicated that the use of PBL increased student engagement, ability to problem-solve, and to some extent academic performance. The results also revealed several factors that impacted the implementation of project-based learning: (a) Student attributes such as high student absenteeism, lack of motivation, and poor behavior prevented teachers from completing the PBL unit in a timely fashion. (b) Certain school and district policies and requirements were not conducive to PBL implementation. Policies and practices impacting instructional time and teaching supplies acquisition made it difficult for teachers to plan lessons and obtain necessary supplies. (c) Teachers did not receive PBL training in a timely fashion. Teachers received training approximately two months prior to implementation. (d) Teacher collaboration influenced PBL implementation as it enabled teachers to share and discuss ideas, resources, and lessons. Implications for practice include: (a) School and district leaders must create and follow policies and procedures that support conditions that support inquiry learning, (b) Teachers need resources to overcome the challenges associated with project-based learning, (c) Teachers must have the freedom to have a vision for the implementation of PBL that fits their particular classroom context, and (d) Steps should be taken to ensure students have the prior knowledge and skills to successfully engage in PBL.

Teaching and Learning beyond the Text.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fairbanks, Colleen M.

1994-01-01

Based on the author's experience with a Rust Belt high school literacy-development project, this article discusses how teachers use process-centered innovations in language arts classrooms, the pedagogical impulses behind the innovations, and their contributions to student learning. Rather than diminishing students' learning, inquiry-based…
Teaching with Technology: Applications of Collaborative Online Learning Units to Improve 21st Century Skills for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Terrazas-Arellanes, Fatima E.; Strycker, Lisa A.; Walden, Emily D.; Gallard, Alejandro

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based learning methods, coupled with advanced technology, hold promise for closing the science literacy gap for English learners (ELs) and students with learning difficulties (SWLDs). Project ESCOLAR (Etext Supports for Collaborative Online Learning and Academic Reading) created collaborative online learning units for middle school science…
The Philosophy and Approach on Which the PROFILES Project Is Based

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmäe, Miia

2014-01-01

This article sets out to describe the PROFILES project, a European Commission FP7 science and society project, addresses problems and issues in science education by guiding teachers to embrace a range of teaching factors, such as a context-based approach, motivational constructivist learning; student centred inquiry teaching; enhancing cognitive…
Establishing Conceptual Boundaries: What Is an Adult Education Project, Promise and Practice?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stein, David S.

2014-01-01

In a movement toward workforce development as an academic entity, the identity of adult education as projects for inquiry is troubled. In some academic programs, adult education has been termed adult learning in the service of promoting teaching and learning for the workplace. However, adult education's inquiry, its projects, might be more…
Engaged Learning: Impact of PBL and PjBL with Elementary and Middle Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dole, Sharon; Bloom, Lisa; Doss, Kristy K.

2017-01-01

This study used structured online interviews with teachers to examine the impact that inquiry-based teaching methods had on their students. The research question was the following: What are the effects on student learning and motivation as a result of teachers using problem-based and project-based learning? Interviews were conducted with 36…
Collaborative Action Research on Technology Integration for Science Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chien-Hsing; Ke, Yi-Ting; Wu, Jin-Tong; Hsu, Wen-Hua

2012-02-01

This paper briefly reports the outcomes of an action research inquiry on the use of blogs, MS PowerPoint [PPT], and the Internet as learning tools with a science class of sixth graders for project-based learning. Multiple sources of data were essential to triangulate the key findings articulated in this paper. Corresponding to previous studies, the incorporation of technology and project-based learning could motivate students in self-directed exploration. The students were excited about the autonomy over what to learn and the use of PPT to express what they learned. Differing from previous studies, the findings pointed to the lack information literacy among students. The students lacked information evaluation skills, note-taking and information synthesis. All these findings imply the importance of teaching students about information literacy and visual literacy when introducing information technology into the classroom. The authors suggest that further research should focus on how to break the culture of "copy-and-paste" by teaching the skills of note-taking and synthesis through inquiry projects for science learning. Also, further research on teacher professional development should focus on using collaboration action research as a framework for re-designing graduate courses for science teachers in order to enhance classroom technology integration.
A Co-Design Process Microanalysis: Stages and Facilitators of an Inquiry-Based and Technology-Enhanced Learning Scenario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barbera, Elena; Garcia, Iolanda; Fuertes-Alpiste, Marc

2017-01-01

This paper presents a case study of the co-design process for an online course on Sustainable Development (Degree in Tourism) involving the teacher, two students, and the project researchers. The co-design process was founded on an inquiry-based and technology-enhanced model that takes shape in a set of design principles. The research had two main…
Inquiry-based science education: towards a pedagogical framework for primary school teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Uum, Martina S. J.; Verhoeff, Roald P.; Peeters, Marieke

2016-02-01

Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) has been promoted as an inspiring way of learning science by engaging pupils in designing and conducting their own scientific investigations. For primary school teachers, the open nature of IBSE poses challenges as they often lack experience in supporting their pupils during the different phases of an open IBSE project, such as formulating a research question and designing and conducting an investigation. The current study aims to meet these challenges by presenting a pedagogical framework in which four domains of scientific knowledge are addressed in seven phases of inquiry. The framework is based on video analyses of pedagogical interventions by primary school teachers participating in open IBSE projects. Our results show that teachers can guide their pupils successfully through the process of open inquiry by explicitly addressing the conceptual, epistemic, social and/or procedural domain of scientific knowledge in the subsequent phases of inquiry. The paper concludes by suggesting further research to validate our framework and to develop a pedagogy for primary school teachers to guide their pupils through the different phases of open inquiry.
Sims for Science: Powerful Tools to Support Inquiry-Based Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins, Katherine K.; Loeblein, Patricia J.; Dessau, Kathryn L.

2010-01-01

Since 2002, the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado has been working to provide learning tools for students and teachers. The project has developed over 85 interactive simulations--or sims--for teaching and learning science. Although these sims can be used in a variety of ways, they are specifically designed to make…
Place-Based Design: An Instructional Design Theory for Supporting Community-Based Inquiry and Design Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathews, James M.

2013-01-01

Place-based education has been forwarded as a pedagogical approach that has the potential to contextualize learning, increase student engagement, and strengthen the relationship between schools and the broader community. Despite this promise, however, many teachers struggle to develop learning experiences that incorporate the key components of…
Incorporating Active Learning and Student Inquiry into an Introductory Merchandising Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hyun-Hwa; Hines, Jean D.

2012-01-01

Many educators believe that student learning is enhanced when they are actively involved in classroom activities that require student inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to report on three student inquiry projects that were incorporated into a merchandising class with the focus on making students responsible for their learning, rather than the…
Mobile Inquiry Learning in Sweden: Development Insights on Interoperability, Extensibility and Sustainability of the LETS GO Software System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vogel, Bahtijar; Kurti, Arianit; Milrad, Marcelo; Johansson, Emil; Müller, Maximilian

2014-01-01

This paper presents the overall lifecycle and evolution of a software system we have developed in relation to the "Learning Ecology through Science with Global Outcomes" (LETS GO) research project. One of the aims of the project is to support "open inquiry learning" using mobile science collaboratories that provide open…
Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science: Lessons Learned for Blended, Scaffolded Professional Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, T. D.; TeBockhorst, D.

2013-12-01

Teaching Inquiry using NASA Earth-System Science (TINES) is a NASA EPOESS funded program exploring blended professional development for pre- and in-service educators to learn how to conduct meaningful inquiry lessons and projects in the K-12 classroom. This project combines trainings in GLOBE observational protocols and training in the use of NASA Earth Science mission data in a backward-faded scaffolding approach to teaching and learning about scientific inquiry. It also features a unique partnership with the National Science Teachers Association Learning Center to promote cohort building and blended professional development with access to NSTA's collection of resources. In this presentation, we will discuss lessons learned in year one and two of this program and how we plan to further develop this program over the next two years.
A Garden of Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirby, Tasha

2008-01-01

In order to beautify the school environment and further student learning, fourth-graders cultivated a Native Plant Learning Garden. They were responsible for designing a layout, researching garden elements, preparing the area, and planting a variety of native plants. By the completion of this inquiry-based project, students were able to clearly…
Students Learn How Nonprofits Utilize Volunteers through Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolton, Elizabeth B.; Brennan, M. A.; Terry, Bryan D.

2009-01-01

This article highlights how undergraduate students implemented inquiry-based learning strategies to learn how nonprofit organizations utilize volunteers. In inquiry-based learning, students begin with a problem or question with some degree of focus or structure provided by the professor. The student inquiry showcased in this article was based on a…
Education for sustainable development - Resources for physics and sciences teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miličić, Dragana; Jokić, Ljiljana; Blagdanić, Sanja; Jokić, Stevan

2016-03-01

With this article we would like to stress science teachers must doing practical work and communicate on the basis of scientific knowledge and developments, but also allow their students opportunity to discover knowledge through inquiry. During the last five years Serbian project Ruka u testu (semi-mirror of the French project La main á la pâte), as well as European FIBONACCI and SUSTAIN projects have offered to our teachers the wide-scale learning opportunities based on Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Our current efforts are based on pedagogical guidance, several modules and experimental kits, the website, exhibitions, and trainings and workshops for students and teachers.
Mathematics in Student-Centred Inquiry Learning: Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calder, Nigel

2013-01-01

This paper examines how mathematical understandings might be facilitated through student-centred inquiry. Data is drawn from a research project on student-centred inquiry learning that situated mathematics within authentic problem-solving contexts and involved students in a collaboratively constructed curriculum. A contemporary interpretive frame…
Professor Eric Can't See: A Project-Based Learning Case for Neurobiology Students.

PubMed

Ogilvie, Judith Mosinger; Ribbens, Eric

2016-01-01

"Professor Eric Can't See" is a semi-biographical case study written for an upper level undergraduate Neurobiology of Disease course. The case is integrated into a unit using a project-based learning approach to investigate the retinal degenerative disorder Retinitis pigmentosa and the visual system. Some case study scenes provide specific questions for student discussion and problem-based learning, while others provide background for student inquiry and related active learning exercises. The case was adapted from "'Chemical Eric' Can't See," and could be adapted for courses in general neuroscience or sensory neuroscience.
Inquiry science as a discourse: New challenges for teachers, students, and the design of curriculum materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tzou, Carrie Teh-Li

Science education reform emphasizes learning science through inquiry as a way to engage students in the processes of science at the same time that they learn scientific concepts. However, inquiry involves practices that are challenging for students because they have underlying norms with which students may be unfamiliar. We therefore cannot expect students to know how to engage in such practices simply by giving them opportunities to do so, especially if the norms for inquiry practices violate traditional classroom norms for engaging with scientific ideas. Teachers therefore play a key role in communicating expectations for inquiry. In this dissertation, I present an analytical framework for characterizing two teachers' enactments of an inquiry curriculum. This framework, based on Gee's (1996) notion of Discourses, describes inquiry practices in terms of three dimensions: cognitive, social, and linguistic. I argue that each of these dimensions presents challenges to students and, therefore, sites at which teachers' support is important for students' participation in inquiry practices. I use this framework to analyze two teachers' support of inquiry practices as they enact an inquiry-based curriculum. I explore three questions in my study: (1) what is the nature of teachers' support of inquiry practices? (2) how do teachers accomplish goals along multiple dimensions of inquiry?, and (3) what aspects of inquiry are in tension and how can we describe teachers' practice in terms of the tradeoff spaces between elements of inquiry in tension? In order to study these questions, I studied two eighth grade teachers who both enacted the same inquiry-based science curriculum developed by me and others in the context of a large design-based research project called IQWST (Investigating and Questioning my World through Science and Technology. I found that the teachers provided support for inquiry along all three dimensions, sometimes in ways in which the dimensions were synergistic and sometimes in ways in which the dimensions were in tension. These findings have implications for the design of inquiry science learning environments and for our understanding of what it means for teachers to be "cultural brokers" between students' everyday experiences and classroom science inquiry.
Comparing Design Constraints to Support Learning in Technology-Guided Inquiry Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Applebaum, Lauren R.; Vitale, Jonathan M.; Gerard, Elizabeth; Linn, Marcia C.

2017-01-01

Physical design projects are a way to motivate and engage students in authentic science and engineering practices. Web-based tools can support design projects to ensure that students address and reflect upon critical science concepts during the course of the project. In addition, by specifying challenging design goals that require students to…

Kindergarten students' explanations during science learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Karleah

The study examines kindergarten students' explanations during science learning. The data on children's explanations are drawn from videotaped and transcribed discourse collected from four public kindergarten science classrooms engaged in a life science inquiry unit on the life cycle of the monarch butterfly. The inquiry unit was implemented as part of a larger intervention conducted as part of the Scientific Literacy Project or SLP (Mantzicopoulos, Patrick & Samarapungavan, 2005). The children's explanation data were coded and analyzed using quantitative content analysis procedures. The coding procedures involved initial "top down" explanation categories derived from the existing theoretical and empirical literature on scientific explanation and the nature of students' explanations, followed by an inductive or "bottom up" analysis, that evaluated and refined the categorization scheme as needed. The analyses provide important descriptive data on the nature and frequency of children's explanations generated in classroom discourse during the inquiry unit. The study also examines how teacher discourse strategies during classroom science discourse are related to children's explanations. Teacher discourse strategies were coded and analyzed following the same procedures as the children's explanations as noted above. The results suggest that, a) kindergarten students have the capability of generating a variety of explanations during inquiry-based science learning; b) teachers use a variety of classroom discourse strategies to support children's explanations during inquiry-based science learning; and c) The conceptual discourse (e.g., asking for or modeling explanations, asking for clarifications) to non-conceptual discourse (e.g., classroom management discourse) is related to the ratio of explanatory to non-explanatory discourse produced by children during inquiry-based science learning.
Project Circuits in a Basic Electric Circuits Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, James P.; Plumb, Carolyn; Revia, Richard A.

2014-01-01

The use of project circuits (a photoplethysmograph circuit and a simple audio amplifier), introduced in a sophomore-level electric circuits course utilizing active learning and inquiry-based methods, is described. The development of the project circuits was initiated to promote enhanced engagement and deeper understanding of course content among…
Environmental Education & Ecology in a Life Science Course for Preservice K-8 Teachers Using Project Wildlife in Learning Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Allan

2010-01-01

During laboratory sessions devoted to ecology, 182 preservice K-8 teachers participated in a Project Wildlife in Learning Design (WILD) workshop. Participants rated the workshop highly, indicated they would use more inquiry-based activities, and were more interested in teaching ecology following the workshop. Post-test scores indicated an…
Instituting systems-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement: a curriculum of inquiry.

PubMed

Wilper, Andrew P; Smith, Curtis Scott; Weppner, William

2013-01-01

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that training programs integrate system-based practice (SBP) and practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) into internal medicine residency curricula. Context and setting We instituted a seminar series and year-long-mentored curriculum designed to engage internal medicine residents in these competencies. Methods Residents participate in a seminar series that includes assigned reading and structured discussion with faculty who assist in the development of quality improvement or research projects. Residents pursue projects over the remainder of the year. Monthly works in progress meetings, protected time for inquiry, and continued faculty mentorship guide the residents in their project development. Trainees present their work at hospital-wide grand rounds at the end of the academic year. We performed a survey of residents to assess their self-reported knowledge, attitudes and skills in SBP and PBLI. In addition, blinded faculty scored projects for appropriateness, impact, and feasibility. Outcomes We measured resident self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and skills at the end of the academic year. We found evidence that participants improved their understanding of the context in which they were practicing, and that their ability to engage in quality improvement projects increased. Blinded faculty reviewers favorably ranked the projects' feasibility, impact, and appropriateness. The 'Curriculum of Inquiry' generated 11 quality improvement and research projects during the study period. Barriers to the ongoing work include a limited supply of mentors and delays due to Institutional Review Board approval. Hospital leadership recognizes the importance of the curriculum, and our accreditation manager now cites our ongoing work. Conclusions A structured residency-based curriculum facilitates resident demonstration of SBP and practice-based learning and improvement. Residents gain knowledge and skills though this enterprise and hospitals gain access to trainees who help to solve ongoing problems and meet accreditation requirements.
A Web-Based Learning Support System for Inquiry-Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dong Won; Yao, Jingtao

The emergence of the Internet and Web technology makes it possible to implement the ideals of inquiry-based learning, in which students seek truth, information, or knowledge by questioning. Web-based learning support systems can provide a good framework for inquiry-based learning. This article presents a study on a Web-based learning support system called Online Treasure Hunt. The Web-based learning support system mainly consists of a teaching support subsystem, a learning support subsystem, and a treasure hunt game. The teaching support subsystem allows instructors to design their own inquiry-based learning environments. The learning support subsystem supports students' inquiry activities. The treasure hunt game enables students to investigate new knowledge, develop ideas, and review their findings. Online Treasure Hunt complies with a treasure hunt model. The treasure hunt model formalizes a general treasure hunt game to contain the learning strategies of inquiry-based learning. This Web-based learning support system empowered with the online-learning game and founded on the sound learning strategies furnishes students with the interactive and collaborative student-centered learning environment.
An educational ethnography of teacher-developed science curriculum implementation: Enacting conceptual change-based science inquiry with Hispanic students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunsell, Eric Steven

An achievement gap exists between White and Hispanic students in the United States. Research has shown that improving the quality of instruction for minority students is an effective way to narrow this gap. Science education reform movements emphasize that science should be taught using a science inquiry approach. Extensive research in teaching and learning science also shows that a conceptual change model of teaching is effective in helping students learn science. Finally, research into how Hispanic students learn best has provided a number of suggestions for science instruction. The Inquiry for Conceptual Change model merges these three research strands into a comprehensive yet accessible model for instruction. This study investigates two questions. First, what are teachers' perceptions of science inquiry and its implementation in the classroom? Second, how does the use of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model affect the learning of students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. Five teachers participated in a professional development project where they developed and implemented a science unit based on the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model. Three units were developed and implemented for this study. This is a qualitative study that included data from interviews, participant reflections and journals, student pre- and post-assessments, and researcher observations. This study provides an in-depth description of the role of professional development in helping teachers understand how science inquiry can be used to improve instructional quality for students in a predominantly Hispanic, urban neighborhood. These teachers demonstrated that it is important for professional development to be collaborative and provide opportunities for teachers to enact and reflect on new teaching paradigms. This study also shows promising results for the ability of the Inquiry for Conceptual Change model to improve student learning.
Students' Socio-Scientific Reasoning in an Astrobiological Context during Work with a Digital Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansson, Lena; Redfors, Andreas; Rosberg, Maria

2011-01-01

In a European project--CoReflect--researchers in seven countries are developing, implementing and evaluating teaching sequences using a web-based platform (STOCHASMOS). The interactive web-based inquiry materials support collaborative and reflective work. The learning environments will be iteratively tested and refined, during different phases of…
Revans Reversed: Focusing on the Positive for a Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gold, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

The classical principles of action learning, based on the work of Revans, usually include working with problems as the core. This article aims, by contrast, to show how a recent project of change has incorporated principles of appreciative inquiry (AI) based on social constructionism and positive psychology into an action learning process…
Promoting Learning by Inquiry Among Undergraduates in Soil Sciences: Scaffolding From Project-based Courses to Student-Staff Research Grants by the National Research Agency in Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Ismaily, Said; Kacimov, Anvar; Al-Maktoumi, Ali

2016-04-01

Three strategies in a soil science undergraduate programme with inquiry-based learning (IBL) principles at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, are presented. The first strategy scaffolds courses into three phases: with direct instructional guidance, structured IBL, and finally, guided to open IBL. The second strategy involves extra-curricular activities of undergraduates, viz. conducting workshops on soils for pupils in grades 7-9 with their teachers. The third strategy promotes the teaching-research nexus through collaboration between the undergraduates and faculty within a student-supporting, government-funded programme through 1-year long research grants of up to 5,500 US/project. The efficiency of the strategies was evaluated by students' evaluations of courses and instructors and questionnaire-based surveys. Statistics of students' responses in teaching evaluations of IBL courses showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction compared with regular courses taught in the department and college. In surveys of other constituencies of the program, viz. the secondary schools, more than 90% of respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they had learned new information/secrets about soils. The indicators of success in the third strategy are: winning a highly competitive grant and, moreover, earning an even more competitive annual national award for the best executed research project. The two top graduates of the IBL soil programme progressed into the MSc programme with the university and national scholarships. Key words: inquiry based learning, soil science undergraduate program, scaffold of courses, outreach activities, teaching-research nexus, evaluation of program's efficiency
Supporting Teachers' Use of a Project-Based Learning Environment in Ocean Science: Web-Based Educative Curriculum Materials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Ravit Golan; El-Moslimany, Hebbah; McDonnell, Janice; Lichtenwalner, Sage

2011-01-01

The development of inquiry and project-based materials is challenging in many ways, not the least of which is the design of supports for teachers implementing such materials. We report on the design of educative and just-in-time teacher supports for an online project-based unit in ocean science. The teacher supports were visible as tabs on the…
"We Found the 'Black Spots' on Campus on Our Own": Development of Inquiry Skills in Primary Science Learning with BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Yanjie

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a study situated in a one-year project "Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for Mobile Knowledge Building," aiming at investigating how primary school students developed their inquiry skills in science learning in BYOD-supported learning environments. Student perceptions of the BYOD-supported inquiry experience were also…
Inquiry Pedagogy and Smartphones: Enabling a Change in School Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Cathleen A.; Soloway, Elliot; Tan, Chun Ming; Looi, Chee-Kit

2013-01-01

In this project report, the authors describe the five transformations that a primary school in Singapore underwent as it adopted an inquiry pedagogy and curriculum along with a 1:1 deployment of smartphones. Based on the students' end-of-year test scores, not only did the students learn the prescribed content, but also they developed key 21st…
Integrating Inquiry-Based Science and Education Methods Courses in a "Science Semester" for Future Elementary Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madsen, J.; Fifield, S.; Allen, D.; Brickhouse, N.; Dagher, Z.; Ford, D.; Shipman, H.

2001-05-01

In this NSF-funded project we will adapt problem-based learning (PBL) and other inquiry-based approaches to create an integrated science and education methods curriculum ("science semester") for elementary teacher education majors. Our goal is to foster integrated understandings of science and pedagogy that future elementary teachers need to effectively use inquiry-based approaches in their classrooms. This project responds to calls to improve science education for all students by making preservice teachers' experiences in undergraduate science courses more consistent with reforms at the K-12 level. The involved faculty teach three science courses (biology, earth science, physical science) and an elementary science education methods course that are degree requirements for elementary teacher education majors. Presently, students take the courses in variable sequences and at widely scattered times. Too many students fail to appreciate the value of science courses to their future careers as teachers, and when they reach the methods course in the junior year they often retain little of the science content studied earlier. These episodic encounters with science make it difficult for students to learn the content, and to translate their understandings of science into effective, inquiry-based teaching strategies. To encourage integrated understandings of science concepts and pedagogy we will coordinate the science and methods courses in a junior-year science semester. Traditional subject matter boundaries will be crossed to stress shared themes that teachers must understand to teach standards-based elementary science. We will adapt exemplary approaches that support both learning science and learning how to teach science. Students will work collaboratively on multidisciplinary PBL activities that place science concepts in authentic contexts and build learning skills. "Lecture" meetings will be large group active learning sessions that help students understand difficult concepts, make connections between class activities, and launch and wrap-up PBL problems. Labs will include activities from elementary science kits as launching points for in-depth investigations that demonstrate the continuity of science concepts and pedagogies across age levels. In the methods course, students will critically explore the theory and practice of elementary science teaching, drawing on their shared experiences of inquiry learning in the science courses. Field placements in elementary classrooms will allow students to ground their studies of science and pedagogy in actual practice.
Teachers' Views on Implementing Storytelling as a Way to Motivate Inquiry Learning in High-School Chemistry Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peleg, Ran; Yayon, Malka; Katchevich, Dvora; Mamlok-Naaman, Rachel; Fortus, David; Eilks, Ingo; Hofstein, Avi

2017-01-01

Educational research and policy suggest inquiry as one of the most prominent ways of promoting effective science education. However, traditional approaches towards inquiry learning are not always sufficiently motivating for all learners. The EU-funded project, TEMI--Teaching Enquiry with Mysteries Incorporated, suggests that mysterious scientific…
Use of an Authentic, Industrially Situated Virtual Laboratory Project to Address Engineering Design and Scientific Inquiry in High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbuena, Debra M.; Kirsch, F. Adam; Koretsky, Milo D.

2012-01-01

This paper is intended for engineering educators, high school curriculum designers, and high school teachers interested in integrating authentic, project-based learning experiences into their classes. These types of projects may appear complex, but have many advantages. We characterize the successful implementation of one such project, the…
Using the Communication in Science Inquiry Project Professional Development Model to Facilitate Learning Middle School Genetics Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, Dale R.; Lewis, Elizabeth B.; Uysal, Sibel; Purzer, Senay; Lang, Michael; Baker, Perry

2011-01-01

This study describes the effect of embedding content in the Communication in Inquiry Science Project professional development model for science and language arts teachers. The model uses four components of successful professional development (content focus, active learning, extended duration, participation by teams of teachers from the same school…
Examining Authentic Intellectual Work with a Historical Digital Documentary Inquiry Project in a Mandated State Testing Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swan, Kathy; Hofer, Mark; Swan, Gerry

2011-01-01

Three criteria for meaningful student learning--construction of knowledge, disciplined inquiry, and value beyond school--are assessed as authentic learning outcomes for an implementation of a digital documentary project in two fifth grade history classrooms where teachers' practices are constrained by a high-stakes testing climate. In all three…
RITES: Online (Reaching In-Service Teachers With Earth Sciences Online)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baptiste, H.

2002-12-01

The RITES: Online project team (Drs. H. Prentice Baptiste, Susan Brown, Jennifer Villa) believe that the power of technology could not be effectively utilized unless it is grounded in new models of teaching and learning based on a student centered and project based curriculum, that increases opportunities for active, hands-on learning and respect for multiculturalism. We subscribe to an inquiry approach to learning. Specifically, science teaching should actively engage the learners in activities that draw on multiple abilities and learning styles. Recent brain-based research has shown that human beings construct knowledge through actions and interactions within their environment. Learning occurs in communities, and new ideas are linked to previous knowledge and constructed by the learner. Knowledge is acquired by making connections. We believe the aforementioned ideas and points to be equally true for the inservice teachers participating in the RITES: Online project as well as for their students. The ESSEA science courses are delivered by distance learning via the university WebCt distance education system. Teachers are encouraged to use technology in their classrooms and to record their students' involvement in science activities with digital cameras. Teachers involved in the ESSEA courses are engaged in earth science inquiry activities relevant to the four spheres (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere) with the students in their classes. This presentation will highlight the teachers in the roles of designer, researcher, and collaborator. As a result of our courses our teachers attain the following positive outcomes: 1) Teachers experience the inquiry approach to learning about the spheres of our earth. 2) Teachers become confident in using technology. 3) Teachers learn to work cooperatively in-groups and understand what their own students must feel. 4) Teachers find ways to obtain dynamic professional development and not leave their classrooms or homes. 5) Teachers develop relationships with other teachers that have an interest in teaching science and a learning community evolves.
Does Artificial Tutoring Foster Inquiry Based Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmoelz, Alexander; Swertz, Christian; Forstner, Alexandra; Barberi, Alessandro

2014-01-01

This contribution looks at the Intelligent Tutoring Interface for Technology Enhanced Learning, which integrates multistage-learning and inquiry-based learning in an adaptive e-learning system. Based on a common pedagogical ontology, adaptive e-learning systems can be enabled to recommend learning objects and activities, which follow inquiry-based…
Using Sociotransformative Constructivism to Create Multicultural and Gender-Inclusive Classrooms: An Intervention Project for Teacher Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zozakiewicz, Cathy; Rodriguez, Alberto J.

2007-01-01

Maxima was an intervention project that focused on assisting teachers to establish more inquiry-based, gender-inclusive, and culturally relevant learning environments. The authors grounded the project by using sociotransformative constructivism as a theoretical framework to steer the implementation of three guiding concepts for professional…

Teaching, as Learning, as Inquiry: Moving beyond Activity in the Analysis of Teaching Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandoval, William A.; Deneroff, Victoria; Franke, Megan L.

This paper describes an ongoing high school science teacher professional development project, Beyond Final Form Science, that focuses on developing teachers' ideas of scientific inquiry and inquiry pedagogy. It analyzes the first several months of the project, highlighting analyses of teachers' interactions during monthly professional development…
Student goal orientation in learning inquiry skills with modifiable software advisors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimoda, Todd A.; White, Barbara Y.; Frederiksen, John R.

2002-03-01

A computer support environment (SCI-WISE) for learning and doing science inquiry projects was designed. SCI-WISE incorporates software advisors that give general advice about a skill such as hypothesizing. By giving general advice (rather than step-by-step procedures), the system is intended to help students conduct experiments that are more epistemologically authentic. Also, students using SCI-WISE can select the type of advice the advisors give and when they give advice, as well as modify the advisors' knowledge bases. The system is based partly on a theoretical framework of levels of agency and goal orientation. This framework assumes that giving students higher levels of agency facilitates higher-level goal orientations (such as mastery or knowledge building as opposed to task completion) that in turn produce higher levels of competence. A study of sixth grade science students was conducted. Students took a pretest questionnaire that measured their goal orientations for science projects and their inquiry skills. The students worked in pairs on an open-ended inquiry project that requires complex reasoning about human memory. The students used one of two versions of SCI-WISE - one that was modifiable and one that was not. After finishing the project, the students took a posttest questionnaire similar to the pretest, and evaluated the version of the system they used. The main results showed that (a) there was no correlation of goal orientation with grade point average, (b) knowledge-oriented students using the modifiable version tended to rate SCI-WISE more helpful than task-oriented students, and (c) knowledge-oriented pairs using the nonmodifiable version tended to have higher posttest inquiry skills scores than other pair types.
Project - based teaching and other methods to make learning more attractive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Švecová, Libuše; Vlková, Iva

2017-01-01

This contribution presents the results of a research carried out at secondary schools in the Moravian-Silesian Region. This research involved a total of 120 pupils and focused on project teaching with the emphasis on pupil inquiry activity and the connection of their knowledge in the fields of physics and biology. To verify pupil inquiry activity, the tasks on the worksheets have been designed specifically to measure physical quantities on the human body by computer-aided measuring processes. To support pupil inquiry activity, group work was selected as the organization method of teaching. Audio recording and pedagogical observations were used as the research tools for assessment and a consequent evaluation of acquired data.
The Invisible Hand of Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Mark

2015-01-01

The key elements of learning in a classroom remain largely invisible. Teachers cannot expect every student to learn to their fullest capacity; yet they can augment learning within a classroom through inquiry-based learning. In this article, the author describes inquiry-based learning and how to begin this process in the classroom.
Inquiry-based Learning and Digital Libraries in Undergraduate Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apedoe, Xornam S.; Reeves, Thomas C.

2006-12-01

The purpose of this paper is twofold: to describe robust rationales for integrating inquiry-based learning into undergraduate science education, and to propose that digital libraries are potentially powerful technological tools that can support inquiry-based learning goals in undergraduate science courses. Overviews of constructivism and situated cognition are provided with regard to how these two theoretical perspectives have influenced current science education reform movements, especially those that involve inquiry-based learning. The role that digital libraries can play in inquiry-based learning environments is discussed. Finally, the importance of alignment among critical pedagogical dimensions of an inquiry-based pedagogical framework is stressed in the paper, and an example of how this can be done is presented using earth science education as a context.
Collaborative Action Research on Technology Integration for Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Chien-hsing; Ke, Yi-Ting; Wu, Jin-Tong; Hsu, Wen-Hua

2012-01-01

This paper briefly reports the outcomes of an action research inquiry on the use of blogs, MS PowerPoint [PPT], and the Internet as learning tools with a science class of sixth graders for project-based learning. Multiple sources of data were essential to triangulate the key findings articulated in this paper. Corresponding to previous studies,…
Finding Trustworthy Experts to Help Problem Solving on the Programming Learning Forum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tseng, Shian-Shyong; Weng, Jui-Feng

2010-01-01

The most important thing for learners in Programming Language subject is problem solving. During the practical programming project, various problems may occur and learners usually need consultation from the senior programmers (i.e. the experts) to assist them in solving the problems. Thus, the inquiry-based learning with learning forum is applied…
Mediation of a Teacher's Development of Spreadsheets as an Instrument to Support Pupils' Inquiry in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuglestad, Anne Berit

2013-01-01

This paper presents a case of collaboration with three teachers and a didactician on task development within a developmental research project based on ideas of inquiry and learning community. The teachers' goal was to utilise a spreadsheet to orchestrate the pupils' investigations and build a library of tasks for the classroom. The focus is on one…
Using Teachers' Inquiry-Oriented Curriculum Materials as a Means to Examine Their Pedagogical Design Capacity and Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papaevripidou, Marios; Irakleous, Maria; Zacharia, Zacharias C.

2017-01-01

The study aimed at examining preservice elementary teachers' inquiry-oriented curriculum materials in an attempt to unravel their pedagogical design capacity (PDC) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for inquiry-based learning (IBL), after attending a professional development program (PDP) centered around inquiry-based teaching and learning.…
RITES: Online (Reaching In-service Teachers with Earth Sciences Online)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baptiste, H.

2003-12-01

The RITES: Online project team (Drs. H. Prentice Baptiste, Susan Brown, Jennifer Villa) believed that the power of technology could not be effectively utilized unless it was grounded in new models of teaching and learning based on a student centered and project based curriculum, that increased opportunities for active, hands-on learning and respect for multiculturalism. We subscribe to an inquiry approach to learning. Specifically, science teaching should actively engage the learners in activities that draw on multiple abilities and learning styles. Recent brain-based research has shown that human beings construct knowledge through actions and interactions within their environment. Learning occurs in communities, and new ideas are linked to previous knowledge and constructed by the learner. Knowledge is acquired by making connections. We believed the aforementioned ideas and points to be equally true for the teacher candidates and inservice teachers participating in the RITES: Online project as well as for their students. The ESSEA science courses were delivered by distance learning via the university WebCt distance education system to teacher candidates (preservice teachers) and inservice teachers. Teacher candidates and inservice teachers were encouraged to use technology when involving their students in science inquiry activities and to record their students' involvement in science activities with digital cameras. Teacher candidates and inservice teachers involve in the ESSEA courses are engaged in earth science inquiry activities relevant to the four spheres (atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere) with the students in their classes. This presentation will highlight teacher candidates and inservice teachers in the roles of designer, researcher, and collaborator. Examples of student works will also be a part of the Power point presentation. As a result of our courses our teachers have attained the following positive outcomes: 1) Teacher candidates and inservice teachers are experiencing the inquiry approach to learning about the spheres of our earth. 2) Teacher candidates and inservice teachers are becoming confident in using technology. 3) Teacher candidates and inservice teachers are learning to work cooperatively in-groups and understand what their own students must feel. 4) Teacher candidates and inservice teachers are finding ways to obtain dynamic professional development and not leave their classrooms or homes. 5) Teacher candidates and inservice teachers are developing relationships with other teachers that have an interest in teaching science and a learning community is evolving.
Identifying Elements Critical for Functional and Sustainable Professional Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richmond, Gail; Manokore, Viola

2011-01-01

In this paper, we examined data collected as part of a 5-year project designed to foster reform-based urban science teaching through teachers' communities of inquiry. Drawing upon a distributed leadership framework, we analyzed teacher "talk" during professional learning community (PLC) meetings. This analysis yielded five elements:…
Exploration of Peer-Facilitator Dynamics in Two Contrasting Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Fei-ching; Jiang, Huo-ming

2004-01-01

Utilizing an integration of social-cognitivist and socio-cultural approaches, this study--comparing the interactive processes among peers and their mentor in two contrasting groups--was designed to explore the reasons why two learning groups, engaged in an inquiry-based learning project with comparatively sustained discussion, produced vastly…
Expeditionary Learning Approach in Integrated Teacher Education: Model Effectiveness and Dilemma.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hyun, Eunsook

This paper introduces an integrated teacher education model based on the Expeditionary Learning Outward Bound Project model. It integrates early childhood, elementary, and special education and uses inquiry-oriented and social constructive approaches. It models a team approach, with all teachers unified in their mutually shared philosophy of…
Building Civic Bridges: Community-Centered Action Civics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LeCompte, Karon; Blevins, Brooke

2015-01-01

Project-based learning is an example of powerful social studies learning in which student engage in active inquiry. Action civics is a relatively new educational practice in which students "act as citizens" through a cycle of research, action, and reflection about problems they care about in their community. "Building Civic…
Making learning whole: an instructional approach for mediating the practices of authentic science inquiries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liljeström, Anu; Enkenberg, Jorma; Pöllänen, Sinikka

2013-03-01

This design experiment aimed to answer the question of how to mediate the practices of authentic science inquiries in primary education. An instructional approach based on activity theory was designed and carried out with multi-age students in a small village school. An open-ended learning task was offered to the older students. Their task was to design and implement instruction about the Ice Age to their younger fellows. The objective was collaborative learning among students, the teacher, and outside domain experts. Mobile phones and GPS technologies were applied as the main technological mediators in the learning process. Technology provided an opportunity to expand the learning environment outside the classroom, including the natural environment. Empirically, the goal was to answer the following questions: What kind of learning project emerged? How did the students' knowledge develop? What kinds of science learning processes, activities, and practices were represented? Multiple and parallel data were collected to achieve this aim. The data analysis revealed that the learning project both challenged the students to develop explanations for the phenomena and generated high quality conceptual and physical models in question. During the learning project, the roles of the community members were shaped, mixed, and integrated. The teacher also repeatedly evaluated and adjusted her behavior. The confidence of the learners in their abilities raised the quality of their learning outcomes. The findings showed that this instructional approach can not only mediate the kind of authentic practices that scientists apply but also make learning more holistic than it has been. Thus, it can be concluded that nature of the task, the tool-integrated collaborative inquiries in the natural environment, and the multiage setting can make learning whole.
Which Type of Inquiry Project Do High School Biology Students Prefer: Open or Guided?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadeh, Irit; Zion, Michal

2012-10-01

In teaching inquiry to high school students, educators differ on which method of teaching inquiry is more effective: Guided or open inquiry? This paper examines the influence of these two different inquiry learning approaches on the attitudes of Israeli high school biology students toward their inquiry project. The results showed significant differences between the two groups: Open inquiry students were more satisfied and felt they gained benefits from implementing the project to a greater extent than guided inquiry students. On the other hand, regarding documentation throughout the project, guided inquiry students believed that they conducted more documentation, as compared to their open inquiry peers. No significant differences were found regarding `the investment of time', but significant differences were found in the time invested and difficulties which arose concerning the different stages of the inquiry process: Open inquiry students believed they spent more time in the first stages of the project, while guided inquiry students believed they spent more time in writing the final paper. In addition, other differences were found: Open inquiry students felt more involved in their project, and felt a greater sense of cooperation with others, in comparison to guided inquiry students. These findings may help teachers who hesitate to teach open inquiry to implement this method of inquiry; or at least provide their students with the opportunity to be more involved in inquiry projects, and ultimately provide their students with more autonomy, high-order thinking, and a deeper understanding in performing science.
Inquiry-Based Science Education: Scaffolding Pupils' Self-Directed Learning in Open Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Uum, Martina S. J.; Verhoeff, Roald P.; Peeters, Marieke

2017-01-01

This paper describes a multiple case study on open inquiry-based learning in primary schools. During open inquiry, teachers often experience difficulties in balancing support and transferring responsibility to pupils' own learning. To facilitate teachers in guiding open inquiry, we developed hard and soft scaffolds. The hard scaffolds consisted of…
Inquiring with Geoscience Datasets: Instruction and Assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, D.; Quellmalz, E.; Gobert, J.

2005-12-01

This session will describe a new NSF-funded project in Geoscience education, Inquiring with Geoscience Data Sets. The goals of the project are to (1) Study the impacts on student learning of Web-based supplementary curriculum modules that engage secondary-level students in inquiry projects addressing important geoscience problems using an Earth System Science approach. Students will use technologies to access real data sets in the geosciences and to interpret, analyze, and communicate findings based on the data sets. The standards addressed will include geoscience concepts, inquiry abilities in NSES and Benchmarks for Science Literacy, data literacy, NCTM standards, and 21st-century skills and technology proficiencies (NETTS/ISTE). (2) Develop design principles, specification templates, and prototype exemplars for technology-based performance assessments that provide evidence of students' geoscientific knowledge and inquiry skills (including data literacy skills) and students' ability to access, use, analyze, and interpret technology-based geoscience data sets. (3) Develop scenarios based on the specification templates that describe curriculum modules and performance assessments that could be developed for other Earth Science standards and curriculum programs. Also to be described in the session are the project's efforts to differentiate among the dimensions of data literacy and scientific inquiry that are relevant for the geoscience discplines, and how recognition and awareness of the differences can be effectively channelled for the betterment of geoscience education.
Teaching Mitochondrial Genetics & Disease: A GENA Project Curriculum Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reardon, Ryan A.; Sharer, J. Daniel

2012-01-01

This report describes a novel, inquiry-based learning plan developed as part of the GENA educational outreach project. Focusing on mitochondrial genetics and disease, this interactive approach utilizes pedigree analysis and laboratory techniques to address non-Mendelian inheritance. The plan can be modified to fit a variety of educational goals…
Dig Deeply

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owings, Sharon; Merino, Barbara

2010-01-01

Most children enjoy being in gardens. To capitalize on this interest, the authors designed a pea project in which second- and third-grade students would discover how plants grow under different conditions while also developing observation and nonfiction writing skills. As a result of this inquiry-based project, students learned how to think and…

Arabidopsis Ecotypes: A Model for Course Projects in Organismal Plant Biology & Evolution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyatt, Sarah; Ballard, Harvey E.

2007-01-01

We present an inquiry-based project using readily-available seed stocks of Arabidopsis. Seedlings are grown under simulated "common garden" conditions to test evolutionary and organismal principles. Students learn scientific method by developing hypotheses and selecting appropriate data and analyses for their experiments. Experiments can be…
Connected Mathematics Project (CMP). What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report. Updated

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2017

2017-01-01

"Connected Mathematics Project" (CMP) is a math curriculum for students in grades 6-8. It uses interactive problems and everyday situations to explore mathematical ideas, with a goal of fostering a problem-centered, inquiry-based learning environment. At each grade level, the curriculum covers numbers, algebra, geometry/measurement,…
Can Inquiry-Based Learning Strengthen the Links between Teaching and Disciplinary Research?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spronken-Smith, Rachel; Walker, Rebecca

2010-01-01

Inquiry-based learning has been promoted as a student-centred approach that can strengthen the links between teaching and research. This article examines the potential of inquiry-based learning to strengthen the teaching-research nexus by analysing three case studies: a "structured inquiry" third-year endocrinology medicine module, a…
Barriers Inhibiting Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Potential Solutions: Perceptions of Positively Inclined Early Adopters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fitzgerald, Michael; Danaia, Lena; McKinnon, David H.

2017-07-01

In recent years, calls for the adoption of inquiry-based pedagogies in the science classroom have formed a part of the recommendations for large-scale high school science reforms. However, these pedagogies have been problematic to implement at scale. This research explores the perceptions of 34 positively inclined early-adopter teachers in relation to their implementation of inquiry-based pedagogies. The teachers were part of a large-scale Australian high school intervention project based around astronomy. In a series of semi-structured interviews, the teachers identified a number of common barriers that prevented them from implementing inquiry-based approaches. The most important barriers identified include the extreme time restrictions on all scales, the poverty of their common professional development experiences, their lack of good models and definitions for what inquiry-based teaching actually is, and the lack of good resources enabling the capacity for change. Implications for expectations of teachers and their professional learning during educational reform and curriculum change are discussed.
Exercise in Inquiry: Critical Thinking in an Inquiry-Based Exercise Physiology Laboratory Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiPasquale, Dana M.; Mason, Cheryl L.; Kolkhorst, Fred W.

2003-01-01

Describes an inquiry-based teaching method implemented in an undergraduate exercise physiology laboratory course. Indicates students' strong, positive feelings about the inquiry-based teaching method and shows that inquiry-based learning results in a higher order of learning not typically observed in traditional style classes. This teaching method…
Engaging Nature of Science to Preservice Teachers through Inquiry-Based Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuangchalerm, Prasart

2013-01-01

Inquiry-based classroom is widely distributed in the school science based on its useful and effective instruction. Science teachers are key elements allowing students to have scientific inquiry. If teachers understand and imply inquiry-based learning into science classroom, students will learn science as scientific inquiry and understand nature of…
Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard A.; Frazier, Wendy M.; Folta, Elizabeth; Holmes, Shawn; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2013-01-01

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based…
Acting Like a Mathematician: A Project to Encourage Inquiry Early in the Math Major

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camenga, Kristin A.

2017-01-01

Inquiry is promoted as a way to engage students so that they learn more deeply; inquiry is also an end in itself, introducing students to the research process and the behaviors of a mathematician. This article reflects on an individual exploratory project used in a sophomore-level number theory course, examining how it supported student inquiry…
Creating Teacher Communities of Inquiry through Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Widjaja, Wanty

2013-01-01

Opportunities for teachers to engage in collaborative learning to examine and reflect on their practice are vital for sustained professional learning. Lesson Study centres on teachers coming together with colleagues to plan, observe, and reflect on classroom teaching and learning as a Community of Inquiry. In this project, six teachers from three…
How Select Groups of Preservice Science Teachers with Inquiry Orientations View Teaching and Learning Science through Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Peggy

Although hailed as a powerful form of instruction, in most teaching and learning contexts, inquiry-based instruction is fraught with ambiguous and conflicting definitions and descriptions. Yet little has been written about the experiences preservice science teacher have regarding their learning to teach science through inquiry. This project sought to understand how select preservice secondary science teachers enrolled in three UTeach programs in Arkansas conceptualize inquiry instruction and how they rationalize its value in a teaching and learning context. The three teacher education programs investigated in this study are adoption sites aligned with the UTeach Program in Austin, TX that distinguishes itself in part by its inquiry emphasis. Using a mixed method investigation design, this study utilized two sources of data to explore the preservice science teachers' thinking. In the first phase, a modified version of the Pedagogy of Science teaching Tests (POSTT) was used to identify select program participants who indicated preferences for inquiry instruction over other instructional strategies. Secondly, the study used an open-ended questionnaire to explore the selected subjects' beliefs and conceptions of teaching and learning science in an inquiry context. The study also focused on identifying particular junctures in the prospective science teachers' education preparation that might impact their understanding about inquiry. Using a constant comparative approach, this study explored 19 preservice science teachers' conceptions about inquiry. The results indicate that across all levels of instruction, the prospective teachers tended to have strong student-centered teaching orientations. Except subjects in for the earliest courses, subjects' definitions and descriptions of inquiry tended toward a few of the science practices. More advanced subjects, however, expressed more in-depth descriptions. Excluding the subjects who have completed the program, multiple subjects tended to associate inquiry learning exclusively in terms of exploring before lecture, getting a single correct answer. Additionally, various subjects at multiple levels, described inquiry in terms of the 5E Model of Instruction, which is emphasized in the Arkansas UTeach lesson design. Implications of these findings and suggestions for program improvement at the course levels are suggested.
Finnish Science Teachers' Views on the Three Stage Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sormunen, K.; Keinonen, T.; Holbrook, J.

2014-01-01

The core idea of the PROFILES project is to support science teachers' continuous professional development. The instructional innovation of the PROFILES is the so called Three Stage Model (TSM) which aims to arouse students' intrinsic motivation, to offer a meaningful inquiry-based learning environment and to use the science learning in…
Teaching and Learning Cycles in a Constructivist Approach to Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Florence Mihaela; Moscovici, Hedy

2008-01-01

This study attempts to analyze and synthesize the knowledge collected in the area of conceptual models used in teaching and learning during inquiry-based projects, and to propose a new frame for organizing the classroom interactions within a constructivist approach. The IMSTRA model consists in three general phases: Immersion, Structuring,…
Enhancing undergraduate students' chemistry understanding through project-based learning in an IT environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barak, Miri; Dori, Yehudit Judy

2005-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL), which is increasingly supported by information technologies (IT), contributes to fostering student-directed scientific inquiry of problems in a real-world setting. This study investigated the integration of PBL in an IT environment into three undergraduate chemistry courses, each including both experimental and control students. Students in the experimental group volunteered to carry out an individual IT-based project, whereas the control students solved only traditional problems. The project included constructing computerized molecular models, seeking information on scientific phenomena, and inquiring about chemistry theories. The effect of the PBL was examined both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis was based on a pretest, a posttest, and a final examination, which served for comparing the learning gains of the two research groups. For the qualitative analysis, we looked into the experimental students' performance, as reflected by the projects they had submitted. In addition, think alou interviews and observations helped us gain insight into the students' conceptual understanding of molecular structures. Students who participated in the IT-enhanced PBL performed significantly better than their control classmates not only on their posttest but also on their course final examination. Analyzing the qualitative findings, we concluded that the construction of computerized models and Web-based inquiry activities helped promote students' ability of mentally traversing the four levels of chemistry understanding: symbolic, macroscopic, microscopic, and process. More generally, our results indicated that incorporating IT-rich PBL into freshmen courses can enhance students' understanding of chemical concepts, theories, and molecular structures.
WISE Design for Knowledge Integration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linn, Marcia C.; Clark, Douglas; Slotta, James D.

2003-01-01

Examines the implementation of Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), which can incorporate modeling tools and hand-held devices. Describes WISE design team practices, features of the WISE learning environment, and patterns of feature use in WISE library projects. (SOE)
Hooking the Geographer in Children with Field-Based Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krall, Florence; And Others

1978-01-01

Suggests projects to help elementary students learn about man-land relationships through field experience, inquiry techniques, and a thematic, interdisciplinary approach. Children study a natural community, a human community, solid wastes, and energy conservation. (Author/AV)
Implementing and Assessing Inquiry-Based Learning through the CAREER Award

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brudzinski, M. R.

2011-12-01

In order to fully attain the benefits of inquiry-based learning, instructors who typically employ the traditional lecture format need to make many adjustments to their approach. This change in styles can be intimidating and logistically difficult to overcome, both for instructors and students, such that a stepwise approach to this transformation is likely to be more manageable. In this session, I will describe a series of tools to promote inquiry-based learning that I am helping to implement and assess in classroom courses and student research projects. I will demonstrate the importance of integrating with existing institutional initiatives as well as recognizing how student development plays a key role in student engagement. Some of the features I will highlight include: defining both student learning outcomes and student development outcomes, converting content training to be self-directed and asynchronous, utilizing conceptests to help students practice thinking like scientists, and employing both objective pre/post assessment and student self-reflective assessment. Lastly, I will reflect on how the well-defined goal of teaching and research integration in the CAREER award solicitation resonated with me even as an undergraduate and helped inspire my early career.
Development of an Inquiry-Based Learning Support System Based on an Intelligent Knowledge Exploration Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Ji-Wei; Tseng, Judy C. R.; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2015-01-01

Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is an effective approach for promoting active learning. When inquiry-based learning is incorporated into instruction, teachers provide guiding questions for students to actively explore the required knowledge in order to solve the problems. Although the World Wide Web (WWW) is a rich knowledge resource for students to…
A Scientist's Guide to Achieving Broader Impacts through K-12 STEM Collaboration.

PubMed

Komoroske, Lisa M; Hameed, Sarah O; Szoboszlai, Amber I; Newsom, Amanda J; Williams, Susan L

2015-03-01

The National Science Foundation and other funding agencies are increasingly requiring broader impacts in grant applications to encourage US scientists to contribute to science education and society. Concurrently, national science education standards are using more inquiry-based learning (IBL) to increase students' capacity for abstract, conceptual thinking applicable to real-world problems. Scientists are particularly well suited to engage in broader impacts via science inquiry outreach, because scientific research is inherently an inquiry-based process. We provide a practical guide to help scientists overcome obstacles that inhibit their engagement in K-12 IBL outreach and to attain the accrued benefits. Strategies to overcome these challenges include scaling outreach projects to the time available, building collaborations in which scientists' research overlaps with curriculum, employing backward planning to target specific learning objectives, encouraging scientists to share their passion, as well as their expertise with students, and transforming institutional incentives to support scientists engaging in educational outreach.
The Effects of Scaffolded Simulation-Based Inquiry Learning on Fifth-Graders' Representations of the Greenhouse Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kukkonen, Jari Ensio; Kärkkäinen, Sirpa; Dillon, Patrick; Keinonen, Tuula

2014-01-01

Research has demonstrated that simulation-based inquiry learning has significant advantages for learning outcomes when properly scaffolded. For successful learning in science with simulation-based inquiry, one needs to ascertain levels of background knowledge so as to support learners in making, evaluating and modifying hypotheses, conducting…
Open inquiry-based learning experiences: a case study in the context of energy exchange by thermal radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio; Rosario Battaglia, Onofrio

2014-01-01

An open inquiry (OI)-based teaching/learning experience, regarding a scientific investigation of the process of energy exchange by thermal radiation, is presented. A sample of upper secondary school physics teachers carried out this experience at the University of Palermo, Italy, in the framework of ESTABLISH, a FP7 European Project aimed at promoting and developing inquiry-based science education. The teachers had the opportunity to personally experience an OI-based learning activity, with the aim of exploring the pedagogical potentialities of this teaching approach to promote both the understanding of difficult concepts and a deeper view of scientific practices. The teachers were firstly engaged in discussions concerning real-life problematic situations, and then stimulated to design and carry out their own laboratory activities, aimed at investigating the process of energy exchange by thermal radiation. A scientific study on the energy exchange between a powered resistor and its surrounding environment, during the heating and cooling processes, was designed and performed. Here we report the phases of this experiment by following the teachers' perspective. A structured interview conducted both before and after the OI experience allowed us to analyze and point out the teachers' feedback from a pedagogical point of view. The advantages and limits of an OI-based approach to promote the development of more student-centred inquiry-oriented teaching strategies are finally discussed.

Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-01-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the…
"From the Beginning, I Felt Empowered": Incorporating an Ecological Approach to Learning in Elementary Science Teacher Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Birmingham, Daniel; Smetana, Lara; Coleman, Elizabeth

2017-09-01

While a renewed national dialog promotes the importance of science education for future technological and economic viability, students must find science personally relevant to themselves and their communities if the goals set forth in recent reform movements are to be achieved. In this paper, we investigate how incorporating an ecological perspective to learning in teacher education, including opportunities to participate with science in connection to their everyday lives, influenced the ways in which elementary teacher candidates (TCs) envisioned learning and doing science and its potential role in their future classroom. We draw from data collected across three sections of a field-based elementary methods course focused on learning to teach science and social studies through inquiry. We argue that participating in an authentic interdisciplinary inquiry project impacted the ways in which TCs conceived of science, their identities as science learners and teachers and their commitments to bringing inquiry-based science instruction to their future classrooms. This paper addresses issues regarding access to quality science learning experiences in elementary classrooms through empowering TCs to build identities as science learners and teachers in order to impact conditions in their future classrooms.
Engaging Diverse Students in Statistical Inquiry: A Comparison of Learning Experiences and Outcomes of Under-Represented and Non-Underrepresented Students Enrolled in a Multidisciplinary Project-Based Statistics Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dierker, Lisa; Alexander, Jalen; Cooper, Jennifer L.; Selya, Arielle; Rose, Jennifer; Dasgupta, Nilanjana

2016-01-01

Introductory statistics needs innovative, evidence-based teaching practices that support and engage diverse students. To evaluate the success of a multidisciplinary, project-based course, we compared experiences of under-represented (URM) and non-underrepresented students in 4 years of the course. While URM students considered the material more…
Evaluation of a High School Fair Program for Promoting Successful Inquiry-based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Betts, Julia Nykeah

The success of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in supporting science literacy can be challenged when students encounter obstacles in the absence of proper support. This research is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of an Oregon public school district's regional science fair coaching program in promoting inquiry skills and positive attitudes toward science in participating high school students. The purpose of this study was to better understand students' perception of program support, obstacles or barriers faced by students, and potential benefits of IBL facilitated by the science fair program. Data included responses to informal and semi-structured interviews, an anonymous survey, a Skills assessment of final project displays, and an in-depth case study on three students' experiences. Results suggest that the science fair program can properly engage participants in authentic IBL. However, when assessing the participant's final project displays, I found that previous fair experience did not significantly increase mean scores as identified by the official Oregon Department of Education (ODE) scoring guides. Based on results from the case study, it is suggested that participants' low science self-concept, poor understanding of inquiry skills, and inability to engage in reflective discourse may reduce students' abilities to truly benefit. Recommendations to address this discrepancy include identifying specific needs of students through a pre--fair survey to develop more targeted support, and providing new opportunities to develop skills associated with science-self concept, understanding of inquiry and reflective discourse. In addition, results suggest that students would benefit from more financial support in the form of grants, and more connections with knowledgeable mentors.
iLearning, The Game Changer

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-21

physical kinesthetically. Auditory learners ’ best receive and process information by hearing what is presented. Visual learners ’ best learn by reading or...Leader Development Strategy , which highlights essential elements necessary for future leader development. Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) is a learner ...ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 03-21-2012 2. REPORT TYPE Strategy Research Project 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE
Procuring a Sustainable Future: An Action Learning Approach to the Development and Modelling of Ethical and Sustainable Procurement Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boak, George; Watt, Peter; Gold, Jeff; Devins, David; Garvey, Robert

2016-01-01

This paper contributes to an understanding of the processes by which organisational actors learn how to affect positive and sustainable social change in their local region through action learning, action research and appreciative inquiry. The paper is based on a critically reflective account of key findings from an ongoing action research project,…
The Proof of the Pudding?: A Case Study of an "At-Risk" Design-Based Inquiry Science Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chue, Shien; Lee, Yew-Jin

2013-12-01

When students collaboratively design and build artifacts that require relevant understanding and application of science, many aspects of scientific literacy are developed. Design-based inquiry (DBI) is one such pedagogy that can serve these desired goals of science education well. Focusing on a Projectile Science curriculum previously found to be implemented with satisfactory fidelity, we investigate the many hidden challenges when using DBI with Grade 8 students from one school in Singapore. A case study method was used to analyze video recordings of DBI lessons conducted over 10 weeks, project presentations, and interviews to ascertain the opportunities for developing scientific literacy among participants. One critical factor that hindered learning was task selection by teachers, which emphasized generic scientific process skills over more important cognitive and epistemic learning goals. Teachers and students were also jointly engaged in forms of inquiry that underscored artifact completion over deeper conceptual and epistemic understanding of science. Our research surfaced two other confounding factors that undermined the curriculum; unanticipated teacher effects and the underestimation of the complexity of DBI and of inquiry science in general. Thus, even though motivated or experienced teachers can implement an inquiry science curriculum with good fidelity and enjoy school-wide support, these by themselves will not guarantee deep learning of scientific literacy in DBI. Recommendations are made for navigating the hands- and minds-on aspects of learning science that is an asset as well as inherent danger during DBI teaching.
A Rights-Based Approach to Science Literacy Using Local Languages: Contextualising Inquiry-Based Learning in Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babaci-Wilhite, Zehlia

2017-01-01

This article addresses the importance of teaching and learning science in local languages. The author argues that acknowledging local knowledge and using local languages in science education while emphasising inquiry-based learning improve teaching and learning science. She frames her arguments with the theory of inquiry, which draws on…
Monitoring Seasons Through Global Learning Communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sparrow, E. B.; Robin, J. H.; Jeffries, M. O.; Gordon, L. S.; Verbyla, D. L.; Levine, E. R.

2006-12-01

Monitoring Seasons through Global Learning Communities (MSTGLC) is an inquiry- and project-based project that monitors seasons, specifically their interannual variability, in order to increase K-12 students' understanding of the Earth system by providing teacher professional development in Earth system science and inquiry, and engaging K-12 students in Earth system science research relevant to their local communities that connect globally. MSTGLC connects GLOBE students, teachers, and communities, with educators and scientists from three integrated Earth systems science programs: the International Arctic Research Center, and NASA Landsat Data Continuity and Terra Satellite Missions. The project organizes GLOBE schools by biomes into eight Global Learning Communities (GLCs) and students monitor their seasons through regional based field campaigns. The project expands the current GLOBE phenology network by adapting current protocols and making them biome-specific. In addition, ice and mosquito phenology protocols will be developed for Arctic and Tropical regions, respectively. Initially the project will focus on Tundra and Taiga biomes as phenological changes are so pronounced in these regions. However, our long-term goal is to determine similar changes in other biomes (Deciduous Forest, Desert, Grasslands, Rain Forest, Savannah and Shrubland) based upon what we learn from these two biomes. This project will also contribute to critically needed Earth system science data such as in situ ice, mosquito, and vegetation phenology measurements for ground validations of remotely sensed data, which are essential for regional climate change impact assessments. Additionally it will contribute environmental data critical to prevention and management of diseases such as malaria in Asian, African, and other countries. Furthermore, this project will enable students to participate in the International Polar Year (IPY) (2007-2009) through field campaigns conducted by students in polar regions, and web chats between IPY scientists and GLOBE students from all eight GLCs that include non-polar countries.
A Bullet Fired in Dry Water: An Investigative Activity to Learn Hydrodynamics Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leitão, Ulisses Azevedo; dos Anjos Pinheiro da Silva, Antonio; Trindade do Nascimento, Natália Cristina; da Cruz Gervásio, Lilian Mara Benedita

2017-01-01

In this paper we report an investigative activity on hydrodynamics, in the context of an inquiry-based learning project. The aim is to analyse the experiment of a bullet shot underwater. Using "Tracker," a video analysing and modelling software, the displacement of the bullet was measured as function of time, processing a slow motion…
A Case Study of Technology-Enhanced Historical Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Shu Ching

2009-01-01

The paper describes the integration of web resources and technology as instructional and learning tools in oral history projects. The computer-mediated oral history project centred around interviews with community elders combined with new technologies to engage students in authentic historical inquiry. The study examined learners' affective…
Investigative Approaches to Teaching Mathematics and "Getting through the Curriculum": The Example of Pendulums

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beswick, Kim; Muir, Tracey; Callingham, Rosemary

2014-01-01

The benefits of rich tasks, project-based learning, and other inquiry-based approaches in terms of student understanding and engagement with mathematics are well documented. Such pedagogies are consistent with the development of mathematical proficiencies as described in the "Australian Curriculum: Mathematics" (Australian Curriculum…
Evaluation Tool for the Application of Discovery Teaching Method in the Greek Environmental School Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalathaki, Maria

2015-01-01

Greek school community emphasizes on the discovery direction of teaching methodology in the school Environmental Education (EE) in order to promote Education for the Sustainable Development (ESD). In ESD school projects the used methodology is experiential teamwork for inquiry based learning. The proposed tool checks whether and how a school…
Creative Little Scientists: Exploring Pedagogical Synergies between Inquiry-Based and Creative Approaches in Early Years Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cremin, Teresa; Glauert, Esme; Craft, Anna; Compton, Ashley; Stylianidou, Fani

2015-01-01

In the light of the European Union's interest in creativity and innovation, this paper, drawing on data from the EU project Creative Little Scientists (2011-2014), explores the teaching and learning of science and creativity in Early Years education. The project's conceptual framework, developed from detailed analysis of relevant literatures,…
Inquiry-Based Learning Using Everyday Objects: Hands-On Instructional Strategies That Promote Active Learning in Grades 3-8.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvarado, Amy Edmonds; Herr, Patricia R.

This book explores the concept of using everyday objects as a process initiated both by students and teachers, encouraging growth in student observation, inquisitiveness, and reflection in learning. After "Introduction: Welcome to Inquiry-Based Learning using Everyday Objects (Object-Based Inquiry), there are nine chapters in two parts. Part 1,…
Sculpting the Barnyard Gene Pool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childers, Gina; Wolfe, Kim; Dupree, Alan; Young, Sheila; Caver, Jessica; Quintanilla, Ruby; Thornton, Laura

2016-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) takes student engagement to a higher level through reflective collaboration, inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving, and personal relevance. This article explains how six high school teachers developed an interconnected, interdisciplinary STEM-focused PBL called "Sculpting the Barnyard Gene Pool." The…
Addition Chains: A reSolve Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turner, Paul; Thornton, Steve

2017-01-01

This article draws on some ideas explored during and after a writing workshop to develop classroom resources for the reSolve: Mathematics by Inquiry (www.resolve.edu.au) project. The project develops classroom and professional learning resources that will promote a spirit of inquiry in school mathematics from Foundation to year ten. The…
Exploring Social and Moral Learning Frameworks through Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dyer, Becky

2014-01-01

This article reflects on the best teaching practices explored and developed by members of a teachers' community and action research project in Arizona. The project is an ongoing collaborative inquiry and curriculum development endeavor that involves seven dance educators who are currently teaching or have previously taught in secondary dance…
The Effects of a Concept Map-Based Support Tool on Simulation-Based Inquiry Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hagemans, Mieke G.; van der Meij, Hans; de Jong, Ton

2013-01-01

Students often need support to optimize their learning in inquiry learning environments. In 2 studies, we investigated the effects of adding concept-map-based support to a simulation-based inquiry environment on kinematics. The concept map displayed the main domain concepts and their relations, while dynamic color coding of the concepts displayed…
The Effects of Scaffolded Simulation-Based Inquiry Learning on Fifth-Graders' Representations of the Greenhouse Effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kukkonen, Jari Ensio; Kärkkäinen, Sirpa; Dillon, Patrick; Keinonen, Tuula

2014-02-01

Research has demonstrated that simulation-based inquiry learning has significant advantages for learning outcomes when properly scaffolded. For successful learning in science with simulation-based inquiry, one needs to ascertain levels of background knowledge so as to support learners in making, evaluating and modifying hypotheses, conducting experiments and interpreting data, and to regulate the learning process. This case study examines the influence of scaffolded simulation-based inquiry learning on fifth-graders' (n = 21) models of the greenhouse effect. The pupils were asked to make annotated drawings about the greenhouse effect both before and after scaffolding through simulation-based instructional interventions. The data were analysed qualitatively to investigate the impact of the interventions on the representations that pupils used in their descriptions of the greenhouse effect. It was found that scaffolded simulation-based inquiry learning noticeably enriched the concepts pupils used in their representations leading to better understanding of the phenomenon. In many cases, the fifth graders produced quite sophisticated representations.

Genome annotation in a community college cell biology lab.

PubMed

Beagley, C Timothy

2013-01-01

The Biology Department at Salt Lake Community College has used the IMG-ACT toolbox to introduce a genome mapping and annotation exercise into the laboratory portion of its Cell Biology course. This project provides students with an authentic inquiry-based learning experience while introducing them to computational biology and contemporary learning skills. Additionally, the project strengthens student understanding of the scientific method and contributes to student learning gains in curricular objectives centered around basic molecular biology, specifically, the Central Dogma. Importantly, inclusion of this project in the laboratory course provides students with a positive learning environment and allows for the use of cooperative learning strategies to increase overall student success. Copyright © 2012 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.
Connecting Mathematics in Primary Science Inquiry Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Winnie Wing-mui

2013-01-01

Science as inquiry and mathematics as problem solving are conjoined fraternal twins attached by their similarities but with distinct differences. Inquiry and problem solving are promoted in contemporary science and mathematics education reforms as a critical attribute of the nature of disciplines, teaching methods, and learning outcomes involving…
Theory versus practice at implementation of inquiry-based approaches into physics education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfefferová, Miriam Spodniaková; Raganová, Janka; Hruška, Martin; Holec, Stanislav

2017-01-01

At present a lot of ideas for student inquiry-based activities accompanied with methodical remarks and instructions for teachers exist and can be used at physics lessons at lower and upper secondary levels. A need of the use of the teaching methods that support an independent student work as well as active learning approaches has been reflected also in the Slovak state educational program at various educational levels. Experiences of teachers who have used inquiry-based approaches in the classrooms are often in the contrary with expectations of these didactical trends. The paper aims to compare the theory and the practice of the implementation of inquiry-based activities in physics teaching. Practical experience was gained implementing activities for science education developed within the Chain Reaction project running at Matej Bel University Banska Bystrica. Opinions of teachers were investigated with the help of questionnaires, evaluation meetings and structured interviews. Their analysis identified many problems that the teachers had met during the implementation of the inquiry-based approaches in their teaching, as well as benefits of those activities for development of student competences.
Learning Environments and Inquiry Behaviors in Science Inquiry Learning: How Their Interplay Affects the Development of Conceptual Understanding in Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bumbacher, Engin; Salehi, Shima; Wierzchula, Miriam; Blikstein, Paulo

2015-01-01

Studies comparing virtual and physical manipulative environments (VME and PME) in inquiry-based science learning have mostly focused on students' learning outcomes but not on the actual processes they engage in during the learning activities. In this paper, we examined experimentation strategies in an inquiry activity and their relation to…
Exploring Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences and Learning Outcomes in a Revised Inquiry-Based Science Lesson: An Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazempour, Mahsa; Amirshokoohi, Aidin

2013-01-01

In order for teachers to implement inquiry-based teaching practices, they must have experienced inquiry-based learning especially during science content and methods courses. Although the impacts of inquiry-based instruction on various cognitive and affective domains have been studied and documented little attention has been paid to "how"…
Blended Online Learning in Initial Teacher Education: A Professional Inquiry into Pre-Service Teachers' Inquiry Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunt, Anne-Marie

2015-01-01

Online and blended learning bring opportunities and challenges, including more opportunities for authentic activities (Gikandi, Morrow, & Davis, 2011). Blended online environments are now a common mode for pre-service teacher education, providing interesting opportunities to develop and showcase alternative approaches that blend with practice…
Patterns of Guidance in Inquiry Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veermans, Marjaana; Lallimo, Jiri; Hakkarainen, Kai

2005-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to examine a teacher's guidance of an inquiry learning project in an ordinary elementary-school classroom. The participants in the study were 21 Finnish, grade 4 students (10 years old), from which four students were selected for intensive observation. The technical infrastructure of the study was Computer…
Integrating Reading into Middle School Science: What We Did, Found and Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, Zhihui; Lamme, Linda; Pringle, Rose; Patrick, Jennifer; Sanders, Jennifer; Zmach, Courtney; Charbonnet, Sara; Henkel, Melissa

2008-01-01

Recent calls for border crossing between reading and science have heightened the need to support science teachers in integrating reading into science and to verify the robustness of this approach in the context of inquiry-based science. In this paper, we share what we did, found, and learned in a collaborative project in which a team of…
Incorporating a Systems Approach into Civil and Environmental Engineering Curricula: Effect on Course Redesign, and Student and Faculty Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Nancy J.; Rizzo, Donna M.; Dewoolkar, Mandar M.; Neumann, Maureen D.; Lathem, Sandra; Sadek, Adel

2011-01-01

This paper presents a brief overview of the changes made during our department level reform (DLR) process (Grant Title: "A Systems Approach for Civil and Environmental Engineering Education: Integrating Systems Thinking, Inquiry-Based Learning and Catamount Community Service-Learning Projects") and some of the effects of these changes on…
Assessing High Order Thinking of Students Participating in the "WISE" Project in Israel.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tal, Revital; Hochberg, Nurit

2003-01-01

Studied the higher order thinking of 53 Israeli ninth graders in 3 schools using the Web-Based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE) learning environment to study about malaria. Findings show that all students used higher order thinking skills and that their English was good enough to use the WISE learning environment in the Israeli setting. (SLD)
Inquiry-Based Learning in Higher Education: Principal Forms, Educational Objectives, and Disciplinary Variations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aditomo, Anindito; Goodyear, Peter; Bliuc, Ana-Maria; Ellis, Robert A.

2013-01-01

Learning through inquiry is a widely advocated pedagogical approach. However, there is currently little systematic knowledge about the practice of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in higher education. This study examined descriptions of learning tasks that were put forward as examples of IBL by 224 university teachers from various disciplines in three…
SEAS (Student Experiments At Sea): Helping Teachers Foster Authentic Student Inquiry in the Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goehring, L.; Kelsey, K.; Carlson, J.

2005-12-01

Teacher professional development designed to promote authentic research in the classroom is ultimately aimed at improving student scientific literacy. In addition to providing teachers with opportunities to improve their understanding of science through research experiences, we need to help facilitate similar learning in students. This is the focus of the SEAS (Student Experiments At Sea) program: to help students learn science by doing science. SEAS offers teachers tools and a framework to help foster authentic student inquiry in the classroom. SEAS uses the excitement of deep-sea research, as well as the research facilities and human resources that comprise the deep-sea scientific community, to engage student learners. Through SEAS, students have the opportunity to practice inquiry skills and participate in research projects along side scientists. SEAS is a pilot program funded by NSF and sponsored by the Ridge 2000 research community. The pilot includes inquiry-based curricular materials, facilitated interaction with scientists, opportunities to engage students in research projects, and teacher training. SEAS offers a framework of resources designed to help translate inquiry skills and approaches to the classroom environment, recognizing the need to move students along the continuum of scientific inquiry skills. This framework includes hands-on classroom lessons, Classroom to Sea labs where students compare their investigations with at-sea investigations, and a student experiment competition. The program also uses the Web to create a virtual ``scientific community'' including students. Lessons learned from this two year pilot emphasize the importance of helping teachers feel knowledgeable and experienced in the process of scientific inquiry as well as in the subject. Teachers with experience in scientific research were better able to utilize the program. Providing teachers with access to scientists as a resource was also important, particularly given the challenges of working in the deep-sea environment. Also, fostering authentic student investigations (i.e., working through preparatory materials, developing proposals, analyzing data and writing summary reports) is challenging to fit within the academic year. Nonetheless, teacher feedback highlights that the excitement generated by participation in real research is highly motivating. Further, students experience a ``paradigm shift'' in understanding evidence-based reasoning and the process of scientific discovery.
The Effects of Inquiry-Based Computer Simulation with Cooperative Learning on Scientific Thinking and Conceptual Understanding of Gas Laws

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdullah, Sopiah; Shariff, Adilah

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of inquiry-based computer simulation with heterogeneous-ability cooperative learning (HACL) and inquiry-based computer simulation with friendship cooperative learning (FCL) on (a) scientific reasoning (SR) and (b) conceptual understanding (CU) among Form Four students in Malaysian Smart…
Guiding science expeditions: The design of a learning environment for project-based science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polman, Joseph Louis

Project-based pedagogy has been revived recently as a teaching strategy for promoting students' active engagement in learning science by doing science. Numerous reform efforts have encouraged project-based teaching in high schools, along with a range of supports for its implementation, often including computers and the Internet. History has shown, however, that academic research and new technologies are not enough to effect real change in classrooms. Ultimately, teachers accomplish activity with their students daily in classrooms. Putting the idea of project-based teaching into practice depends on many particulars of teachers' situated work with students. To better understand the complexity of project-based science teaching in schools, I conducted an interpretive case study of one exceptional teacher's work. The teacher devotes all class time after the beginning of the year to open-ended, student-designed Earth Science research projects. Over four years of involvement with the Learning through Collaborative Visualization (CoVis) reform effort, this teacher has developed, implemented, and refined strategies for supporting and guiding students in conducting open-ended inquiry. Through a close examination of the teacher's work supporting student projects, I explore the design issues involved in such an endeavor, including affordances, constraints, and tradeoffs. In particular, I show how time constrains both student and teacher action, how the traditional school culture and grading create stumbling blocks for change, and how conflicting beliefs about teaching and learning undermine the accomplishment of guided inquiry. I also show how Internet tools including Usenet news, email, and the World Wide Web afford students an opportunity to gather and make use of distributed expertise and scientific data resources; how an activity structure, combined with a corresponding structure to the artifact of the final written product, supports student accomplishment of unfamiliar practices; and how the teacher guides students in real time through mutually transformative communication. I synthesize the important design elements into a framework for conducting project-based science, especially in settings where such pedagogy is relatively new. This study will inform teachers and reformers of the practical and complex work of implementing project-based teaching in schools.
My Pocket Technology: Introducing a Mobile Assisted Inquiry Learning Environment (MAILE) to Promote Inquiries among Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leelamma, Sreelekha; Indira, Uma Devi

2017-01-01

This paper introduces the Mobile Assisted Inquiry Learning Environment (MAILE), an Experimental Instructional Strategy (EIS) which employs an inquiry-based learning approach to guide secondary school students to learn environmental science in an engaging way supported by mobile phones. The students are situated in both the real world and the…
The Connection Between Forms of Guidance for Inquiry-Based Learning and the Communicative Approaches Applied—a Case Study in the Context of Pre-service Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehtinen, Antti; Lehesvuori, Sami; Viiri, Jouni

2017-09-01

Recent research has argued that inquiry-based science learning should be guided by providing the learners with support. The research on guidance for inquiry-based learning has concentrated on how providing guidance affects learning through inquiry. How guidance for inquiry-based learning could promote learning about inquiry (e.g. epistemic practices) is in need of exploration. A dialogic approach to classroom communication and pedagogical link-making offers possibilities for learners to acquire these practices. The focus of this paper is to analyse the role of different forms of guidance for inquiry-based learning on building the communicative approach applied in classrooms. The data for the study comes from an inquiry-based physics lesson implemented by a group of five pre-service primary science teachers to a class of sixth graders. The lesson was video recorded and the discussions were transcribed. The data was analysed by applying two existing frameworks—one for the forms of guidance provided and another for the communicative approaches applied. The findings illustrate that providing non-specific forms of guidance, such as prompts, caused the communicative approach to be dialogic. On the other hand, providing the learners with specific forms of guidance, such as explanations, shifted the communication to be more authoritative. These results imply that different forms of guidance provided by pre-service teachers can affect the communicative approach applied in inquiry-based science lessons, which affects the possibilities learners are given to connect their existing ideas to the scientific view. Future research should focus on validating these results by also analysing inservice teachers' lessons.
Student-Teachers' Dialectically Developed Motivation for Promoting Student-Led Science Projects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bencze, J. Lawrence; Bowen, G. Michael

2009-01-01

School science systems tend to emphasize teaching and learning about achievements of science (such as laws and theories) at the expense of providing students with opportunities to develop realistic conceptions about science and science inquiry and expertise they could use to conduct their own science inquiry projects. Among reasons for such an…
Development of multimedia learning based inquiry on vibration and wave material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madeali, H.; Prahani, B. K.

2018-03-01

This study aims to develop multimedia learning based inquiry that is interesting, easy to understand by students and streamline the time of teachers in bringing the teaching materials as well as feasible to be used in learning the physics subject matter of vibration and wave. This research is a Research and Development research with reference to ADDIE model that is Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. Multimedia based learning inquiry is packaged in hypertext form using Adobe Flash CS6 Software. The inquiry aspect is constructed by showing the animation of the concepts that the student wants to achieve and then followed by questions that will ask the students what is observable. Multimedia learning based inquiry is then validated by 2 learning experts, 3 material experts and 3 media experts and tested on 3 junior high school teachers and 23 students of state junior high school 5 of Kendari. The results of the study include: (1) Validation results by learning experts, material experts and media experts in valid categories; (2) The results of trials by teachers and students fall into the practical category. These results prove that the multimedia learning based inquiry on vibration and waves materials that have been developed feasible use in physics learning by students of junior high school class VIII.
Behind Ghetto Walls: Black Families in a Federal Slum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rainwater, Lee

The research on which this book is based began as a study of problems in a public housing project, Pruitt-Igoe in St. Louis, and ended as a study of the dynamics of socioeconomic inquiry. The original principal investigators were concerned with what could be learned about the people in the project to assist governmental agencies. As the study…
Reflecting on MACOS: Why It Failed and What We Can Learn from Its Demise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitchett, Paul G.; Russell, William Benedict

2012-01-01

The New Social Studies movement was an effort by social scientists to reform US social studies/history curriculum at all levels during the 1960s and early 1970s. In the end, more than 50 different projects attempting to revitalise social studies were developed. Many of the projects focused on inquiry-based teaching practices and curriculum.…

Inquiry-Based Learning with Young Learners: A Peirce-Based Model Employed to Critique a Unit of Inquiry on Maps and Mapping

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacon, Karin; Matthews, Philip

2014-01-01

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) has become a common theme in both school and higher education in recent years. It suggests a model of curriculum development and practice that moves educational debate beyond teacher or student-based approaches towards a model of teaching and learning in which the endeavour is shared. This paper discusses an…
Geoscience Education Opportunities: Partnerships to Advance TeacHing and Scholarship (GEOPATHS) in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niemi, T. M.; Adegoke, J.; Stoddard, E.; Odom, L.; Ketchum, D.

2007-12-01

The GEOPATHS project is a partnership between the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) and the Kansas City Missouri School District (KCMSD). The goal of GEOPATHS is to raise enrollment in the Geosciences, especially among populations that are traditionally underrepresented in the discipline. We are addressing this goal by expanding dual-credit and Advanced Placement (AP) opportunities for high school students and also by serving teachers through enhancing their understanding of geoscience content and inquiry teaching methods using GLOBE resources and protocols. Our focus in the first two years of the project is to increase the number of teachers that are certified to teach AP Environmental Science by offering specially designed professional development workshops for high school teachers in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. The structure of the workshop for each year is divided into two weeks of content knowledge exploration using the learning cycle and concept mapping, and one week of inquiry-based experiments, field projects, and exercises. We are also supporting teachers in their use of these best-practice methods by providing materials and supplies along with lesson plans for inquiry investigations for their classes. The lesson plans include activities and experiments that are inquiry-based. The last two years of the project will include direct engagement/recruiting of promising minority high school students via paid summer research internships and scholarship offers.
Explore the concept of “light” and its interaction with matter: an inquiry-based science education project in primary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varela, P.; Costa, M. F.

2015-04-01

The exploration process leading to the understanding of physical phenomena, such as light and its interaction with matter, raises great interest and curiosity in children. However, in most primary schools, children rarely have the opportunity to conduct science activities in which they can engage in an enquiry process even if by the action of the teacher. In this context, we have organised several in-service teacher training courses and carried out several pedagogic interventions in Portuguese primary schools, with the aim of promoting inquiry- based science education. This article describes one of those projects, developed with a class of the third grade, which explored the curricular topic “Light Experiments”. Various activities were planned and implemented, during a total of ten hours spread over five lessons. The specific objectives of this paper are: to illustrate and analyse the teaching and learning process promoted in the classroom during the exploration of one of these lessons, and to assess children's learning three weeks after the lessons. The results suggest that children made significant learning which persisted. We conclude discussing some processes that stimulated children’ learning, including the importance of teacher questioning in scaffolding children's learning and some didactic implications for teacher training.
An Exploration of Students' Science Learning Interest Related to Their Cognitive Anxiety, Cognitive Load, Self-Confidence and Learning Progress Using Inquiry-Based Learning with an iPad

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Tai, Kai-Hsin; Tsai, Chi-Ruei

2017-01-01

Based on the cognitive-affective theory, the present study designed a science inquiry learning model, "predict-observe-explain" (POE), and implemented it in an app called "WhyWhy" to examine the effectiveness of students' science inquiry learning practice. To understand how POE can affect the cognitive-affective learning…
A Scientist's Guide to Achieving Broader Impacts through K–12 STEM Collaboration

PubMed Central

Komoroske, Lisa M.; Hameed, Sarah O.; Szoboszlai, Amber I.; Newsom, Amanda J.; Williams, Susan L.

2015-01-01

The National Science Foundation and other funding agencies are increasingly requiring broader impacts in grant applications to encourage US scientists to contribute to science education and society. Concurrently, national science education standards are using more inquiry-based learning (IBL) to increase students’ capacity for abstract, conceptual thinking applicable to real-world problems. Scientists are particularly well suited to engage in broader impacts via science inquiry outreach, because scientific research is inherently an inquiry-based process. We provide a practical guide to help scientists overcome obstacles that inhibit their engagement in K–12 IBL outreach and to attain the accrued benefits. Strategies to overcome these challenges include scaling outreach projects to the time available, building collaborations in which scientists’ research overlaps with curriculum, employing backward planning to target specific learning objectives, encouraging scientists to share their passion, as well as their expertise with students, and transforming institutional incentives to support scientists engaging in educational outreach. PMID:26955078
Hoping to Teach Someday? Inquire Within: Examining Inquiry-Based Learning with First-Semester Undergrads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byker, Erik Jon; Coffey, Heather; Harden, Susan; Good, Amy; Heafner, Tina L.; Brown, Katie E.; Holzberg, Debra

2017-01-01

Using case study method, this study examines the impact of an inquiry-based learning program among a cohort of first-semester undergraduates (n = 104) at a large public university in the southeastern United States who are aspiring to become teachers. The Boyer Commission (1999) asserted that inquiry-based learning should be the foundation of…
Cross-Cultural Inquiry in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spires, Hiller A.; Himes, Marie; Wang, Lisa

2016-01-01

This compilation of articles describes three projects aimed at offering students authentic opportunities to develop global competencies. The first article describes Out of Eden Learn, an initiative from Project Zero at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The project engages students in learning journeys that follow Pulitzer Prize-winning…
"Almost Everything We Do Includes Inquiry": Fostering Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning with Preschool Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollingsworth, Heidi L.; Vandermaas-Peeler, Maureen

2017-01-01

Given the increased emphasis on science in early learning standards, two studies were conducted to investigate preschool teachers' efficacy for teaching science and their inquiry-based teaching practices. Fifty-one teachers completed a survey of their efficacy for teaching science and understanding of inquiry methods. Teachers reported moderate…
Innovation in collaborative health research training: the role of active learning.

PubMed

Poole, Gary; Egan, John P; Iqbal, Isabeau

2009-03-01

This paper describes and discusses the essential pedagogical elements of the Partnering in Community Health Research (PCHR) program, which was designed to address the training needs of researchers who participate in collaborative, interdisciplinary health research. These elements were intended to foster specific skills that helped learners develop research partnerships featuring knowledge, capabilities, values and attitudes needed for successful research projects. By establishing research teams called "clusters", PCHR provided research training and experience for graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, as well as for community health workers and professionals. Pedagogical elements relied on active learning approaches such as inquiry-based and experience-based learning. Links between these elements and learning approaches are explained. Through their work in cluster-based applied research projects, the development of learning plans, and cross-cluster learning events, trainees acquired collaborative research competencies that were valuable, relevant and theoretically informed.
Inquiry-based science in the middle grades: Assessment of learning in urban systemic reform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Ronald W.; Blumenfeld, Phyllis C.; Krajcik, Joseph S.; Fishman, Barry; Soloway, Elliot; Geier, Robert; Tali Tal, Revital

2004-12-01

Science education standards established by American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Research Council (NRC) urge less emphasis on memorizing scientific facts and more emphasis on students investigating the everyday world and developing deep understanding from their inquiries. These approaches to instruction challenge teachers and students, particularly urban students who often have additional challenges related to poverty. We report data on student learning spanning 3 years from a science education reform collaboration with the Detroit Public Schools. Data were collected from nearly 8,000 students who participated in inquiry-based and technology-infused curriculum units that were collaboratively developed by district personnel and staff from the University of Michigan as part of a larger, district-wide systemic reform effort in science education. The results show statistically significant increases on curriculum-based test scores for each year of participation. Moreover, the strength of the effects grew over the years, as evidenced by increasing effect size estimates across the years. The findings indicate that students who historically are low achievers in science can succeed in standards-based, inquiry science when curriculum is carefully developed and aligned with professional development and district policies. Additional longitudinal research on the development of student understanding over multiple inquiry projects, the progress of teacher enactment over time, and the effect of changes in the policy and administrative environment would further contribute to the intellectual and practical tools necessary to implement meaningful standards-based systemic reform in science.
The Impact of an Inquiry Approach to Learning in a Technology-Rich Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Jacqueline K.; Hughes, Sharon V.

The impact of an inquiry approach on both teaching and learning in a technology-rich grade-1 classroom participating in the Cooperative Alliance for Gifted Education (CAGE) is described. CAGE is a partnership project that combines the resources of the Cleveland (Ohio) public schools, Kent State University, and International Business Machines Corp.…
Undergraduate Student Attitudes and Perceptions toward Low- and High-Level Inquiry Exercise Physiology Teaching Laboratory Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henige, Kim

2011-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to compare student attitudes toward two different science laboratory learning experiences, specifically, traditional, cookbook-style, low-inquiry level (LL) activities and a high-inquiry level (HL) investigative project. In addition, we sought to measure and compare students' science-related attitudes and…
Project Clarion: Three Years of Science Instruction in Title I Schools among K-Third Grade Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kyung Hee; VanTassel-Baska, Joyce; Bracken, Bruce A.; Feng, Annie; Stambaugh, Tamra; Bland, Lori

2012-10-01

The purpose of the study was to measure the effects of higher level, inquiry-based science curricula on students at primary level in Title I schools. Approximately 3,300 K-3 students from six schools were assigned to experimental or control classes ( N = 115 total) on a random basis according to class. Experimental students were exposed to concept-based science curriculum that emphasized `deep learning' though concept mastery and investigation, whereas control classes learned science from traditional school-based curricula. Two ability measures, the Bracken Basic Concept Scale-Revised (BBCS-R, Bracken 1998) and the Naglieri Nonverbal Intelligence Test (NNAT, Naglieri 1991), were used for baseline information. Additionally, a standardized measure of student achievement in science (the MAT-8 science subtest), a standardized measure of critical thinking, and a measure for observing teachers' classroom behaviors were used to assess learning outcomes. Results indicated that all ability groups of students benefited from the science inquiry-based approach to learning that emphasized science concepts, and that there was a positive achievement effect for low socio-economic young children who were exposed to such a curriculum.
Characteristics of Abductive Inquiry in Earth and Space Science: An Undergraduate Teacher Prospective Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramalis, T. R.; Liliasari; Herdiwidjaya, D.

2016-08-01

The purpose this case study was to describe characteristic features learning activities in the domain of earth and space science. Context of this study is earth and space learning activities on three groups of student teachers prospective, respectively on the subject of the shape and size of Earth, land and sea breeze, and moon's orbit. The analysis is conducted qualitatively from activity data and analyze students doing project work, student worksheets, group project report documents, note and audio recordings of discussion. Research findings identified the type of abduction: theoretical models abduction, factual abduction, and law abduction during the learning process. Implications for science inquiry learning as well as relevant research were suggested.
Designing a Children's Recreation Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Mi Yeon

2015-01-01

Project-based learning (PBL) is an effective approach to STEM education because it allows students to experience scientific inquiry by using their knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to solve realistic problems. PBL consists of four components: (1) posing and comprehending a driving question; (2)…
Using Inquiry-Based Instruction for Teaching Science to Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aydeniz, Mehmet; Cihak, David F.; Graham, Shannon C.; Retinger, Larryn

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of inquiry-based science instruction for five elementary students with learning disabilities (LD). Students participated in a series of inquiry-based activities targeting conceptual and application-based understanding of simple electric circuits, conductors and insulators, parallel circuits, and…
To Tan or Not to Tan?: Students Learn About Sunscreens through an Inquiry Activity Based on the Learning Cycle

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keen-Rocha, Linda

2005-01-01

Science instructors sometimes avoid inquiry-based activities due to limited classroom time. Inquiry takes time, as students choose problems, design experiments, obtain materials, conduct investigations, gather data, communicate results, and discuss their experiments. While there are no quick solutions to time concerns, the 5E learning cycle seeks…
Curiosité: Inquiry-Based Instruction and Bilingual Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McElvain, Cheryl M.; Smith, Heidi A.

2016-01-01

The issues that prompt this study are based on current research indicating the positive effects of inquiry learning on the cognitive development of children. The purpose of this case study was to understand the effects of inquiry learning on the academic achievement and bilingual verbal ability of 5th grade bilingual students in a French/English…
Evaluating Inquiry-Based Learning as a Means to Advance Individual Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziemer, Cherilyn G.

2013-01-01

Although inquiry-based learning has been debated throughout the greater educational community and demonstrated with some effect in modern classrooms, little quantitative analysis has been performed to empirically validate sustained benefits. This quantitative study focused on whether inquiry-based pedagogy actually brought about sustained and…
Known structure, unknown function: An inquiry-based undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course.

PubMed

Gray, Cynthia; Price, Carol W; Lee, Christopher T; Dewald, Alison H; Cline, Matthew A; McAnany, Charles E; Columbus, Linda; Mura, Cameron

2015-01-01

Undergraduate biochemistry laboratory courses often do not provide students with an authentic research experience, particularly when the express purpose of the laboratory is purely instructional. However, an instructional laboratory course that is inquiry- and research-based could simultaneously impart scientific knowledge and foster a student's research expertise and confidence. We have developed a year-long undergraduate biochemistry laboratory curriculum wherein students determine, via experiment and computation, the function of a protein of known three-dimensional structure. The first half of the course is inquiry-based and modular in design; students learn general biochemical techniques while gaining preparation for research experiments in the second semester. Having learned standard biochemical methods in the first semester, students independently pursue their own (original) research projects in the second semester. This new curriculum has yielded an improvement in student performance and confidence as assessed by various metrics. To disseminate teaching resources to students and instructors alike, a freely accessible Biochemistry Laboratory Education resource is available at http://biochemlab.org. © 2015 The Authors Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Teachers and Technology Use in Secondary Science Classrooms: Investigating the Experiences of Middle School Science Teachers Implementing the Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Rachel Corinne

This study investigated the intended teacher use of a technology-enhanced learning tool, Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), and the first experiences of teachers new to using it and untrained in its use. The purpose of the study was to learn more about the factors embedded into the design of the technology that enabled it or hindered it from being used as intended. The qualitative research design applied grounded theory methods. Using theoretical sampling and a constant comparative analysis, a document review of WISE website led to a model of intended teacher use. The experiences of four middle school science teachers as they enacted WISE for the first time were investigated through ethnographic field observations, surveys and interviews using thematic analysis to construct narratives of each teachers use. These narratives were compared to the model of intended teacher use of WISE. This study found two levels of intended teacher uses for WISE. A basic intended use involved having student running the project to completion while the teacher provides feedback and assesses student learning. A more optimal description of intended use involved the supplementing the core curriculum with WISE as well as enhancing the core scope and sequence of instruction and aligning assessment with the goals of instruction through WISE. Moreover, WISE projects were optimally intended to be facilitated through student-centered teaching practices and inquiry-based instruction in a collaborative learning environment. It is also optimally intended for these projects to be shared with other colleagues for feedback and iterative development towards improving the Knowledge Integration of students. Of the four teachers who participated in this study, only one demonstrated the use of WISE as intended in the most basic way. This teacher also demonstrated the use of WISE in a number of optimal ways. Teacher confusion with certain tools available within WISE suggests that there may be a way to develop the user experience through these touch points and help teachers learn how to use the technology as they are selecting and setting up a project run. Further research may study whether improving these touch points can improve the teachers' use of WISE as intended both basically and optimally. It may also study whether or not teacher in basic and optimal ways directly impact student learning results.
Quantifying the Reuse of Learning Objects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Kristine; Sweeney, Kevin

2008-01-01

This paper reports the findings of one case study from a larger project, which aims to quantify the claimed efficiencies of reusing learning objects to develop e-learning resources. The case study describes how an online inquiry project "Diabetes: A waste of energy" was developed by searching for, evaluating, modifying and then…
Under One Big Sky: Elementary Pre-Service Teachers Use Inquiry to Learn about the Moon, Construct Knowledge, and Teach Elementary Students around the World via the Internet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Luann Christensen

2011-01-01

This study examined the content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) constructed by a group of 24 pre-service elementary teacher participants as they learned about the moon's phases, inquiry learning, and use of the Internet message boards as a teaching tool as a part of their science teaching methods course. The MOON Project (More…
Using the Discipline of Agricultural Engineering to Integrate Math and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foutz, Tim; Navarro, Maria; Hill, Roger B.; Thompson, Sidney A.; Miller, Kathy; Riddleberger, Deborah

2011-01-01

An outcome of a 1998 forum sponsored by the National Research Council was a recognition that topics related to food production and agriculture are excellent mechanisms for integrating science topics taught in the K-12 education system and for providing many avenues for inquiry based and project based learning. The engineering design process is…
Teachers' Readiness to Use Inquiry-Based Learning: An Investigation of Teachers' Sense of Efficacy and Attitudes toward Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silm, Gerli; Tiitsaar, Kai; Pedaste, Margus; Zacharia, Zacharias C.; Papaevripidou, Marios

2017-01-01

The use of inquiry-based learning (IBL) is encouraged in schools, as it has been shown to be an effective method for raising students' motivation in STEM subjects and increasing their understanding of scientific concepts. Nevertheless, IBL is not very often used in classrooms by teachers due to different (perceived) obstacles. Within the Ark of…
Inquiry-Based Science Instruction in High School Biology Courses: A Multiple Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aso, Eze

2014-01-01

A lack of research exists about how secondary school science teachers use inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how science teachers used inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning in high school biology courses. The conceptual framework was based on Banchi and Bell's…
Educating Through Exploration: Emerging Evidence for Improved Learning Outcomes Using a New Theory of Digital Learning Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anbar, Ariel; Center for Education Through eXploration

2018-01-01

Advances in scientific visualization and public access to data have transformed science outreach and communication, but have yet to realize their potential impacts in the realm of education. Computer-based learning is a clear bridge between visualization and education that benefits students through adaptative personalization and enhanced access. Building this bridge requires close partnerships among scientists, technologists, and educators.The Infiniscope project fosters such partnerships to produce exploration-driven online learning experiences that teach basic science concepts using a combination of authentic space science narratives, data, and images, and a personalized guided inquiry approach. Infiniscope includes a web portal to host these digital learning experiences, as well as a teaching network of educators using and modifying these experiences. Infiniscope experiences are built around a new theory of digital learning design that we call “education through exploration” (ETX) developed during the creation of successful online, interactive science courses offered at ASU and other institutions. ETX builds on the research-based practices of active learning and guided inquiry to provide a set of design principles that aim to develop higher order thinking skills in addition to understanding of content. It is employed in these experiences by asking students to solve problems and actively discover relationships, supported by an intelligent tutoring system which provides immediate, personalized feedback and scaffolds scientific thinking and methods. The project is led by ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration working with learning designers in the Center for Education Through eXploration, with support from NASA’s Science Mission Directorate as part of the NASA Exploration Connection program.We will present an overview of ETX design, the Infinscope project, and emerging evidence of effectiveness.
Long term stability of learning outcomes in undergraduates after an open-inquiry instruction on thermal science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persano Adorno, Dominique; Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio

2018-02-01

This paper investigates the efficacy of an open-inquiry approach to achieve a long term stability of physics instruction. This study represents the natural continuation of a research project started four years ago when a sample of thirty engineering undergraduates, having already attended traditional university physics instruction, were involved in a six-week long learning experience of open-inquiry research activities within the highly motivating context of developing a thermodynamically efficient space base on Mars. Four years later, we explore the effectiveness of that learning experience by analyzing the outcomes that the students achieved by answering again the same questionnaire that was administered them both prior to and immediately after those activities. As we did in the first work, students' answers were classified within three epistemological profiles. Now, a comparison among students' outcomes during the three phases, namely, preinstruction, postinstruction, and after four years has been carried out. Immediately after the open-inquiry experience, the students obtained significant benefits in terms of the strengthening of their practical and reasoning abilities, by proficiently applying the learned concepts to face and solve real-world problem situations. In this study, the students' answers do not highlight any significant regress towards their preinstruction profiles. The global robustness of the teaching strategy adopted four years ago is confirmed by a statistically significant comparison with a control group of students who experienced the same curricular instruction except for the open inquiry-based workshop. Nevertheless, some changes have been observed and discussed in the light of the answers the students provided to a short interview regarding their studying or working experiences across the four-year temporal window.
Biology in Context: Teachers' Professional Development in Learning Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elster, Doris

2009-01-01

Biology in Context ("bik") is a project that aims to improve biology teaching in lower secondary schools in Germany. Based on a theoretical framework derived from the National Educational Standards, four competence areas should be fostered in biology education: subject knowledge; inquiry acquisition; subject-related communication; and…
Open-Ended Assignments and Student Responsibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brauner, Annelie; Carey, Jannette; Henriksson, Marie; Sunnerhagen, Maria; Ehrenborg, Ewa

2007-01-01

An inquiry-based laboratory course was created in an effort to increase student responsibility in learning and to improve teaching in areas related to molecular medicine. Authentic medical cases with both scientific and clinical aspects formed the basis of a project-oriented course that also included student laboratory work focused on the…
Everybody Dreams: Preparing a New Generation. NASA Explorer Schools Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2005

2005-01-01

NASA Explorer Schools provides unique opportunities for students and teachers by offering access to technology and resources that are seemingly beyond reach. Combining new technologies with NASA content, lesson plans, and real-world experiments enables teachers to enhance inquiry-based learning and augment student engagement. This publication…
Physics First: Impact on SAT Math Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouma, Craig E.

2013-01-01

Improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority and the call to modernize secondary science has been heard. A Physics First (PF) program with the curriculum sequence of physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) driven by inquiry- and project-based learning offers a viable alternative to the…
Enhancing Students' Scientific and Quantitative Literacies through an Inquiry-Based Learning Project on Climate Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCright, Aaron M.

2012-01-01

Promoting sustainability and dealing with complex environmental problems like climate change demand a citizenry with considerable scientific and quantitative literacy. In particular, students in the STEM disciplines of (biophysical) science, technology, engineering, and mathematics need to develop interdisciplinary skills that help them understand…
Training Teachers to Use Technology and Inquiry-based Learning Practices in the Geosciences through an Industry-University Partnership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeal, K.; Buell, R.; Eiland, L.

2009-12-01

Teacher professional development centered about the Geosciences is necessary in order to train K-12 teachers about this science field and to effectively educate K-12 students about Earth processes. The partnership of industries, universities, and K-12 schools is a collaborative pathway to support these efforts by providing teachers access to technology, inquiry-based learning, and authentic field experiences within the Geosciences context. This research presents the results of Project SMARTER (Science and Mathematics Advancement and Reform utilizing Technology and Enhanced Resources), a co-lead industry-university partnership and teacher professional development workshop program that focused on technology and inquiry-based learning in the Geosciences. The workshop included fifteen teachers from five distressed counties in Mississippi as defined by the Appalachian Regional Commission. Three (one science, once math, one technology) 7-12 grade teachers were selected from each school district and worked together during activities as a team to foster a cooperative learning experience. The two week workshop trained teachers on the use of a variety of technologies including: Vernier Probes and software, TI-calculators and presenter, Mimio Boards, GPS receivers, Google Earth, Excel, PowerPoint, projectors, and the use of historic geologic datasets. Furthermore, teachers were trained on proper field collection techniques, the use of Hach Kits and field probes, and the interpretation of geologic data. Each daily program incorporated the use of technology-rich and inquiry-based activities into one of the five Earth spheres: atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and anthrosphere. Results from the pre-post technology attitude survey showed that participating teachers significantly (p < 0.05) increased their confidence level in using technology. Furthermore, all participants self-reflected that the workshop both increased their interest in the Geosciences and their plans to integrate technology in future classroom activities. Qualitative responses from daily feedback forms and journal entries indicated that participating teachers were enthusiastic about inquiry-, technology-, and field-based learning activities and were willing to incorporate cross-discipline lesson plans. Evaluation of final lesson plans developed by the teachers during the workshop combined with follow-up classroom visits illustrated that the teachers appropriately developed classroom lessons to incorporate inquiry and technology and that they successfully implemented these lesson plans in their own classroom as a direct result of participating in workshop activities.
Inquiry-Based Learning in Teacher Education: A Primary Humanities Example

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preston, Lou; Harvie, Kate; Wallace, Heather

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based learning features strongly in the new Australian Humanities and Social Sciences curriculum and increasingly in primary school practice. Yet, there is little research into, and few exemplars of, inquiry approaches in the primary humanities context. In this article, we outline and explain the implementation of a place-based simulation…
A Scoping Study Investigating Student Perceptions towards Inquiry Based Learning in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Nicola; Van der Touw, Thomas; Spowart, Lucy; Lawlor, Craig

2016-01-01

There has been an increasing movement towards the introduction of inquiry based learning in undergraduate physiology laboratories. Students can however find this challenging when there is a sudden transition from traditional didactic practicals to full inquiry based activities. One reason for this could be the students' perceptions about the…
Understanding the Development of a Hybrid Practice of Inquiry-Based Science Instruction and Language Development: A Case Study of One Teacher's Journey Through Reflections on Classroom Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capitelli, Sarah; Hooper, Paula; Rankin, Lynn; Austin, Marilyn; Caven, Gennifer

2016-04-01

This qualitative case study looks closely at an elementary teacher who participated in professional development experiences that helped her develop a hybrid practice of using inquiry-based science to teach both science content and English language development (ELD) to her students, many of whom are English language learners (ELLs). This case study examines the teacher's reflections on her teaching and her students' learning as she engaged her students in science learning and supported their developing language skills. It explicates the professional learning experiences that supported the development of this hybrid practice. Closely examining the pedagogical practice and reflections of a teacher who is developing an inquiry-based approach to both science learning and language development can provide insights into how teachers come to integrate their professional development experiences with their classroom expertise in order to create a hybrid inquiry-based science ELD practice. This qualitative case study contributes to the emerging scholarship on the development of teacher practice of inquiry-based science instruction as a vehicle for both science instruction and ELD for ELLs. This study demonstrates how an effective teaching practice that supports both the science and language learning of students can develop from ongoing professional learning experiences that are grounded in current perspectives about language development and that immerse teachers in an inquiry-based approach to learning and instruction. Additionally, this case study also underscores the important role that professional learning opportunities can play in supporting teachers in developing a deeper understanding of the affordances that inquiry-based science can provide for language development.
An investigation into the factors that motivate teachers to implement inquiry in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, Beth Schieber

Inquiry-based science teaching is an inductive approach to science instruction that originated in constructivist learning theory and requires students to be active participants in their own learning process. In an inquiry-based classroom, students actively construct their knowledge of science through hands-on, engaged practices and inquiry-based approaches. Inquiry-based teaching stands in contrast to more traditional forms of teaching that see students as empty vessels to be filled by the teacher with rote facts. Despite calls from the NSF, the NRC, and the AAAS for more inquiry-based approaches to teaching science, research has shown that many teachers still do not use inquiry-based approaches. Teachers have cited difficulties including lack of time, high-stakes testing, a shortage of materials, problems with school-wide logistics, rigid science curricula, student passivity, and lack of prerequisite skills. The objective of this mixed-methods study was to examine to what extent specific, identifiable personality traits contribute to the likelihood that a teacher will use inquiry in the science classroom, and what factors figure predominantly as teachers' reasons for implementing inquiry. The findings of the study showed that the null hypotheses were not rejected. However, reduced conscientiousness and increased openness may be significant in indicating why teachers use inquiry-based teaching methods and avenues for further research. In addition, the qualitative results aligned with previous findings that showed that lack of resources (e.g., time and money) and peer support act as powerful barriers to implementing inquiry-based teaching. Inquiry teachers are flexible, come to teaching as a second or third career, and their classrooms can be characterized as chaotic, fun, and conducive to learning through engagement. The study suggests changes in practice among administrators and teachers. With adjustments in methods and survey instruments, additional research could provide valuable insights and further recommendations. Overall, this study has yielded information that may lead to changes in both practice and thinking related to inquiry-based teaching and learning.
Learning Analytics for Communities of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovanovic, Vitomir; Gaševic, Dragan; Hatala, Marek

2014-01-01

This paper describes doctoral research that focuses on the development of a learning analytics framework for inquiry-based digital learning. Building on the Community of Inquiry model (CoI)--a foundation commonly used in the research and practice of digital learning and teaching--this research builds on the existing body of knowledge in two…
Enhancing Scientific Inquiry Literacy of Prospective Biology Teachers through Inquiry Lab Project in Microbiology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusnadi, K.; Rustaman, N. Y.; Redjeki, S.; Aryantha, I. N. P.

2017-09-01

The implementation of the inquiry laboratory based project to enhance scientific inquiry literacy of prospective biology teachers in Microbiology course has been done. The inquiry lab based project was designed by three stages were debriefing of basic microbiology lab skills, guided inquiry and free inquiry respectively. The Study was quasi experimental with control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were prospective biology teachers consists of 80 students. The scientific inquiry literacy instrument refers to ScInqLiT by Wenning. The results showed that there was significant difference of scientific inquiry literacy posttest scores between experiment and control (α 0,05) and was obtained N-gain score was 0.49 (medium) to experiment and 0.24 (low) to control. Based on formative assessment showed that development of student’s scientific attitude, research and microbiology lab skills during conducting project were increased. Student’s research skills especially in identification of variables, constructing a hypothesis, communicating and concluding were increased. During implementation of inquiry project also showed that they carried out mind and hands-on and so collaborative group investigation lab activities. Our findings may aid in reforming higher-education, particularly in microbiology laboratory activities to better promote scientific inquiry literacy, scientific attitude, research and laboratory skills.

Learner-Centered Inquiry in Undergraduate Biology: Positive Relationships with Long-Term Student Achievement

PubMed Central

Ebert-May, Diane

2010-01-01

We determined short- and long-term correlates of a revised introductory biology curriculum on understanding of biology as a process of inquiry and learning of content. In the original curriculum students completed two traditional lecture-based introductory courses. In the revised curriculum students completed two new learner-centered, inquiry-based courses. The new courses differed significantly from those of the original curriculum through emphases on critical thinking, collaborative work, and/or inquiry-based activities. Assessments were administered to compare student understanding of the process of biological science and content knowledge in the two curricula. More seniors who completed the revised curriculum had high-level profiles on the Views About Science Survey for Biology compared with seniors who completed the original curriculum. Also as seniors, students who completed the revised curriculum scored higher on the standardized Biology Field Test. Our results showed that an intense inquiry-based learner-centered learning experience early in the biology curriculum was associated with long-term improvements in learning. We propose that students learned to learn science in the new courses which, in turn, influenced their learning in subsequent courses. Studies that determine causal effects of learner-centered inquiry-based approaches, rather than correlative relationships, are needed to test our proposed explanation. PMID:21123693
Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing Signing Undergraduates’ Attitudes toward Science in Inquiry-Based Biology Laboratory Classes

PubMed Central

Gormally, Cara

2017-01-01

For science learning to be successful, students must develop attitudes toward support future engagement with challenging social issues related to science. This is especially important for increasing participation of students from underrepresented populations. This study investigated how participation in inquiry-based biology laboratory classes affected students’ attitudes toward science, focusing on deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing signing students in bilingual learning environments (i.e., taught in American Sign Language and English). Analysis of reflection assignments and interviews revealed that the majority of students developed positive attitudes toward science and scientific attitudes after participating in inquiry-based biology laboratory classes. Attitudinal growth appears to be driven by student value of laboratory activities, repeated direct engagement with scientific inquiry, and peer collaboration. Students perceived that hands-on experimentation involving peer collaboration and a positive, welcoming learning environment were key features of inquiry-based laboratories, affording attitudinal growth. Students who did not perceive biology as useful for their majors, careers, or lives did not develop positive attitudes. Students highlighted the importance of the climate of the learning environment for encouraging student contribution and noted both the benefits and pitfalls of teamwork. Informed by students’ characterizations of their learning experiences, recommendations are made for inquiry-based learning in college biology. PMID:28188279
Enabling People Who Are Blind to Experience Science Inquiry Learning through Sound-Based Mediation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, S. T.; Lahav, O.

2012-01-01

This paper addresses a central need among people who are blind, access to inquiry-based science learning materials, which are addressed by few other learning environments that use assistive technologies. In this study, we investigated ways in which learning environments based on sound mediation can support science learning by blind people. We used…
Designing for Inquiry-Based Learning with the Learning Activity Management System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, P.; Aiyegbayo, O.; Little, S.

2009-01-01

This paper explores the relationship between practitioners' pedagogical purposes, values and practices in designing for inquiry-based learning in higher education, and the affordances of the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) as a tool for creating learning designs in this context. Using a qualitative research methodology, variation was…
The Effectiveness of Guided Inquiry-based Learning Material on Students’ Science Literacy Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulia, E. V.; Poedjiastoeti, S.; Agustini, R.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this research is to describe the effectiveness of guided inquiry-based learning material to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts. This study used Research and Development (R&D) design and was implemented to the 11th graders of Muhammadiyah 4 Senior High School Surabaya in 2016/2017 academic year with one group pre-test and post-test design. The data collection techniques used were validation, observation, test, and questionnaire. The results of this research showed that the students’ science literacy skills are different after implementation of guided inquiry-based learning material. The guided inquiry-based learning material is effective to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts by getting N-gain score with medium and high category. This improvement caused by the developed learning material such as lesson plan, student worksheet, and science literacy skill tests were categorized as valid and very valid. In addition, each of the learning phases in lesson plan has been well implemented. Therefore, it can be concluded that the guided inquiry-based learning material are effective to improve students’ science literacy skills on solubility and solubility product concepts in senior high school.
Inquiry based learning with a virtual microscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelley, S. P.; Sharples, M.; Tindle, A.; Villasclaras-Fernández, E.

2012-12-01

As part of newly funded initiative, the Wolfson OpenScience Laboratory, we are linking a tool for inquiry based learning, nQuire (http://www.nquire.org.uk) with the virtual microscope for Earth science (http://www.virtualmicroscope.co.uk) to allow students to undertake projects and gain from inquiry based study thin sections of rocks without the need for a laboratory with expensive petrological microscopes. The Virtual Microscope (VM) was developed for undergraduate teaching of petrology and geoscience, allowing students to explore rock hand specimens and thin sections in a browser window. The system is based on HTML5 application and allows students to scan and zoom the rocks in a browser window, view in ppl and xpl conditions, and rotate specific areas to view birefringence and pleochroism. Importantly the VM allows students to gain access to rare specimens such as Moon rocks that might be too precious to suffer loss or damage. Experimentation with such specimens can inspire the learners' interest in science and allows them to investigate relevant science questions. Yet it is challenging for learners to engage in scientific processes, as they may lack scientific investigation skills or have problems in planning their activities; for teachers, managing inquiry activities is a demanding task (Quintana et al., 2004). To facilitate the realization of inquiry activities, the VM is being integrated with the nQuire tool. nQuire is a web tool that guides and supports students through the inquiry process (Mulholland et al., 2011). Learners are encouraged to construct their own personally relevant hypothesis, pose scientific questions, and plan the method to answer them. Then, the system enables users to collect and analyze data, and share their conclusions. Teachers can monitor their students' progress through inquiries, and give them access to new parts of inquiries as they advance. By means of the integration of nQuire and the VM, inquiries that involve collecting data through a microscope can be created and supported. To illustrate the possibilities of these tools, we have designed two inquiries that engage learners in the study of Moon rock samples under the microscope, starting from general questions such as comparison of Moon rocks or determining the origin of meteorites. One is aimed at undergraduate Geology students; the second has been conceived for the general public. Science teachers can reuse these inquiries, adapt them as they need, or create completely new inquiries using nQuire's authoring tool. We will report progress and demonstrate the combination of these two on-line tools to create an open educational resource allowing educators to design and run science inquiries for Earth and planetary science in a range of settings from schools to universities. Quintana, C., Reiser, B. J., Davis, E. A., Krajcik, J., Fretz, E., Duncan, R. G., Kyza, E., et al. (2004). A scaffolding design framework for software to support science inquiry. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(3), 337-386. Mulholland, P., Anastopoulou, S., Collins, T., FeiBt, M., Gaved, M., Kerawalla, L., Paxton, M., et al. (2011). nQuire: Technological support for personal inquiry learning. IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. First published online, December 5, 2011, http://doi.ieeecomputersociety.org/10.1109/TLT.2011.32.
Influence of Personality and Motivation on Oral Presentation Performance.

PubMed

Liang, Hsin-Yi; Kelsen, Brent

2018-01-19

Personality and motivation have been identified as influential variables associated with foreign language learning; however, few studies have investigated their effect on oral presentations. This study addresses the importance of both personality and motivation in students' collaborative oral presentation performance. A Big Five personality trait questionnaire measuring Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness to Experience, together with the Collaborative Inquiry-based Project Questionnaire measuring Task, Project Work, Reinforcement, Social Learning and Social Pressure motivational constructs were employed to evaluate 257 university students. In general, the results showed that Extraversion, Project Work and Social Pressure were significant correlates of oral presentation scores. The first result suggests that extraverts possess superiority in situations where oral language production is central to communication. This was particularly true for lower-level students, inferring that extraverted personalities can compensate for a lower English language ability. The second indicates that the inquiry-based nature of the assignments was an intrinsic motivator especially valued by extraverts. The third implies that extrinsic motivation was a factor influencing student performance. These findings extend previous research by highlighting the contextual relationships between these affective variables and performance in collaborative oral presentation contexts.
The effect of conceptual metaphors through guided inquiry on student's conceptual change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menia, Meli; Mudzakir, Ahmad; Rochintaniawati, Diana

2017-05-01

The purpose of this study was to identify student's conceptual change of global warming after integrated science learning based guided inquiry through conceptual metaphors. This study used a quasi-experimental with a nonequivalent control group design. The subject was students of two classes of one of MTsN Salido. Data was collected using conceptual change test (pretest and posttest), observation sheet to observe the learning processes, questionnaire sheet to identify students responses, and interview to identifyteacher'srespons of science learning with conceptual metaphors. The results showed that science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors is better than science learning without conceptual metaphors. The average of posttest experimental class was 79,40 and control class was 66,09. The student's conceptual change for two classes changed significantly byusing mann whitney U testwith P= 0,003(P less than sig. value, P< 0,05). This means that there was differenceson student's conceptual changebeetwen integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors class and integrated science learning without conceptual metaphors class. The study also showed that teachers and studentsgive positive responsesto implementation of integrated science learning based guided inquiry with conceptual metaphors.
A Five-Stage Prediction-Observation-Explanation Inquiry-Based Learning Model to Improve Students' Learning Performance in Science Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Hsien-Sheng; Chen, Jyun-Chen; Hong, Jon-Chao; Chen, Po-Hsi; Lu, Chow-Chin; Chen, Sherry Y.

2017-01-01

A five-stage prediction-observation-explanation inquiry-based learning (FPOEIL) model was developed to improve students' scientific learning performance. In order to intensify the science learning effect, the repertory grid technology-assisted learning (RGTL) approach and the collaborative learning (CL) approach were utilized. A quasi-experimental…
Inquiry Learning in a Special Education Setting: Managing the Cognitive Loads of Intellectually Disabled Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Theodore T. H.; So, Winnie W. M.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the use of inquiry learning (IL) approach for intellectually disabled (ID) students. It draws on findings from the trial lessons of 6 classes of ID students in a project developing an adapted General Studies Curriculum for ID students at primary level. Data analysis focuses on examining how IL was employed for ID students.…
Instructional Approaches on Science Performance, Attitude and Inquiry Ability in a Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Ching-Huei; Chen, Chia-Ying

2012-01-01

This study examined the effects of an inquiry-based learning (IBL) approach compared to that of a problem-based learning (PBL) approach on learner performance, attitude toward science and inquiry ability. Ninety-six students from three 7th-grade classes at a public school were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and one control group. All…
Instituting systems-based practice and practice-based learning and improvement: a curriculum of inquiry

PubMed Central

Wilper, Andrew P.; Smith, Curtis Scott; Weppner, William

2013-01-01

Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that training programs integrate system-based practice (SBP) and practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) into internal medicine residency curricula. Context and setting We instituted a seminar series and year-long-mentored curriculum designed to engage internal medicine residents in these competencies. Methods Residents participate in a seminar series that includes assigned reading and structured discussion with faculty who assist in the development of quality improvement or research projects. Residents pursue projects over the remainder of the year. Monthly works in progress meetings, protected time for inquiry, and continued faculty mentorship guide the residents in their project development. Trainees present their work at hospital-wide grand rounds at the end of the academic year. We performed a survey of residents to assess their self-reported knowledge, attitudes and skills in SBP and PBLI. In addition, blinded faculty scored projects for appropriateness, impact, and feasibility. Outcomes We measured resident self-reported knowledge, attitudes, and skills at the end of the academic year. We found evidence that participants improved their understanding of the context in which they were practicing, and that their ability to engage in quality improvement projects increased. Blinded faculty reviewers favorably ranked the projects’ feasibility, impact, and appropriateness. The ‘Curriculum of Inquiry’ generated 11 quality improvement and research projects during the study period. Barriers to the ongoing work include a limited supply of mentors and delays due to Institutional Review Board approval. Hospital leadership recognizes the importance of the curriculum, and our accreditation manager now cites our ongoing work. Conclusions A structured residency-based curriculum facilitates resident demonstration of SBP and practice-based learning and improvement. Residents gain knowledge and skills though this enterprise and hospitals gain access to trainees who help to solve ongoing problems and meet accreditation requirements. PMID:24044686
Supporting the Technology-Enhanced Collaborative Inquiry and Design Project: A Teacher's Reflections on Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viilo, Marjut; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai

2011-01-01

In this study, we argue that a teacher has a crucial role in leading students into collaborative inquiry-learning practices. While many studies have given the impression that students are able to engage in inquiry processes on their own, the role of social practices and teacher guidance often remains unexplained. However, even when the pedagogical…
A Path Model of Effective Technology-Intensive Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Avsec, Stanislav; Kocijancic, Slavko

2016-01-01

Individual aptitude, attitudes, and behavior in inquiry-based learning (IBL) settings may affect work and learning performance outcomes during activities using different technologies. To encourage multifaceted learning, factors in IBL settings must be statistically significant and effective, and not cognitively or psychomotor intensive. We…
An Evaluation of an Inquiry-Based Computer-Assisted Learning Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maor, Dorit; Fraser, Barry

1994-01-01

This study focused on students' development of inquiry skills in a computerized learning environment. Seven Year-11 classes (n=120) interacted with a computerized database, "Birds of Antarctica," and curriculum materials while the teacher used an inquiry approach to learning. Students perceived their classes as more investigative and…
Science Teachers' Views and Stereotypes of Religion, Scientists and Scientific Research: A Call for Scientist-Science Teacher Partnerships to Promote Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2015-01-01

Despite a growing consensus regarding the value of inquiry-based learning (IBL) for students' learning and engagement in the science classroom, the implementation of such practices continues to be a challenge. If science teachers are to use IBL to develop students' inquiry practices and encourage them to think and act as scientists, a better…
Educator Exploration of Authentic Environmental Issues of the Coastal Margin Through Information Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbert, B. E.; Schielack, J. F.

2004-12-01

Teachers immersed in authentic science inquiry in professional development programs, with the goal of transferring the nature of scientific research to the classroom, face two enormous problems: (1) issues surrounding the required knowledgebase, skills set, and habits of mind of the teachers that control, to a large degree, the ability of teachers to immerse themselves in authentic scientific research in the available time, and (2) the difficulties in transferring this experience to the classroom. Most professional development programs utilize one of two design models, the first limits the authenticity of the scientific experience while placing more emphasis on pedagogical issues, and second where teachers are immersed in scientific research, often through mentoring programs with scientists, but with less explicit attention to problems of transfer to the classroom. The ITS Center for Teaching and Learning (its.tamu.edu), a five-year NSF-funded collaborative program that engages scientists, educational researchers, and educators in the use of information technology to improve science teaching and learning at all levels, has developed a model that supports teachers' learning about authentic scientific research, pedagogical training in inquiry-based learning, and educational research in their own classrooms on the impacts of using information technology to promote authentic science experiences for their students. This connection is achieved through scaffolding by information technology that supports the modeling, visualization and exploration of complex data sets to explore authentic scientific questions that can be integrated within the 7-16 curriculum. Our professional development model constitutes a Learning Research Cycle, which is characterized as a seamless continuum of inquiry activities and prolonged engagement in a learning community of educators, scientists, and mathematicians centered on the development of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge as it relates to the use of information technology in doing, learning, and teaching science. This talk will explore the design changes of the geoscience team of the ITS as it moved from Phase I (the planned program designed in-house) to Phase II (the experimental program being tested in-house) over two, two-year cohorts. We have assessed the impact of our Learning Research Cycle model on ITS participants using both a mixed model assessment of learning products, surveys, interviews, and teacher inquiry projects. Assessment results indicate that teachers involved in the second cohort improved their understanding of geoscience and inquiry-based learning, while improving their ability to establish authentic inquiry in their classrooms through the use of information technology and to assess student learning.
Independent Research Projects Using Protein Extraction: Affordable Ways to Inquire, Discover & Publish for Undergraduate Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pu, Rongsun

2010-01-01

This article describes how to use protein extraction, quantification, and analysis in the undergraduate teaching laboratory to engage students in inquiry-based, discovery-driven learning. Detailed instructions for obtaining proteins from animal tissues, using BCA assay to quantify the proteins, and data analysis are provided. The experimental…
"I Disagree!" Said a Second-Grader: Butterflies, Conflict, and Literate Thinking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salyer, David M.

2000-01-01

Describes how an inquiry-based science project on the life cycle of butterflies provided a developmentally appropriate learning experience in a first and second grade multiage classroom. Maintains that the critical exchange of ideas among students made students' thinking available for inspection, and allowed students to use their talk as a tool…
STEM High School Teaching Enhancement through Collaborative Engineering Research on Extreme Winds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Danielle; Yazdani, Nur; Manzur, Tanvir

2013-01-01

The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program on Hazard Mitigation at the University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington) involved area high school STEM teachers in engineering research with faculty and graduate students. The primary objective of the project was to train participating teachers in inquiry based research learning, research…

Technology Assisted Collaborative and Project-Based Learning; of Blogs, Wikis, and Networking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tinnerman, Larry; Johnson, James; Grimes, Roddran

2010-01-01

Throughout America today, public schools are struggling with issues surrounding standards and educational relevance and effectiveness. At the same time, a technological and social evolution is taking place outside of the school building. Students are developing new methods of inquiry and information gathering. If the educational system is to…
Genome Annotation in a Community College Cell Biology Lab

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beagley, C. Timothy

2013-01-01

The Biology Department at Salt Lake Community College has used the IMG-ACT toolbox to introduce a genome mapping and annotation exercise into the laboratory portion of its Cell Biology course. This project provides students with an authentic inquiry-based learning experience while introducing them to computational biology and contemporary learning…
Evolution of the Air Toxics under the Big Sky Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marra, Nancy; Vanek, Diana; Hester, Carolyn; Holian, Andrij; Ward, Tony; Adams, Earle; Knuth, Randy

2011-01-01

As a yearlong exploration of air quality and its relation to respiratory health, the "Air Toxics Under the Big Sky" program offers opportunities for students to learn and apply science process skills through self-designed inquiry-based research projects conducted within their communities. The program follows a systematic scope and sequence…
Using Video Games to Understand Thermoregulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dibley, Jeremiah; Parish, Jamie

2007-01-01

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, a research project was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of video games as inquiry-based learning experiences for the science classroom. As a result, the video game, "Creature Control: The Quest for Homeostasis" was developed and field-tested in select middle schools in the United States.…
"What I Learn Is What I Like." How Do Students in ICT Supported Problem-Based Learning Rate the Quality of the Learning Experience, and How Does It Relate to the Acquisition of Competences?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scholkmann, Antonia

2017-01-01

Although advocated in theory, research findings on the benefits of ICT integration into inquiry-based learning arrangements such as problem-based learning (PBL) are still ambiguous. One explanation might be that until now students' subjective views on learning in ICT-integrated, inquiry-based arrangements have not been considered extensively. The…
The Effects of Socio-Scientific Issue Based Inquiry Learning on Pupils' Representations of Landscape

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kärkkäinen, Sirpa; Keinonen, Tuula; Kukkonen, Jari; Juntunen, Seija; Ratinen, Ilkka

2017-01-01

Research has demonstrated that socio-scientific issues based inquiry learning has significant advantages for learning outcomes and students' motivation. Further, a successful understanding of landscapes in environmental and geographical education can be achieved by combining informal learning environments with school education. Therefore this case…
Mathematics Teachers' Beliefs about Inquiry-Based Learning after a Professional Development Course--An International Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maass, Katja; Swan, Malcolm; Aldorf, Anna-Maria

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a more student-centered approach to mathematics teaching that is recommended by many policy and curriculum documents across Europe. However, it is not easy for teachers to change from a more teacher-centered way of teaching to inquiry-based teaching as this involves a change of their role in class. Professional…
Inquiry Based Teaching in Turkey: A Content Analysis of Research Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kizilaslan, Aydin; Sozbilir, Mustafa; Yasar, M. Diyaddin

2012-01-01

Inquiry-based learning [IBL] enhances students' critical thinking abilities and help students to act as a scientist through using scientific method while learning. Specifically, inquiry as a teaching approach has been defined in many ways, the most important one is referred to nature of constructing knowledge while the individuals possess a…
Implementing Inquiry-Based Learning and Examining the Effects in Junior College Probability Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chong, Jessie Siew Yin; Chong, Maureen Siew Fang; Shahrill, Masitah; Abdullah, Nor Azura

2017-01-01

This study examined how Year 12 students use their inquiry skills in solving conditional probability questions by means of Inquiry-Based Learning application. The participants consisted of 66 students of similar academic abilities in Mathematics, selected from three classes, along with their respective teachers. Observational rubric and lesson…
Developing a Teacher Identity: TAs' Perspectives about Learning to Teach Inquiry-Based Biology Labs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gormally, Cara

2016-01-01

Becoming a teacher involves a continual process of identity development and negotiation. Expectations and norms for particular pedagogies impact and inform this development. In inquiry based classes, instructors are expected to act as learning facilitators rather than information providers. For novice inquiry instructors, developing a teacher…
The Effects of Computer-Supported Inquiry-Based Learning Methods and Peer Interaction on Learning Stellar Parallax

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruzhitskaya, Lanika

2011-01-01

The presented research study investigated the effects of computer-supported inquiry-based learning and peer interaction methods on effectiveness of learning a scientific concept. The stellar parallax concept was selected as a basic, and yet important in astronomy, scientific construct, which is based on a straightforward relationship of several…
Effect of Inquiry-Based Learning Approach on Student Resistance in a Science and Technology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sever, Demet; Guven, Meral

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to identify the resistance behaviors of 7th grade students exhibited during their Science and Technology course teaching-learning processes, and to remove the identified resistance behaviors through teaching-learning processes that were constructed based on the inquiry-based learning approach. In the quasi-experimentally…
The Effectiveness of Guided Inquiry Learning for Comparison Topics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asnidar; Khabibah, S.; Sulaiman, R.

2018-01-01

This research aims at producing a good quality learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics and describing the effectiveness of guided inquiry learning for comparison topics. This research is a developmental research using 4-D model. The result is learning device consisting of lesson plan, student’s worksheet, and achievement test. The subjects of the study were class VII students, each of which has 46 students. Based on the result in the experimental class, the learning device using guided inquiry for comparison topics has good quality. The learning device has met the valid, practical, and effective aspects. The result, especially in the implementation class, showed that the learning process with guided inquiry has fulfilled the effectiveness indicators. The ability of the teacher to manage the learning process has fulfilled the criteria good. In addition, the students’ activity has fulfilled the criteria of, at least, good. Moreover, the students’ responses to the learning device and the learning activities were positive, and the students were able to complete the classical learning. Based on the result of this research, it is expected that the learning device resulted can be used as an alternative learning device for teachers in implementing mathematic learning for comparison topics.
Data-driven Inquiry in Environmental Restoration Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zalles, D. R.; Montgomery, D. R.

2008-12-01

Place-based field work has been recognized as an important component of geoscience education programs for engaging students. Field work helps students appreciate the spatial extent of data and the systems operating in a locale. Data collected in a place has a temporal aspect that can be explored through representations such as photographs and maps and also though numerical data sets that capture characteristics of place. Yet, experiencing authentic geoscience research in an educational setting requires going beyond fieldwork: students must develop data literacy skills that will enable them to connect abstract representations of spatio-temporal data with place. Educational researchers at SRI International led by Dr. Daniel Zalles, developer of inquiry-based geoscience curricula, and geoscientists at the University of Washington (UW) led by Dr. David Montgomery, Professor of Earth and Space Sciences, are building educational curriculum modules that help students make these connections. The modules concern the environmental history of the Puget Sound area in Washington State and its relevance for the American Indians living there. This collaborative project relies on environmental data collected in the Puget Sound Regional Synthesis Model (PRISM) and Puget Sound River History Project. The data sets are being applied to inquiry-based geoscience investigations at the undergraduate and high school level. The modules consist of problem-based units centered on the data sets, plus geographic and other data representations. The modules will rely on educational "design patterns" that characterize geoscientific inquiry tasks. Use of design patterns will enable other modules to be built that align to the modes of student thinking and practice articulated in the design patterns. The modules will be accompanied by performance assessments that measure student learning from their data investigations. The design principles that drive this project have already been used effectively in a prior SRI project reported about at AGU 2007 called Data Sets and Inquiry in Geoscience Education. The modules are being readied for pilot-testing with undergraduate students in a new environmental history course at the University of Washington and with students taking science courses in high schools serving American Indian students in the Puget Sound area. This NSF-funded project is contributing to our knowledge base about how students can become more engaged and more skilled in geoscience inquiry and data analysis and what variations in educational supports and expectations need to exist to build successful experiences for the students with the materials. It is also expanding our knowledge of how to better connect place-based education to inquiry tasks that expand students" quantitative reasoning skills. Lastly, it is providing a model of how scientists can work effectively with educational researchers to provide educational outlets for their research. We will report on the progress of the project so far, which is in its first year of funding.
Teacher candidates in an online post-baccalaureate science methods course: Implications for teaching science inquiry with technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon, Erica L.

Online learning is becoming more prevalent in today's education and is changing the way students learn and instructors teach. This study proposed using an informative case study design within a multilevel conceptual framework as teacher candidates were learning to teach and use science inquiry while in an online post-baccalaureate science methods course. The purposes were to (a) explore whether the teacher candidates had a thorough understanding of scientific inquiry and how to implement higher-order thinking skills, (b) examine whether or not the teacher candidates used a variety of computer-based instructional technologies when choosing instructional objectives, and (c) identify barriers that impede teacher candidates from using science inquiry or technology singly, or the ability to incorporate technology into learning science inquiry. The findings indicate that an online approach in preparing science teachers holds great potential for using innovative technology to teach science inquiry. First, the teacher candidates did incorporate essential features of classroom inquiry, however it was limited and varied in the type of inquiry used. Second, of the 86 lesson plans submitted by the teacher candidates, less than twelve percent of the learning objectives involved higher-order skills that promoted science inquiry. Third, results supported that when using technology in their lesson planning, participants had widely varying backgrounds in reference to their familiarity with technology. However, even though each participant used some form or another, the technology used was fairly low level. Finally, when discussing implementing inquiry-based science in the lesson plans, this study identified time as a reason that participants may not be pushing for more inquiry-based lessons. The researcher also identifies that school placements were a huge factor in the amount of inquiry-based skills coded in the lesson plans. The study concludes that online teacher preparation programs hold promise for teacher candidates by providing them knowledge and strategies for implementing innovative technologies to teach science inquiry when designing curriculum. By identifying specific implications for methods course design and implementation, as well as future research, this study contributes to teacher education improvement efforts, and therefore supports changing learning styles of their future students, so-called the iGeneration.
Students concept understanding of fluid static based on the types of teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmawati, I. D.; Suparmi; Sunarno, W.

2018-03-01

This research aims to know the concept understanding of student are taught by guided inquiry based learning and conventional based learning. Subjects in this study are high school students as much as 2 classes and each class consists of 32 students, both classes are homogen. The data was collected by conceptual test in the multiple choice form with the students argumentation of the answer. The data analysis used is qualitative descriptive method. The results of the study showed that the average of class that was using guided inquiry based learning is 78.44 while the class with use conventional based learning is 65.16. Based on these data, the guided inquiry model is an effective learning model used to improve students concept understanding.
An Augmented Reality-Based Mobile Learning System to Improve Students' Learning Achievements and Motivations in Natural Science Inquiry Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiang, Tosti H. C.; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Hwang, Gwo-Jen

2014-01-01

In this study, an augmented reality-based mobile learning system is proposed for conducting inquiry-based learning activities. An experiment has been conducted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of learning achievements and motivations. The subjects were 57 fourth graders from two classes taught by the same teacher in…
Inquiry-Based Learning Approach in Physical Education: Stimulating and Engaging Students in Physical and Cognitive Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Østergaard, Lars Domino

2016-01-01

Inquiry is an approach that promotes engagement, motivation and learning, and which involves use of cognitive knowledge, bodily experience and communicative skills. Usually the inquiry method with skills like observations, planning, investigations, experimenting and drawing conclusions is related to natural sciences, but this paper describes an…
Investigating the Impact of a LEGO(TM)-Based, Engineering-Oriented Curriculum Compared to an Inquiry-Based Curriculum on Fifth Graders' Content Learning of Simple Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marulcu, Ismail

2010-01-01

This mixed method study examined the impact of a LEGO-based, engineering-oriented curriculum compared to an inquiry-based curriculum on fifth graders' content learning of simple machines. This study takes a social constructivist theoretical stance that science learning involves learning scientific concepts and their relations to each other. From…
A set of vertically integrated inquiry-based practical curricula that develop scientific thinking skills for large cohorts of undergraduate students.

PubMed

Zimbardi, Kirsten; Bugarcic, Andrea; Colthorpe, Kay; Good, Jonathan P; Lluka, Lesley J

2013-12-01

Science graduates require critical thinking skills to deal with the complex problems they will face in their 21st century workplaces. Inquiry-based curricula can provide students with the opportunities to develop such critical thinking skills; however, evidence suggests that an inappropriate level of autonomy provided to underprepared students may not only be daunting to students but also detrimental to their learning. After a major review of the Bachelor of Science, we developed, implemented, and evaluated a series of three vertically integrated courses with inquiry-style laboratory practicals for early-stage undergraduate students in biomedical science. These practical curricula were designed so that students would work with increasing autonomy and ownership of their research projects to develop increasingly advanced scientific thinking and communication skills. Students undertaking the first iteration of these three vertically integrated courses reported learning gains in course content as well as skills in scientific writing, hypothesis construction, experimental design, data analysis, and interpreting results. Students also demonstrated increasing skills in both hypothesis formulation and communication of findings as a result of participating in the inquiry-based curricula and completing the associated practical assessment tasks. Here, we report the specific aspects of the curricula that students reported as having the greatest impact on their learning and the particular elements of hypothesis formulation and communication of findings that were more challenging for students to master. These findings provide important implications for science educators concerned with designing curricula to promote scientific thinking and communication skills alongside content acquisition.

Inquiry-based science education: scaffolding pupils' self-directed learning in open inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Uum, Martina S. J.; Verhoeff, Roald P.; Peeters, Marieke

2017-12-01

This paper describes a multiple case study on open inquiry-based learning in primary schools. During open inquiry, teachers often experience difficulties in balancing support and transferring responsibility to pupils' own learning. To facilitate teachers in guiding open inquiry, we developed hard and soft scaffolds. The hard scaffolds consisted of documents with explanations and/or exercises regarding difficult parts of the inquiry process. The soft scaffolds included explicit references to and additional explanations of the hard scaffolds. We investigated how teacher implementation of these scaffolds contributed to pupils' self-directed learning during open inquiry. Four classes of pupils, aged 10-11, were observed while they conducted an inquiry lesson module of about 10 lessons in their classrooms. Data were acquired via classroom observations, audio recordings, and interviews with teachers and pupils. The results show that after the introduction of the hard scaffolds by the teacher, pupils were able and willing to apply them to their investigations. Combining hard scaffolds with additional soft scaffolding promoted pupils' scientific understanding and contributed to a shared guidance of the inquiry process by the teacher and her pupils. Our results imply that the effective use of scaffolds is an important element to be included in teacher professionalisation.
Implementation of Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL) in Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, Elliot P.; Chiu, Chu-Chuan

2013-01-01

This paper describes implementation and testing of an active learning, team-based pedagogical approach to instruction in engineering. This pedagogy has been termed Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning (POGIL), and is based upon the learning cycle model. Rather than sitting in traditional lectures, students work in teams to complete worksheets…
Inspiring Young Minds: Scientific Inquiry in the Early Years

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smart, Julie

2017-01-01

Learn to use inquiry-based practice to inspire young minds through science. This book gives educators a solid guide for using research-based principles of inquiry to help children explore their world. With real-life examples and information on facilitating and guiding children, you will be able to engage and maximize STEM learning. Web content and…
Moving Authentic Soil Research into High School Classrooms: Student Engagement and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moebius-Clune, Bianca N.; Elsevier, Irka H.; Crawford, Barbara A.; Trautmann, Nancy M.; Schindelbeck, Robert R.; van Es, Harold M.

2011-01-01

Inquiry-based teaching helps students develop a deep, applied understanding of human-environmental connections, but most high school curricula do not use inquiry-based methods. Soil science topics, which are also generally lacking from curricula, can provide hands-on model systems for learning inquiry skills. We report on the implementation of a…
Designing Effective Undergraduate Research Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Severson, S.

2010-12-01

I present a model for designing student research internships that is informed by the best practices of the Center for Adaptive Optics (CfAO) Professional Development Program. The dual strands of the CfAO education program include: the preparation of early-career scientists and engineers in effective teaching; and changing the learning experiences of students (e.g., undergraduate interns) through inquiry-based "teaching laboratories." This paper will focus on the carry-over of these ideas into the design of laboratory research internships such as the CfAO Mainland internship program as well as NSF REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) and senior-thesis or "capstone" research programs. Key ideas in maximizing student learning outcomes and generating productive research during internships include: defining explicit content, scientific process, and attitudinal goals for the project; assessment of student prior knowledge and experience, then following up with formative assessment throughout the project; setting reasonable goals with timetables and addressing motivation; and giving students ownership of the research by implementing aspects of the inquiry process within the internship.
Student Cognitive Difficulties and Mental Model Development of Complex Earth and Environmental Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sell, K.; Herbert, B.; Schielack, J.

2004-05-01

Students organize scientific knowledge and reason about environmental issues through manipulation of mental models. The nature of the environmental sciences, which are focused on the study of complex, dynamic systems, may present cognitive difficulties to students in their development of authentic, accurate mental models of environmental systems. The inquiry project seeks to develop and assess the coupling of information technology (IT)-based learning with physical models in order to foster rich mental model development of environmental systems in geoscience undergraduate students. The manipulation of multiple representations, the development and testing of conceptual models based on available evidence, and exposure to authentic, complex and ill-constrained problems were the components of investigation utilized to reach the learning goals. Upper-level undergraduate students enrolled in an environmental geology course at Texas A&M University participated in this research which served as a pilot study. Data based on rubric evaluations interpreted by principal component analyses suggest students' understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry is limited and the ability to cross scales and link systems proved problematic. Results categorized into content knowledge and cognition processes where reasoning, critical thinking and cognitive load were driving factors behind difficulties in student learning. Student mental model development revealed multiple misconceptions and lacked complexity and completeness to represent the studied systems. Further, the positive learning impacts of the implemented modules favored the physical model over the IT-based learning projects, likely due to cognitive load issues. This study illustrates the need to better understand student difficulties in solving complex problems when using IT, where the appropriate scaffolding can then be implemented to enhance student learning of the earth system sciences.
Changes in science classrooms resulting from collaborative action research initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Phil Seok

Collaborative action research was undertaken over two years between a Korean science teacher and science education researchers at the University of Iowa. For the purpose of realizing science learning as envisioned by constructivist principles, Group-Investigations were implemented three or five times per project year. In addition, the second year project enacted Peer Assessments among students. Student perceptions of their science classrooms, as measured by the Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), provided evidence that the collaborative action research was successful in creating constructivist learning environments. Student attitudes toward science lessons, as examined by the Enjoyment of Science Lessons Scale (ESLS), indicated that the action research also contributed to developing more positive attitudes of students about science learning. Discourse analysis was conducted on video-recordings of in-class presentations and discussions. The results indicated that students in science classrooms which were moving toward constructivist learning environments engaged in such discursive practices as: (1) Communicating their inquiries to others, (2) Seeking and providing information through dialogues, and (3) Negotiating conflicts in their knowledge and beliefs. Based on these practices, science learning was viewed as the process of constructing knowledge and understanding of science as well as the process of engaging in scientific inquiry and discourse. The teacher's discursive practices included: (1) Wrapping up student presentations, (2) Addressing misconceptions, (3) Answering student queries, (4) Coaching, (5) Assessing and advising, (6) Guiding students discursively into new knowledge, and (7) Scaffolding. Science teaching was defined as situated acts of the teacher to facilitate the learning process. In particular, when the classrooms became more constructivist, the teacher intervened more frequently and carefully in student activities to fulfill a variety of pedagogical functions. Students perceived Group-Investigations and Peer Assessments as positive in that they contributed to realizing constructivist features in their classrooms. The students also reported that they gained several learning outcomes through Group-Investigations, including more positive attitudes, new knowledge, greater learning capabilities, and improved self-esteem. However, the Group-Investigation and Peer Assessment methods were perceived as negative and problematic by those who had rarely been exposed to such inquiry-based, student-centered approaches.
Inquiry based learning: a student centered learning to develop mathematical habits of mind

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani, A. D.; Herman, T.; Fatimah, S.; Setyowidodo, I.; Katminingsih, Y.

2018-05-01

Inquiry based learning is learning that based on understanding constructivist mathematics learning. Learning based on constructivism is the Student centered learning. In constructivism, students are trained and guided to be able to construct their own knowledge on the basis of the initial knowledge that they have before. This paper explained that inquiry based learning can be used to developing student’s Mathematical habits of mind. There are sixteen criteria Mathematical Habits of mind, among which are diligent, able to manage time well, have metacognition ability, meticulous, etc. This research method is qualitative descriptive. The result of this research is that the instruments that have been developed to measure mathematical habits of mind are validated by the expert. The conclusion is the instrument of mathematical habits of mind are valid and it can be used to measure student’s mathematical habits of mind.
Planning, Enactment, and Reflection in Inquiry-Based Learning: Validating the McGill Strategic Demands of Inquiry Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shore, Bruce M.; Chichekian, Tanya; Syer, Cassidy A.; Aulls, Mark W.; Frederiksen, Carl H.

2012-01-01

Tools are needed to track the elements of students' successful engagement in inquiry. The "McGill Strategic Demands of Inquiry Questionnaire" (MSDIQ) is a 79-item, criterion-referenced, learner-focused questionnaire anchored in Schon's model and related models of self-regulated learning. The MSDIQ addresses three phases of inquiry…
Measuring the "Unmeasurable": An Inquiry Model and Test for the Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Scotter, Richard D.; Haas, John D.

New social studies materials are based on inquiry modes of learning and teaching; however, little is known as to what students actually learn from an inquiry model (except for cognitive knowledge). An inquiry model and test to measure the "unmeasurable" in the social studies--namely, a student's ability to use the scientific process, attitudes…
The Effect of Inquiry Training Learning Model Based on Just in Time Teaching for Problem Solving Skill

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turnip, Betty; Wahyuni, Ida; Tanjung, Yul Ifda

2016-01-01

One of the factors that can support successful learning activity is the use of learning models according to the objectives to be achieved. This study aimed to analyze the differences in problem-solving ability Physics student learning model Inquiry Training based on Just In Time Teaching [JITT] and conventional learning taught by cooperative model…
Hampshire College Center for Science Education. Final Report on Activities Supported by the Department of Energy Grant No. DE-FG02-06ER64256

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stillings, Neil; Wenk, Laura

Hampshire College's Center for Science Education (Center) focuses on teacher professional development, curriculum development, and student enrichment programs. The Center also maintains research programs on teacher change, student learning and instructional effectiveness. The Center's work promotes learning that persists over time and transfers to new situations in and out of school. The projects develop the implications of the increasing agreement among teachers and researchers that effective learning involves active concept mastery and consistent practice with inquiry and critical thinking. The Center's objective is to help strengthen the pipeline of U.S. students pursuing postsecondary study in STEM fields. The Center achievesmore » this by fostering an educational environment in which science is taught as an active, directly experienced endeavor across the K-16 continuum. Too often, young people are dissuaded from pursuing science because they do not see its relevance, instead experiencing it as dry, rote, technical. In contrast, when science is taught as a hands-on, inquiry-driven process, students are encouraged to ask questions grounded in their own curiosity and seek experimental solutions accordingly. In this way, they quickly discover both the profound relevance of science to their daily lives and its accessibility to them. Essentially, they learn to think and act like real scientists. The Center’s approach is multi-faceted: it includes direct inquiry-based science instruction to secondary and postsecondary students, educating the next generation of teachers, and providing new educational opportunities for teachers already working in the schools. Funding from the Department of Energy focused on the last population, enabling in-service teachers to explore and experience the pedagogy of inquiry-based science for themselves, and to take it back to their classrooms and students. The Center has demonstrated that the inquiry-based approach to science learning is compatible with existing state curriculum frameworks and produces students who understand and are positively inclined toward science. Funds from this Department of Energy grant supported three projects that involved K-16 science outreach: 1. Teaching Issues and Experiments in Ecology (TIEE). TIEE a peer-reviewed online journal and curriculum resource for postsecondary science teachers. 2. The Collaboration for Excellence in Science Education (CESE). CESE is a partnership with the Amherst, Massachusetts school system to foster the professional development of science teachers, and to perform research on student learning in the sciences and on teacher change. The project draws on Hampshire's long experience with inquiry-oriented and interdisciplinary education, as well as on its unique strengths in cognitive science. The project is run as design research, working with teachers to improve their practices and studying student and/or teacher outcomes. 3. Day in the Lab. Grant funds partially supported the expansion of the ongoing science outreach activities of the School of Natural Science. These activities are focused on local districts with large minority enrollments, including the Amherst, Holyoke and Springfield Public School Districts, and the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter School (PVPA). Each of the three projects supported by the grant met or exceeded its goals. In part, the successes we met were due to continuity and communication among the staff of the programs. At the beginning of the CESE project, a science outreach coordinator was recruited. He worked throughout the grant period along with a senior researcher and the project's curriculum director. Additionally, the director and an undergraduate student conducted research on teacher change. The science outreach coordinator acted as a liaison among Hampshire College, the school districts, and a number of local businesses and agencies, providing organizational support, discussion facilitation, classroom support for teachers, and materials purchase. His presence in the schools kept teachers engaged and supported. He also brought the PVPA Charter School into the project. He worked closely with the educational outreach coordinator at Hampshire who oversaw the Day in the Lab program. Together, they have ensured the continuity of support to the schools through the use and placement of student interns. Finally, the director and coordinators worked with the Hitchock Center for the Environment to bring the two science professional development efforts in Amherst together. The joint development of workshops for elementary teachers was extremely successful. A major reason for the successes of the CESE program was the strength of the teacher outreach team and the sheer number of hours spent building relationships, talking about teaching and learning, planning projects, developing curriculum, and working with experts throughout the Pioneer Valley.« less
Project CUES: A New Middle-School Earth System Science Curriculum Being Developed by the American Geological Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, M. C.; Smith, M. J.; Lederman, N.; Southard, J. B.; Rogers, E. A.; Callahan, C. N.

2002-12-01

Project CUES is a middle-school earth systems science curriculum project under development by the American Geological Institute (AGI) and funded by the National Science Foundation (ESI-0095938). CUES features a student-centered, inquiry pedagogy and approaches earth science from a systems perspective. CUES will use the expanded learning cycle approach of Trowbridge and Bybee (1996), known as the 5E model (engage-explore-explain-elaborate-evaluate). Unlike AGI's Investigating Earth Systems (IES) curriculum modules, CUES will include a single hard-bound textbook, and will take one school-year to complete. The textbook includes a prologue that addresses systems concepts and four main units: Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, and Biosphere. Each eight-week unit takes students through a progression from guided inquiry to open-ended, student-driven inquiry. During first 4 to 5 weeks of each unit, students explore important earth science phenomena and concepts through scripted investigations and narrative reading passages written by scientists as "inquiry narratives". The narratives address the development of scientific ideas and relay the personal experiences of a scientist during their scientific exploration. Aspects of the nature of science will be explicitly addressed in investigations and inquiry narratives. After the guided inquiry, students will develop a research proposal and conduct their own inquiry into local or regional scientific problems. Each unit culminates with a science conference at which students present their research. CUES will be the first NSF-funded, comprehensive earth systems textbook for middle school that is based on national standards. CUES will be pilot tested in 12 classrooms in January 2003, with a national field test of the program in 50 classrooms during the 2003-2004 school year.
Injecting Inquiry-Oriented Modules into Calculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelton, Therese

2017-01-01

Implementing inquiry-based modules within a course can be effective and enable instructor experimentation, without completely transforming an entire course. For instructors new to inquiry-based learning (IBL), we state hallmarks of the practice and point out the merits of strong IBL communities. An inquiry-based approach may alleviate some current…
A multilingual and multimodal approach to literacy teaching and learning in urban education: a collaborative inquiry project in an inner city elementary school.

PubMed

Ntelioglou, Burcu Yaman; Fannin, Jennifer; Montanera, Mike; Cummins, Jim

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from a collaborative inquiry project that explored teaching approaches that highlight the significance of multilingualism, multimodality, and multiliteracies in classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). The research took place in an inner city elementary school with a large population of recently arrived and Canadian-born linguistically and culturally diverse students from Gambian, Indian, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Tibetan and Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as a recent wave of Roma students from Hungary. A high number of these students were from families with low-SES. The collaboration between two Grade 3 teachers and university-based researchers sought to create instructional approaches that would support students' academic engagement and literacy learning. In this paper, we described one of the projects that took place in this class, exploring how a descriptive writing unit could be implemented in a way that connected with students' lives and enabled them to use their home languages, through the creation of multiple texts, using creative writing, digital technologies, and drama pedagogy. This kind of multilingual and multimodal classroom practice changed the classroom dynamics and allowed the students access to identity positions of expertise, increasing their literacy investment, literacy engagement and learning.
A multilingual and multimodal approach to literacy teaching and learning in urban education: a collaborative inquiry project in an inner city elementary school

PubMed Central

Ntelioglou, Burcu Yaman; Fannin, Jennifer; Montanera, Mike; Cummins, Jim

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from a collaborative inquiry project that explored teaching approaches that highlight the significance of multilingualism, multimodality, and multiliteracies in classrooms with high numbers of English language learners (ELLs). The research took place in an inner city elementary school with a large population of recently arrived and Canadian-born linguistically and culturally diverse students from Gambian, Indian, Mexican, Sri Lankan, Tibetan and Vietnamese backgrounds, as well as a recent wave of Roma students from Hungary. A high number of these students were from families with low-SES. The collaboration between two Grade 3 teachers and university-based researchers sought to create instructional approaches that would support students’ academic engagement and literacy learning. In this paper, we described one of the projects that took place in this class, exploring how a descriptive writing unit could be implemented in a way that connected with students’ lives and enabled them to use their home languages, through the creation of multiple texts, using creative writing, digital technologies, and drama pedagogy. This kind of multilingual and multimodal classroom practice changed the classroom dynamics and allowed the students access to identity positions of expertise, increasing their literacy investment, literacy engagement and learning. PMID:24994986
Teaching Energy as Part of Education for Sustainability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tas, Maarten; McKeon, Frankie; Charnley, Fiona; Fleming, Margaret

2014-01-01

This article describes how energy issues and education for sustainable development (ESD) are part of the agenda for two current European projects, CoDeS and SUSTAIN. The latter is mainly concerned with the development of inquiry-based primary and lower secondary science education while the former is a network that aims to learn more about…
Teaching Chemistry about "Stevia"--A Case of Cooperative Curriculum Innovation within PROFILES in Germany

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuckey, Marc; Lippel, Marianne; Eilks, Ingo

2014-01-01

PROFILES is a project of teacher education and curriculum innovation funded by the FP7-programme of the European Union. The aim of PROFILES is implementing innovative science teaching practices incorporating a societal perspective and compassing inquiry-based science learning. The University of Bremen, Germany, as one of the partners, combines…
Singing in Science: Writing and Recording Student Lyrics to Express Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Sara D.; Norton-Meier, Lori

2009-01-01

This article explores the use of lyric writing in elementary science. It details an exploratory project in which elementary students and a professional musician collaborated to write and record lyrics at the conclusion of an inquiry-based science unit. What we found was that lyric writing when used as a summary reflection activity in science…
An Appreciative Inquiry into the Transformative Learning Experiences of Students in a Family Literacy Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giles, David; Alderson, Sharon

2008-01-01

Educational discourse has often struggled to genuinely move beyond deficit-based language. Even action research, a predominant model for teacher development, starts with the identification of a problem (Cardno 2003). It would appear that the vocabulary for a hope-filled discourse which captures the imagination and influences our future educational…

Analyzing the Watershed Dynamics project as an example of successful science and education partnerships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzby, C. K.; Jona, K.

2009-12-01

The Watershed Dynamics project is a partnership between Northwestern University, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science (CUAHSI), and the GLOBE Program (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment). The goal of the project is to develop inquiry-based educational materials that use authentic scientific data and analysis techniques to teach students about the watershed. The relationship between Northwestern, CUAHSI, and GLOBE allows each partner to contribute to the development of the project in the area of their expertise. Science researchers from CUAHSI share science content knowledge and data access through the development of their Hydrologic Information System (HIS). Curriculum developers at Northwestern write inquiry-based curriculum using GIS technology to access and analyze live data. The GLOBE Program is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based science education program that provides teacher training opportunities to a network of teachers around the world. This partnership allows each partner to bring their area of expertise to the project and make the best use of one another's resources. The Watershed Dynamics project can serve as a model for future partnerships between the science and education communities. The Office of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education Partnerships (OSEP) at Northwestern is a service organization that supports Northwestern researchers in developing proposals and implementing research projects that incorporate K-12 educational components, particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). OSEP assists faculty with the development of sound plans for education and outreach that reflect current research on learning and educational reform and provides expertise in STEM education materials development, learning technologies, and professional development for K-12 teachers and facilitators in informal education institutions. Resources such as OSEP can pair scientists with educational organizations so that science outreach programs can be sustainable.
Long-Term Teacher Orchestration of Technology-Mediated Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viilo, Marjut; Seitamaa-Hakkarainen, Pirita; Hakkarainen, Kai

2018-01-01

This explorative case study longitudinally examines teacher orchestration of an inquiry learning process in a technology-enhanced elementary classroom. A 13-month investigative study on cultural artifacts was conducted on 32 fourth grade students who progressed to the fifth grade during the project. The activities were mediated and documented…
Interactive Simulations as Implicit Support for Guided-Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Emily B.; Herzog, Timothy A.; Perkins, Katherine K.

2013-01-01

We present the results of a study designed to provide insight into interactive simulation use during guided-inquiry activities in chemistry classes. The PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado develops interactive simulations that utilize implicit--rather than explicit--scaffolding to support student learning through…
SEAGULL: A Project for Releasing the Potential of the Gifted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Michael L.

1980-01-01

Describes a program to heighten self-esteem, interest in school, and creativity of gifted/talented children. Identity, inquiry, and interaction are presented as primary motivations to learning. The curriculum includes group sessions to foster self-image development, a media center to stimulate inquiry and eliminate boredom, and activities to…
How Science Fairs Foster Inquiry Skills and Enrich Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Jürgen; Groß, Jorge

2017-01-01

Science competitions have continuing relevance for schools. The aim of the German youth science fair "Jugend forscht" is to encourage scientific thinking and inquiry methods such as experimentation. Three concrete examples of participating projects are given. We summarise the current state of research related to science competitions,…
Designing Instruction to Improve Lifelong Inquiry Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Marcia C.; Eylon, Bat-Sheva; Rafferty, Anna; Vitale, Jonathan M.

2015-01-01

Citizens need the capability to conduct their own inquiry projects so that they can make sense of claims about new energy policies, health remedies, or financial opportunities. To develop the lifelong capability to grapple with these dilemmas, we report on ways to design precollege units that engage students in realistic, personally relevant…
The Effect of Inquiry-Based Learning Experiences on Adolescents' Science-Related Career Aspiration in the Finnish Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kang, Jingoo; Keinonen, Tuula

2017-01-01

Much research has been conducted to investigate the effects of inquiry-based learning on students' attitude towards science and future involvement in the science field, but few of them conducted in-depth studies including young learners' socio-cognitive background to explore mechanisms which explain how inquiry experiences influence on career…
A Science Teacher's Wisdom of Practice in Teaching Inquiry-Based Oceanography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tamara Holmlund

Inquiry-based research is recommended as a method for helping more students understand the nature of science as well as learn the substance of scientific knowledge, yet there is much to learn about how teachers might adapt inquiry for science teaching and what teachers need to know in order to do this. This case study of an exemplary teacher's…
Guided-Inquiry Based Laboratory Instruction: Investigation of Critical Thinking Skills, Problem Solving Skills, and Implementing Student Roles in Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gupta, Tanya

2012-01-01

Recent initiatives in the laboratory curriculum have encouraged an inquiry-based approach to learning and teaching in the laboratory. It has been argued that laboratory instruction should not just be hands-on, but it should portray the essence of inquiry through the process of experiential learning and reflective engagement in collaboration with…
Guidance Provided by Teacher and Simulation for Inquiry-Based Learning: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehtinen, Antti; Viiri, Jouni

2017-01-01

Current research indicates that inquiry-based learning should be guided in order to achieve optimal learning outcomes. The need for guidance is even greater when simulations are used because of their high information content and the difficulty of extracting information from them. Previous research on guidance for learning with simulations has…
Learning How to Design a Technology Supported Inquiry-Based Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakverdi-Can, Meral; Sonmez, Duygu

2012-01-01

This paper describes a study focusing on pre-service teachers' experience of learning how to design a technology supported inquiry-based learning environment using the Internet. As part of their elective course, pre-service science teachers were asked to develop a WebQuest environment targeting middle school students. A WebQuest is an…
Do individual differences in children's curiosity relate to their inquiry-based learning?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Schijndel, Tessa J. P.; Jansen, Brenda R. J.; Raijmakers, Maartje E. J.

2018-06-01

This study investigates how individual differences in 7- to 9-year-olds' curiosity relate to the inquiry-learning process and outcomes in environments differing in structure. The focus on curiosity as individual differences variable was motivated by the importance of curiosity in science education, and uncertainty being central to both the definition of curiosity and the inquiry-learning environment. Curiosity was assessed with the Underwater Exploration game (Jirout, J., & Klahr, D. (2012). Children's scientific curiosity: In search of an operational definition of an elusive concept. Developmental Review, 32, 125-160. doi:10.1016/j.dr.2012.04.002), and inquiry-based learning with the newly developed Scientific Discovery task, which focuses on the principle of designing informative experiments. Structure of the inquiry-learning environment was manipulated by explaining this principle or not. As intelligence relates to learning and possibly curiosity, it was taken into account. Results showed that children's curiosity was positively related to their knowledge acquisition, but not to their quality of exploration. For low intelligent children, environment structure positively affected their quality of exploration, but not their knowledge acquisition. There was no interaction between curiosity and environment structure. These results support the existence of two distinct inquiry-based learning processes - the designing of experiments, on the one hand, and the reflection on performed experiments, on the other - and link children's curiosity to the latter process.
Course-based undergraduate research experiences in molecular biosciences-patterns, trends, and faculty support.

PubMed

Wang, Jack T H

2017-08-15

Inquiry-driven learning, research internships and course-based undergraduate research experiences all represent mechanisms through which educators can engage undergraduate students in scientific research. In life sciences education, the benefits of undergraduate research have been thoroughly evaluated, but limitations in infrastructure and training can prevent widespread uptake of these practices. It is not clear how faculty members can integrate complex laboratory techniques and equipment into their unique context, while finding the time and resources to implement undergraduate research according to best practice guidelines. This review will go through the trends and patterns in inquiry-based undergraduate life science projects with particular emphasis on molecular biosciences-the research-aligned disciplines of biochemistry, molecular cell biology, microbiology, and genomics and bioinformatics. This will provide instructors with an overview of the model organisms, laboratory techniques and research questions that are adaptable for semester-long projects, and serve as starting guidelines for course-based undergraduate research. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Digital Tools and Solutions for Inquiry-Based STEM Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Ilya, Ed.; Tsybulsky, Dina, Ed.

2017-01-01

In the digital age, the integration of technology has become a ubiquitous aspect of modern society. These advancements have significantly enhanced the field of education, allowing students to receive a better learning experience. "Digital Tools and Solutions for Inquiry-Based STEM Learning" is a comprehensive source of scholarly material…
My Journey with Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonzalez, Joseph J.

2013-01-01

The author chronicles his experiments with inquiry-based learning (IBL) as he applied lessons from the literature and assessed the results. He describes a difficult journey with the result that, with the help of the literature, supportive colleagues and patient, creative students, he learned how to design courses that invite undergraduates to…
Future of the Pacific: Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists and Engineers Through Place-Based Problem-Solving Using Innovative STEM Curriculum and Technology Tools

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-30

lesson 8.4, " Wind Turbine Design Inquiry." 13 The goal of her project was to combine a1t and science in project-based learning. Although pmt of an...challenged to design, test, and redesign wind turbine blades, defining variables and measuring performance. Their goal was to optimize perfonnance through...hydroelectric. In each model there are more than one variable. For example, the wind farm activity enables the user to select number of turbines
Collaboration in teacher workshops and citizen science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibbs, M. G.; Buxner, S.; Gay, P.; Crown, D. A.; Bracey, G.; Gugliucci, N.; Costello, K.; Reilly, E.

2013-12-01

The Moon and Earth system is an important topic for elementary and middle school science classrooms. Elementary and middle school teachers are challenged to keep current in science. The Planetary Science Institute created a program titled Workshops in Science Education and Resources (WISER): Planetary Perspectives to assist in-service K-12 teachers with their knowledge in earth and space science, using up-to-date science and inquiry activities to assist them in engaging their students. To augment the science and add a new aspect for teacher professional development, PSI is working in a new partnership collaborating with the Cosmoquest project in engaging teachers in authentic inquiry of the Moon. Teachers now learn about the Moon from PSI scientists and education staff and then engage in inquiry of the Moon using CosmoQuest's online citizen science project MoonMappers and its accompanying classroom curriculum TerraLuna. Through MoonMappers, teachers and students explore the lunar surface by viewing high-resolution pictures from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and marking craters and other interesting features. In addition, TerraLuna provides a unit of inquiry-based activities that bring MoonMappers and its science content into the classroom. This program addresses standards teachers need to teach and helps them not only teach about the Moon but also engage their students in authentic inquiry of the lunar surface.
Supporting Inquiry in Science Classrooms with the Web

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Krista; Clark, Doug

2005-01-01

This paper focuses on Web-based science inquiry and five representative science learning environments. The discussion centers around features that sustain science inquiry, namely, data-driven investigation, modeling, collaboration, and scaffolding. From the perspective of these features five science learning environments are detailed: Whyville,…
Benefits for Women and Men of Inquiry-Based Learning in College Mathematics: A Multi-Institution Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Sandra L.; Hassi, Marja-Liisa; Kogan, Marina; Weston, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

Slow faculty uptake of research-based, student-centered teaching and learning approaches limits the advancement of U.S. undergraduate mathematics education. A study of inquiry-based learning (IBL) as implemented in over 100 course sections at 4 universities provides an example of such multicourse, multi-institution uptake. Despite variation in how…
Using Videoconferencing to Provide Mentorship in Inquiry-Based Urban and Rural Secondary Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Qing; Dyjur, Patricia; Nicholson, Natalya; Moorman, Lynn

2009-01-01

The main purpose of this design-based research study is to examine the effects of an inquiry-based learning environment, with the support of videoconferencing, on both rural and urban secondary students' mathematics and science learning. An important aspect of this learning environment is the use of videoconferencing to connect classes with…

Learning with Collaborative Inquiry: A Science Learning Environment for Secondary Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit; Xie, Wenting

2017-01-01

When inquiry-based learning is designed for a collaborative context, the interactions that arise in the learning environment can become fairly complex. While the learning effectiveness of such learning environments has been reported in the literature, there have been fewer studies on the students' learning processes. To address this, the article…
Story-Based Pedagogical Agents: A Scaffolding Design Approach for the Process of Historical Inquiry in a Web-Based Self-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fujimoto, Toru

2010-01-01

The purpose of this research was to design and evaluate a web-based self-learning environment for historical inquiry embedded with different types of instructional support featuring story-based pedagogical agents. This research focused on designing a learning environment by integrating story-based instruction and pedagogical agents as a means to…
Optimizing students' motivation in inquiry-based learning environments: The role of instructional practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempler, Toni M.

The influence of inquiry science instruction on the motivation of 1360 minority inner-city seventh graders was examined. The project-based curriculum incorporates motivating features like real world questions, collaboration, technology, and lesson variety. Students design investigations, collect and analyze data, and create artifacts; challenging tasks require extensive use of learning and metacognitive strategies. Study 1 used Structural Equation Modeling to investigate student perceptions of the prevalence of project-based features, including real world connections, collaboration, academic press, and work norms, and their relation to interest, efficacy, cognitive engagement, and achievement. Perceptions of features related to different motivational outcomes, indicating the importance of using differentiated rather than single measures to study motivation in context. Cognitive engagement was enhanced by interest and efficacy but did not influence achievement, perhaps because students were not proficient strategy users and were new to inquiry. Study 2 examined the relationship between instructional practices and motivation. The 23 teachers in study 1 were observed six times during one unit. Observations focused on curriculum congruence, content accuracy, contextualization, sense making, and management and climate. A majority of teacher enactment was congruent with the curriculum, indicating that students experienced motivating features of project-based science. Hierarchical Linear Modeling showed that contextualization accounted for between-teacher variance in student interest, efficacy, and cognitive engagement; Teachers encouraged motivation through extended real world examples that related material to students' experiences. Cluster analysis was used to determine how patterns of practice affected motivation. Unexpectedly these patterns did not differentially relate to cognitive engagement. Findings showed that interest and efficacy were enhanced when teachers used particular sense making practices. These teachers provided explicit scaffolding for accomplishing complex tasks with questioning and feedback that highlighted key points. Teachers also used effective management practices and maintained a positive classroom climate. In contrast, a pattern of practice where teachers used questioning and feedback to press students to make connections and synthesize concepts without scaffolding support diminished motivation, because students may have needed more help to deal with challenge. Implications from both studies suggest inquiry teachers need to use explicit scaffolding and academic press together, with effective management practices, to support motivation.
Effects of Web based inquiry on physical science teachers and students in an urban school district

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephens, Joanne

An inquiry approach in teaching science has been advocated by many science educators for the past few decades. Due to insufficient district funding for science teaching, inadequate science laboratory facilities, and outdated science materials, inquiry teaching has been difficult for many science teachers, particularly science teachers in urban settings. However, research shows that the availability of computers with high speed Internet access has increased in all school districts. This study focused on the effects of inservice training on teachers and using web based science inquiry activities with ninth grade physical science students. Participants were 16 science teachers and 474 physical science students in an urban school district of a large southern U.S. city. Students were divided into control and experimental groups. The students in the experimental group participated in web based inquiry activities. Students in the control group were taught using similar methods, but not web based science activities. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected over a nine-week period using instruments and focus group interviews of students' and teachers' perceptions of the classroom learning environment, students' achievement, lesson design and classroom implementation, science content of lesson, and classroom culture. The findings reported that there were no significant differences in teachers' perception of the learning environment before and after implementing web based inquiry activities. The findings also reported that there were no overall significant differences in students' perceptions of the learning environment and achievement, pre-survey to post-survey, pre-test to post-test, between the control group and experimental group. Additional findings disclosed that students in the experimental group learned in a collaborative environment. The students confirmed that collaborating with others contributed to a deeper understanding of the science content. This study provides insights about utilizing technology to promote science inquiry teaching and learning. This study describes students' and teachers' perceptions of using web based inquiry to support scientific inquiry.
Learning Environment, Attitudes and Achievement among Middle-School Science Students Using Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Stephen J.; Fraser, Barry J.

2008-01-01

This study compared inquiry and non-inquiry laboratory teaching in terms of students' perceptions of the classroom learning environment, attitudes toward science, and achievement among middle-school physical science students. Learning environment and attitude scales were found to be valid and related to each other for a sample of 1,434 students in…
Andragogical Modeling and the Success of the "EMPACTS" project-based learning model in the STEM disciplines: A decade of growth and learner success in the 2Y College Learning Environment.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, C. D.; Thomason, R.; Galloway, M.; Sorey, N.; Stidham, L.; Torgerson, M.

2014-12-01

EMPACTS (Educationally Managed Projects Advancing Curriculum, Technology/Teamwork and Service) is a project-based, adult learning modelthat is designed to enhance learning of course content through real-world application and problem solving self directed and collaborative learning use of technology service to the community EMPACTS students are self-directed in their learning, often working in teams to develop, implement, report and present final project results. EMPACTS faculty use community based projects to increase deeper learning of course content through "real-world" service experiences. Learners develop personal and interpersonal work and communication skills as they plan, execute and complete project goals together. Technology is used as a tool to solve problems and to publish the products of their learning experiences. Courses across a broad STEM curriculum integrate the EMPACTS project experience into the overall learning outcomes as part of the learning college mission of preparing 2Y graduates for future academic and/or workforce success. Since the program began in 2005, there have been over 200 completed projects/year. Student driven successes have led to the establishment of an EMPACTS Technology Corp, which is funded through scholarship and allows EMPACTS learners the opportunity to serve and learn from one another as "peer instructors." Engineering and 3D graphic design teams have written technology proposals and received funding for 3D printing replication projects, which have benefited the college as a whole through grant opportunities tied to these small scale successes. EMPACTS students engage in a variety of outreachprojects with area schools as they share the successes and joys of self directed, inquiry, project based learning. The EMPACTS Program has successfully trained faculty and students in the implementation of the model and conduct semester to semester and once a year workshops for college and K-12 faculty, who are interested in enhancing the learning experience and retention of course content through meaningful, engaging, character building projects. Learner Project successes are celebrated and archived within the framework of the EMPACTS Student Project website. http://faculty.nwacc.edu/EAST_original/Spring2014/Spring2014index.htm
Assessing Inquiry in Physical Geology Laboratory Manuals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryker, Katherine D.; McConnell, David A.

2017-01-01

Many agencies, organizations, and researchers have called for the incorporation of inquiry-based learning in college classrooms. Providing inquiry-based activities in laboratory courses is one way to promote reformed, student-centered teaching in introductory geoscience courses. However, the literature on inquiry has relatively few geoscience…
Elucidating the electron transport in semiconductors via Monte Carlo simulations: an inquiry-driven learning path for engineering undergraduates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Persano Adorno, Dominique; Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio

2015-09-01

Within the context of higher education for science or engineering undergraduates, we present an inquiry-driven learning path aimed at developing a more meaningful conceptual understanding of the electron dynamics in semiconductors in the presence of applied electric fields. The electron transport in a nondegenerate n-type indium phosphide bulk semiconductor is modelled using a multivalley Monte Carlo approach. The main characteristics of the electron dynamics are explored under different values of the driving electric field, lattice temperature and impurity density. Simulation results are presented by following a question-driven path of exploration, starting from the validation of the model and moving up to reasoned inquiries about the observed characteristics of electron dynamics. Our inquiry-driven learning path, based on numerical simulations, represents a viable example of how to integrate a traditional lecture-based teaching approach with effective learning strategies, providing science or engineering undergraduates with practical opportunities to enhance their comprehension of the physics governing the electron dynamics in semiconductors. Finally, we present a general discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of using an inquiry-based teaching approach within a learning environment based on semiconductor simulations.
Pre-Service Teacher as Researcher: The Value of Inquiry in Learning Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohloch, Janice M.; Grove, Nathaniel; Lowery Bretz, Stacey

2007-09-01

A pre-service science and mathematics teacher participated in an action research project to reform a chemistry course required of elementary and middle childhood pre-service teachers. Activities to emphasize a hands-on approach to learning chemistry and to model teaching science through inquiry for these pre-service teachers are described. The value of a research experience for pre-service teachers, both upon their student teaching and as a classroom teacher, is discussed.
Wondering + Online Inquiry = Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekeres, Diane Carver; Coiro, Julie; Castek, Jill; Guzniczak, Lizabeth A.

2014-01-01

Digital information sources can form the basis of effective inquiry-based learning if teachers construct the information and exercises in ways that will promote collaboration, communication, and problem solving.
Curriculum at Forty below: A Phenomenological Inquiry of an Educator/Explorer's Experience with Adventure Learning in the Arctic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Charles; Veletsianos, George; Doering, Aaron

2008-01-01

Grounded in the theoretical approaches of experiential learning and inquiry-based learning, adventure learning (AL) is a hybrid distance education approach that seeks to transform the experiences of students by having learners explore real-world issues and pursue answers to their own questions in an authentic, anchor-based environment. In this…
Autonomy, Beliefs and the Learning of Elementary Mathematics Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warfield, J.; Wood, T.; Lehman, J.D.

2005-01-01

Seven elementary teachers participated in a project designed to help them learn to teach mathematics according to reform recommendations. Teachers were provided opportunities to learn through both private reflection and public inquiry about their teaching and children's learning. The teachers' instruction, reflection, and beliefs were studied. All…
Inquiry-Based Learning for Older People at a University in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martorell, Ingrid; Medrano, Marc; Sole, Cristian; Vila, Neus; Cabeza, Luisa F.

2009-01-01

With the increasing number of older people in the world and their interest in education, universities play an important role in providing effective learning methodologies. This paper presents a new instructional methodology implementing inquiry-based learning (IBL) in two courses focused on alternative energies in the Program for Older People at…
Promoting Higher Order Thinking Skills Using Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madhuri, G. V.; Kantamreddi, V. S. S. N; Prakash Goteti, L. N. S.

2012-01-01

Active learning pedagogies play an important role in enhancing higher order cognitive skills among the student community. In this work, a laboratory course for first year engineering chemistry is designed and executed using an inquiry-based learning pedagogical approach. The goal of this module is to promote higher order thinking skills in…
Transformative Professional Development: Inquiry-Based College Science Teaching Institutes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhao, Ningfeng; Witzig, Stephen B.; Weaver, Jan C.; Adams, John E.; Schmidt, Frank

2012-01-01

Two Summer Institutes funded by the National Science Foundation were held for current and future college science faculty. The overall goal was to promote learning and practice of inquiry-based college science teaching. We developed a collaborative and active learning format for participants that involved all phases of the 5E learning cycle of…
Problem-Based Learning and Creative Instructional Approaches for Laboratory Exercises in Introductory Crop Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teplitski, Max; McMahon, Margaret J.

2006-01-01

The implementation of problem-based learning (PBL) and other inquiry-driven educational techniques is often resisted by both faculty and students, who may not be comfortable with this learning/instructional style. We present here a hybrid approach, which combines elements of expository education with inquiry-driven laboratory exercises and…
Scale-Up: Improving Large Enrollment Physics Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beichner, Robert

1999-11-01

The Student-Centered Activities for Large Enrollment University Physics (SCALE-UP) project is working to establish a learning environment that will promote increased conceptual understanding, improved problem-solving performance, and greater student satisfaction, while still maintaining class sizes of approximately 100. We are also addressing the new ABET engineering accreditation requirements for inquiry-based learning along with communication and team-oriented skills development. Results of studies of our latest classroom design, plans for future classroom space, and the current iteration of instructional materials will be discussed.
Teaching Neuroscience to Science Teachers: Facilitating the Translation of Inquiry-Based Teaching Instruction to the Classroom

PubMed Central

Roehrig, G. H.; Michlin, M.; Schmitt, L.; MacNabb, C.; Dubinsky, J. M.

2012-01-01

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers’ inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms. PMID:23222837
Teaching neuroscience to science teachers: facilitating the translation of inquiry-based teaching instruction to the classroom.

PubMed

Roehrig, G H; Michlin, M; Schmitt, L; MacNabb, C; Dubinsky, J M

2012-01-01

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers' inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms.
From Local to EXtreme Environments (FLEXE) Student-Scientist Online Forums: hypothesis-based research examining ways to involve scientists in effective science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goehring, L.; Carlsen, W.; Fisher, C. R.; Kerlin, S.; Trautmann, N.; Petersen, W.

2011-12-01

Science education reform since the mid-1990's has called for a "new way of teaching and learning about science that reflects how science itself is done, emphasizing inquiry as a way of achieving knowledge and understanding about the world" (NRC, 1996). Scientists and engineers, experts in inquiry thinking, have been called to help model these practices for students and demonstrate scientific habits of mind. The question, however, is "how best to involve these experts?" given the very real challenges of limited availability of scientists, varying experience with effective pedagogy, widespread geographic distribution of schools, and the sheer number of students involved. Technology offers partial solutions to enable Student-Scientist Interactions (SSI). The FLEXE Project has developed online FLEXE Forums to support efficient, effective SSIs, making use of web-based and database technology to facilitate communication between students and scientists. More importantly, the FLEXE project has approached this question of "how best to do this?" scientifically, combining program evaluation with hypothesis-based research explicitly testing the effects of such SSIs on student learning and attitudes towards science. FLEXE Forums are designed to showcase scientific practices and habits of mind through facilitated interaction between students and scientists. Through these Forums, students "meet" working scientists and learn about their research and the environments in which they work. Scientists provide students with intriguing "real-life" datasets and challenge students to analyze and interpret the data through guiding questions. Students submit their analyses to the Forum, and scientists provide feedback and connect the instructional activity with real-life practice, showcasing their activities in the field. In the FLEXE project, Forums are embedded within inquiry-based instructional units focused on essential learning concepts, and feature the deep-sea environment in contrast to students' local environments to deepen students' understanding of earth systems processes. This presentation will provide an overview of the FLEXE project, a partnership between the Ridge2000 research scientists, science learning researchers, and educators, and will report findings from pilot studies implemented in collaboration with the GLOBE program, a worldwide network of scientists, science educators, and their students. FLEXE Forums have been tested with approximately 1400 students in the US, Germany, Australia and Thailand in 2009, and 1100 students in the US, Thailand, England and Costa Rica in 2010. Description of research methods (e.g., educational hypotheses, assessment of student learning and attitudes through analysis of student writing, and "quick question" surveys) and results will be shared, along with current tests examining the transferability of the approach to other scientists/science educator teams.

Giving Literacy, Learning Literacy: Service-Learning and School Book Drives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Anne B.

2015-01-01

Service-learning can provide a range of literacy learning experiences for children as they work to solve real world problems and engage in inquiry, collaboration and reflection. Rather than being an extracurricular activity, service-learning projects are designed to meet standards and align with existing curriculum. This article explores how…
Exploring Problem-Based Learning in the Context of High School Science: Design and Implementation Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodnough, Karen; Cashion, Marie

2006-01-01

This paper reports on the experiences of a small collaborative inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher, Deidre, and two university researchers, the authors of this paper, as they explored an active, inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning referred to as Problem-Based Learning or PBL (Barrows, 1994; Barrows & Tamblyn,…
2010 NASA-AIHEC Summer Research Experience: Students and Teachers from TCUs Engage in GIS/Remote Sensing with Researchers and Scientists--Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Carlson, M.; Mell, V.; Maynard, N.

2010-12-01

Researchers and scientists from the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde joined with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to develop and present a Summer Research Experience (SRE) that trained 21 students and 10 faculty members from 9 of the 36 Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) which comprise the American Indian Higher Education Council (AIHEC). The 10-week SRE program was an inquiry-based introduction to remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS) and field science research methods. Teams of students and TCU faculty members developed research projects that explored climate change, energy development, contamination of water and air, fire damage in forests, and lost cultural resources on tribal lands. The UNH-Grand Ronde team presented SRE participants with an initial three-week workshop in the use of research tools and development of research projects. During the following seven weeks, the team conferred weekly with SRE participants to monitor and support their progress. Rock provided specific guidance on numerous scientific questions. Carlson coached students on writing and organization and provided laboratory analysis of foliar samples. Mell provided support on GIS technology. Eight of the SRE college teams completed substantial research projects by the end of the SRE while one other team developed a method for future research. Seventeen students completed individual research papers, oral presentations and posters. Nineteen students and all teachers maintained regular and detailed communication with the UNH-Grand Ronde mentors throughout the ten-week program. The SRE produced several significant lessons learned regarding outreach educational programs in inquiry-based science and technology applications. These include: Leadership by an active research scientist (Rock) inspired and supported students and teachers in developing their own scientific inquiries. An intensive schedule of expectations for each week of the 10-week SRE, a handbook of research tools, and regular coaching and encouragement stretched individual students to high levels of achievement. Daily meetings with TCU faculty during the initial 3-week training workshop and close communication during the 7-week follow-on provided each participating TCU with lasting professional development in research, use of technology, and strategies for mentoring research students. The inquiry-based approach gave each student a sense of ownership for their projects, a sense of place for native lands and resources, a sense of pride in accomplishments, and self-discovery of gaps in knowledge and skills. Students across a wide spectrum of skills and academic experience voiced a sense of achievement and an interest in learning more science.
The effect of inquiry-based learning experiences on adolescents' science-related career aspiration in the Finnish context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Jingoo; Keinonen, Tuula

2017-08-01

Much research has been conducted to investigate the effects of inquiry-based learning on students' attitude towards science and future involvement in the science field, but few of them conducted in-depth studies including young learners' socio-cognitive background to explore mechanisms which explain how inquiry experiences influence on career choices. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate in what ways and to what extent the inquiry learning experiences in school science affect students' future career orientation in the context of socio-cognitive mechanisms based on socio-cognitive career theory(SCCT). For the purpose, Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 data were used focusing on science literacy, and the sample of Finnish 15-year-old students (N = 5782) was analysed by structural equation modelling with the hypothesised Inquiry-SCCT model. The results of the study showed that inquiry learning experiences were indicated as a positive predictor for the students' career aspiration, and most of its effects were mediated by outcome expectations. Indeed, although self-efficacy and interest in learning science indicated positive correlations with future aspiration, outcome expectation presented the highest correlation with the science-related career. Gender differences were found in the model, but girls indicated higher outcome expectation and career aspiration than boys in Finland.
Integrating Various Apps on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) into Seamless Inquiry-Based Learning to Enhance Primary Students' Science Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yanjie; Wen, Yun

2018-04-01

Despite that BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) technology model has been increasingly adopted in education, few studies have been reported on how to integrate various apps on BYOD into inquiry-based pedagogical practices in primary schools. This article reports a case study, examining what apps on BYOD can help students enhance their science learning, and how students develop their science knowledge in a seamless inquiry-based learning environment supported by these apps. A variety of qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The findings show that the affordances of the apps on BYOD could help students improve their science knowledge without time and place constraints and gain a better sense of ownership in learning.
The Minnesota Case Study Collection: New Historical Inquiry Case Studies for Nature of Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allchin, Douglas

2012-01-01

The new Minnesota Case Study Collection is profiled, along with other examples. They complement the work of the HIPST Project in illustrating the aims of: (1) historically informed inquiry learning that fosters explicit NOS reflection, and (2) engagement with faithfully rendered samples of Whole Science.
Using Mobile Phones in Support of Student Learning in Secondary Science Inquiry Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoo, Elaine; Otrel-Cass, Kathrin

2017-01-01

This paper reports on findings from a research project concerned with how electronic networking tools (e-networked tools), such as the Internet, online forums, and mobile technologies, can support authentic science inquiry in junior secondary classrooms. It focuses on three qualitative case studies involving science teachers from two high schools…
Primary Teachers' Reflections on Inquiry- and Context-Based Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walan, Susanne; Mc Ewen, Birgitta

2017-04-01

Inquiry- and context-based teaching strategies have been proven to stimulate and motivate students' interests in learning science. In this study, 12 teachers reflected on these strategies after using them in primary schools. The teachers participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme. During the programme, they were also introduced to a teaching model from a European project, where inquiry- and context-based education (IC-BaSE) strategies were fused. The research question related to teachers' reflections on these teaching strategies, and whether they found the model to be useful in primary schools after testing it with their students. Data collection was performed during the CPD programme and consisted of audio-recorded group discussions, individual portfolios and field notes collected by researchers. Results showed that compared with using only one instructional strategy, teachers found the new teaching model to be a useful complement. However, their discussions also showed that they did not reflect on choices of strategies or purposes and aims relating to students' understanding, or the content to be taught. Before the CPD programme, teachers discussed the use of inquiry mainly from the aspect that students enjoy practical work. After the programme, they identified additional reasons for using inquiry and discussed the importance of knowing why inquiry is performed. However, to develop teachers' knowledge of instructional strategies as well as purposes for using certain strategies, there is need for further investigations among primary school teachers.
Inquiry-based Laboratory Activities on Drugs Analysis for High School Chemistry Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahmawati, I.; Sholichin, H.; Arifin, M.

2017-09-01

Laboratory activity is an important part of chemistry learning, but cookbook instructions is still commonly used. However, the activity with that way do not improve students thinking skill, especially students creativity. This study aims to improve high school students creativity through inquiry-based laboratory on drugs analysis activity. Acid-base titration is used to be method for drugs analysis involving a color changing indicator. The following tools were used to assess the activity achievement: creative thinking test on acid base titration, creative attitude and action observation sheets, questionnaire of inquiry-based lab activities, and interviews. The results showed that the inquiry-based laboratory activity improving students creative thinking, creative attitude and creative action. The students reacted positively to this teaching strategy as demonstrated by results from questionnaire responses and interviews. This result is expected to help teachers to overcome the shortcomings in other laboratory learning.
Nudging toward Inquiry: Strategies for Searching for and Finding Great Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontichiaro, Kristin, Comp.

2010-01-01

Inquiry does not replace information literacy; rather, it encompasses it. Inquiry-based learning invites school librarians to step into all aspects of instructional planning, from activating prior knowledge straight through to reflection. Libraries pursuing inquiry-based instruction are building on the bedrock of information literacy, not starting…
Elementary Teacher's Conceptions of Inquiry Teaching: Messages for Teacher Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ireland, Joseph E.; Watters, James J.; Brownlee, Jo; Lupton, Mandy

2012-02-01

This study explored practicing elementary school teacher's conceptions of teaching in ways that foster inquiry-based learning in the science curriculum (inquiry teaching). The advocacy for inquiry-based learning in contemporary curricula assumes the principle that students learn in their own way by drawing on direct experience fostered by the teacher. That students should be able to discover answers themselves through active engagement with new experiences was central to the thinking of eminent educators such as Pestalozzi, Dewey and Montessori. However, even after many years of research and practice, inquiry learning as a referent for teaching still struggles to find expression in the average teachers' pedagogy. This study drew on interview data from 20 elementary teachers. A phenomenographic analysis revealed three conceptions of teaching for inquiry learning in science in the elementary years of schooling: (a) The Experience-centered conception where teachers focused on providing interesting sensory experiences to students; (b) The Problem-centered conception where teachers focused on engaging students with challenging problems; and (c) The Question-centered conception where teachers focused on helping students to ask and answer their own questions. Understanding teachers' conceptions has implications for both the enactment of inquiry teaching in the classroom as well as the uptake of new teaching behaviors during professional development, with enhanced outcomes for engaging students in Science.
Who Writes the Past? Student Perceptions of Wikipedia Knowledge and Credibility in a World History Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calkins, Susanna; Kelley, Matthew R.

2009-01-01

The authors describe an inquiry-based learning project that required students in a first-year world history course to reflect on and analyze critically the nature of the knowledge found in Wikipedia--the free, open-content, rapidly evolving, internet encyclopedia. Using a rubric, the authors explored students' perceptions of the collaborative and…
How to Achieve Synergy between Medical Education and Cognitive Neuroscience? An Exercise on Prior Knowledge in Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiter, Dirk J.; van Kesteren, Marlieke T. R.; Fernandez, Guillen

2012-01-01

A major challenge in contemporary research is how to connect medical education and cognitive neuroscience and achieve synergy between these domains. Based on this starting point we discuss how this may result in a common language about learning, more educationally focused scientific inquiry, and multidisciplinary research projects. As the topic of…
Mentoring Student Participation in Undergraduate Research: A Case Study of Twists and Turns from Two Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Ismael; Bowers, Janet; Salamon, Peter

2017-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences provide excellent examples of high-impact practices. They rely on inquiry-based learning to provide important capstone experiences for the students. However, they are time-intensive for mentor faculty. In an attempt to scale up our faculty's ability to offer such experiences, we combined a number of projects into…
Increasing the practice of questioning among pediatric nurses: "The Growing Culture of Clinical Inquiry" project.

PubMed

Laibhen-Parkes, Natasha

2014-01-01

This paper describes an innovative methodology implemented in an acute care pediatric setting to build nurses' confidence and competence in questioning practice. The Growing Culture of Clinical Inquiry (GCCI) project was composed of several evidence-based strategies to attain and maintain a spirit of clinical inquiry. These strategies included PowerPoint presentations, evidence-based practice (EBP) unit champions, patient-intervention-comparison-outcome (PICO) boxes, Clinical Inquiry Posters, summaries of evidence (SOE), layman's SOE, medical librarian in-services, and journal clubs. After 1 year of implementation, the GCCI project was evaluated and found to be a promising methodology for fostering a culture of inquiry among pediatric nurses. © 2014.
Using Appreciative Inquiry for an e-Learning Change Management Programme: The ENTICE Project at Brunel University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Linda A.; Alberts, Philip P.; Stephenson, Julia E.

Brunel University's e-Learning strategy provides direction for the teaching staff, but remains flexible. Although all Schools had engaged with e-Learning in the past, detailed consideration of effective e-Learning and the e-experience of students had not been generally in evidence. We sought to address this gap in the strategic work of schools by implementing a change management program, the major elements of which were the development of a local evidence-base of effectiveness of e-Learning practices and conversations for change. Our program was based on the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) method, which we adapted for this educational context. The aim was to identify the pedagogic value of the diverse range of e-Learning activities already being undertaken and to encourage more widespread use. There was also a longer-term objective of assisting schools to establish or review their own e-Learning strategies and action plans. In terms of the effectiveness of the process, it is evident that the AI methodology was very beneficial. There is greater awareness among academic staff of the range of e-Learning activities that are currently being used in teaching designs of teaching staff at the University and about student use and attitudes to those activities. The evidence provides inputs to the development/review of e-Learning action plans and strategies for each school, usually within the context of the overall school plan.
Bridging Inquiry-Based Science and Constructionism: Exploring the Alignment between Students Tinkering with Code of Computational Models and Goals of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagh, Aditi; Cook-Whitt, Kate; Wilensky, Uri

2017-01-01

Research on the design of learning environments for K-12 science education has been informed by two bodies of literature: inquiry-based science and Constructionism. Inquiry-based science has emphasized engagement in activities that reflect authentic scientific practices. Constructionism has focused on designing intuitively accessible authoring…
The effect of inquiry-based, hands-on labs on achievement in middle school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Donna Kaye Green

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to measure the difference in science achievement between students who had been taught with an inquiry-based, hands-on pedagogical approach and those who had not. Improving student academic achievement and standardized test scores is the major objective of teachers, parents, school administrators, government entities, and students themselves. One major barrier to this academic success in Georgia, and the entire United States, has been the paucity of success in middle level science classes. Many studies have been conducted to determine the learning approaches that will best enable students to not only acquire a deeper understanding of science concepts, but to equip them to apply that new knowledge in their daily activities. Inquiry-based, hands-on learning involves students participating in activities that reflect methods of scientific investigation. The effective utilization of the inquiry-based learning approach demands inclusion of learners in a self-directed learning environment, the ability to think critically, and an understanding of how to reflect and reason scientifically. The treatment group using an inquiry-based, hands-on program did score slightly higher on the CRCT. However, the results revealed that there was not a significant difference in student achievement. This study showed that the traditionally instructed control group had slightly higher interest in science than the inquiry-based treatment group. The findings of this research study indicated that the NCLB mandates might need to be altered if there are no significant academic gains that result from the use of inquiry-based strategies.
A Randomized Study of a Literacy-Integrated Science Intervention for Low-Socio-economic Status Middle School Students: Findings from first-year implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Fuhui; Irby, Beverly J.; Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Guerrero, Cindy; Fan, Yinan; Huerta, Margarita

2014-08-01

This paper presents the findings from a randomized control trial study of reading/literacy-integrated science inquiry intervention after 1 year of implementation and the treatment effect on 5th-grade low-socio-economic African-American and Hispanic students' achievement in science and English reading. A total of 94 treatment students and 194 comparison students from four randomized intermediate schools participated in the current project. The intervention consisted of ongoing professional development and specific instructional science lessons with inquiry-based learning, direct and explicit vocabulary instruction, and integration of reading and writing. Results suggested that (a) there was a significantly positive treatment effect as reflected in students' higher performance in district-wide curriculum-based tests of science and reading and standardized tests of science, reading, and English reading fluency; (b) males and females did not differ significantly from participating in science inquiry instruction; (c) African-American students had lower chance of sufficiently mastering the science concepts and achieving above the state standards when compared with Hispanic students across gender and condition, and (d) below-poverty African-American females are the most vulnerable group in science learning. Our study confirmed that even a modest amount of literacy integration in inquiry-based science instruction can promote students' science and reading achievement. Therefore, we call for more experimental research that focus on the quality of literacy-integrated science instruction from which middle grade students, particularly low-socio-economic status students, can benefit.
Wiki Laboratory Notebooks: Supporting Student Learning in Collaborative Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrie, Gwendolyn Angela; Grøndahl, Lisbeth; Boman, Simon; Andrews, Trish

2016-01-01

Recent examples of high-impact teaching practices in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory that include course-based undergraduate research experiences and inquiry-based experiments require new approaches to assessing individual student learning outcomes. Instructors require tools and strategies that can provide them with insight into individual…

Inquiry-Based Learning of Molecular Phylogenetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campo, Daniel; Garcia-Vazquez, Eva

2008-01-01

Reconstructing phylogenies from nucleotide sequences is a challenge for students because it strongly depends on evolutionary models and computer tools that are frequently updated. We present here an inquiry-based course aimed at learning how to trace a phylogeny based on sequences existing in public databases. Computer tools are freely available…
Effect of Kolb's Learning Styles under Inductive Guided-Inquiry Learning on Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sudria, Ida Bagus Nyoman; Redhana, I. Wayan; Kirna, I. Made; Aini, Diah

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effect of Kolb's learning styles on chemical learning activities and achievement of reaction rate taught by inductive guided inquiry learning. The population was eleventh grade Science students of a senior secondary school having relatively good academic input based on national testing results in Bali, Indonesia.…
The Collaboratory Notebook: A Networked Knowledge-Building Environment for Project Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, D. Kevin; Gomez, Louis M.

The Collaboratory Notebook, developed as part of the Learning Through Collaborative Visualization Project (CoVis), is a networked, multimedia knowledge-building environment which has been designed to help students, teachers and scientists share inquiry over the boundaries of time and space. CoVis is an attempt to change the way that science is…
Teachers' Initial Orchestration of Students' Dynamic Geometry Software Use: Consequences for Students' Opportunities to Learn Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erfjord, Ingvald

2011-01-01

This paper reports from a case study with teachers at two schools in Norway participating in developmental projects aiming for inquiry communities in mathematics teaching and learning. In the reported case study, the teachers participated in one of the developmental projects focusing on implementation and use of computer software in mathematics…
Is Inquiry the Answer?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Gregory

2001-01-01

Conducts an action research investigation to determine which type of student benefits more from inquiry-based science laboratories. Designs two labs on diffusion and osmosis using both traditional and inquiry-based approaches and assesses student learning in these settings. (YDS)
Assessing Long-Term Effects of Inquiry-Based Learning: A Case Study from College Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, Marina; Laursen, Sandra L.

2014-01-01

As student-centered approaches to teaching and learning are more widely applied, researchers must assess the outcomes of these interventions across a range of courses and institutions. As an example of such assessment, this study examined the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in college mathematics on undergraduates' subsequent grades…
Teaching and Learning Numerical Analysis and Optimization: A Didactic Framework and Applications of Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lappas, Pantelis Z.; Kritikos, Manolis N.

2018-01-01

The main objective of this paper is to propose a didactic framework for teaching Applied Mathematics in higher education. After describing the structure of the framework, several applications of inquiry-based learning in teaching numerical analysis and optimization are provided to illustrate the potential of the proposed framework. The framework…
Active Learning in a Math for Liberal Arts Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenz, Laurie

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is a topic of growing interest in the mathematical community. Much of the focus has been on using these methods in calculus and higher-level classes. This article describes the design and implementation of a set of inquiry-based learning activities in a Math for Liberal Arts course at a small, private, Catholic college.…
Supporting Accomplished Facilitation: Examining the Use of Sppreciative Inquiry to Inform the Development of Learning Resources for Medical Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, Paul; Freeth, Della; Berridge, Emma Jane

2013-01-01

This paper examines the use of appreciative inquiry (AI) to guide development of web-based learning resources for medical educators who facilitate simulation-based learning experiences for doctors-in-training. AI can be viewed as a positive form of action research, which seeks to avoid deficit-based analyses and solutions, and commonly associated…
The Curriculum Workshop: A Place for Deliberative Inquiry and Teacher Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Klaus-Henning

2008-01-01

In this article, the curriculum workshop (CW) is elaborated as an approach to professional learning, deliberation and inquiry. It offers a comprehensive framework for school-based deliberation and inquiry, is rooted in curriculum theory, promises a broad range of applications in teacher education and provides tools to assess the trustworthiness of…
Applying Technology to Inquiry-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Feng; Kinzie, Mable B.; McGuire, Patrick; Pan, Edward

2009-01-01

Children naturally explore and learn about their environments through inquiry, and computer technologies offer an accessible vehicle for extending the domain and range of this inquiry. Over the past decade, a growing number of interactive games and educational software packages have been implemented in early childhood education and addressed a…
Enhancement of Self Efficacy of Vocational School Students in Buffer Solution Topics through Guided Inquiry Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

M, Ardiany; W, Wahyu; A, Supriatna

2017-09-01

The more students who feel less confident in learning, so doing things that are less responsible, such as brawl, drunkenness and others. So researchers need to do research related to student self efficacy in learning, in order to reduce unwanted things. This study aims to determine the effect of guided inquiry learning on improving self-efficacy of learners in the buffer solution topics. The method used is the mixed method which is the two group pretest postest design. The subjects of the study are 60 students of class XI AK in one of the SMKN in Bandung, consisting of 30 experimental class students and 30 control class students. The instruments used in this study mix method consist of self-efficacy questionnaire of pretest and posttest learners, interview guides, and observation sheet. Data analysis using t test with significant α = 0,05. Based on the result of inquiry of guided inquiry study, there is a significant improvement in self efficacy aspect of students in the topic of buffer solution. Data of pretest and posttest interview, observation, questionnaire showed significant result, that is improvement of experimental class with conventionally guided inquiry learning. The mean of self-efficacy of student learning there is significant difference of experiment class than control class equal to 0,047. There is a significant relationship between guided inquiry learning with self efficacy and guided inquiry learning. Each correlation value is 0.737. The learning process with guided inquiry is fun and challenging so that students can expose their ideas and opinions without being forced. From the results of questionnaires students showed an attitude of interest, sincerity and a good response of learning. While the results of questionnaires teachers showed that guided inquiry learning can make students learn actively, increased self-efficacy.
Citizen Science as a REAL Environment for Authentic Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Nathan J.; Scott, Siri; Strauss, Andrea Lorek; Nippolt, Pamela L.; Oberhauser, Karen S.; Blair, Robert B.

2014-01-01

Citizen science projects can serve as constructivist learning environments for programming focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for youth. Attributes of "rich environments for active learning" (REALs) provide a framework for design of Extension STEM learning environments. Guiding principles and design strategies…
The relationship between inquiry-based science instruction and student achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suarez, Michael Louis

Teaching science through inquiry has become a focus of recent educational reform in Mississippi and other states. Based on the Constructivist learning theory, inquiry instruction can take many forms, but generally follows the scientific method by requiring students to learn concepts through experimentation and real-world, hands-on experiences. This dissertation examines the relationship between the amounts of time spent using inquiry-based science instruction and student achievement as measured by the Mississippi State Science Assessment. The study also identifies teacher perceptions of inquiry and the amount of professional development received by participants on using inquiry-based instructional techniques. Finally, this study identifies factors that hinder the use of inquiry. Using a 24-question written survey, the researcher collected quantitative data from 204 science teachers in grades K-8 in four southern Mississippi school districts. Participants rated their average amount of time spent using inquiry-based science instruction in their classrooms. These results were then compared to each school's average test score on the 2009-2010 Mississippi State Science Assessment using a Spearman rho correlation. A significant positive relationship was found between amounts of time spent using inquiry-based science instruction and student achievement. The participants also indicated their perceptions of inquiry, amount of professional development, and deterrents to inquiry usage on a five-point Likert scale survey. Overall, participants held a favorable opinion of inquiry-based instruction and felt that it was important for their students' success. Over half of participants had not attended professional development on inquiry-based instruction. A majority indicated a desire for professional development. The most commonly identified factor hindering the use of inquiry was a lack of materials and resources. Many participants also indicated that time constraints prevented more frequent use of inquiry in their classrooms.
Effects of gender and role selection in cooperative learning groups on science inquiry achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Affhalter, Maria Geralyn

An action research project using science inquiry labs and cooperative learning groups examined the effects of same-gender and co-educational classrooms on science achievement and teacher-assigned or self-selected group roles on students' role preferences. Fifty-nine seventh grade students from a small rural school district participated in two inquiry labs in co-educational classrooms or in an all-female classroom, as determined by parents at the beginning of the academic year. Students were assigned to the same cooperative groups for the duration of the study. Pretests and posttests were administered for each inquiry-based science lab. Posttest assessments included questions for student reflection on role assignment and role preference. Instruction did not vary and a female science teacher taught all class sections. The same-gender classroom and co-ed classrooms produced similar science achievement scores on posttests. Students' cooperative group roles, whether teacher-assigned or self-selected, produced similar science achievement scores on posttests. Male and female students shared equally in favorable and unfavorable reactions to their group roles during the science inquiry labs. Reflections on the selection of the leader role revealed a need for females in co-ed groups to be "in charge". When reflecting on her favorite role of leader, one female student in a co-ed group stated, "I like to have people actually listen to me".
The impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arsal, Zeki

2017-07-01

In the study, the impact of inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions was investigated. The sample of the study comprised of 56 pre-service teachers in the science education teacher education programme at the public university in the north of Turkey. In the study, quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group were applied to find out the impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results showed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group did not show statistically significant greater progress in terms of critical thinking dispositions than those in the control group. Teacher educators who are responsible for pedagogical courses in the teacher education programme should consider that the inquiry-based learning could not be effective method to improve pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions. The results are discussed in relation to potential impact on science teacher education and implications for future research.
Using Brief Teacher Interviews to Assess the Extent of Inquiry in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oppong-Nuako, Juliet; Shore, Bruce M.; Saunders-Stewart, Katie S.; Gyles, Petra D. T.

2015-01-01

Inquiry-based instruction is common to nearly every model of gifted education. Six teachers of 14 secondary classes were briefly interviewed about their teaching and learning methods, use of inquiry-based strategies, classroom descriptions, a typical day, student expectations, and inquiry-instruction outcomes. A criterion-referenced checklist of…
Scientific evaluation of an intra-curricular educational kit to foster inquiry-based learning (IBL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debaes, Nathalie; Cords, Nina; Prasad, Amrita; Fischer, Robert; Euler, Manfred; Thienpont, Hugo

2014-07-01

Society becomes increasingly dependent on photonics technologies; however there is an alarming lack of technological awareness among secondary school students. They associate photonics with experiments and components in the class room that seem to bear little relevance to their daily life. The Rocard Report [5] highlights the need for fostering students' scientific skills and technological awareness and identifies inquiry based learning (IBL) as a means to achieve this. Students need to actively do science rather than be silent spectators. The `Photonics Explorer' kit was developed as an EU funded project to equip teachers, free-of-charge, with educational material designed to excite, engage and educate European secondary school students using guided inquiry based learning techniques. Students put together their own experiments using up-to-date versatile components, critically interpret results and relate the conclusions to relevant applications in their daily life. They work hands-on with the material, thus developing and honing their scientific and analytical skills that are otherwise latent in a typical class room situation. A qualitative and quantitative study of the impact of the kit in the classroom was undertaken with 50 kits tested in 7 EU countries with over 1500 students in the local language. This paper reports on the results of the EU wide field tests that show the positive impact of the kit in raising the self-efficacy, scientific skills and interest in science among students and the effectiveness of the kit in implementing IBL strategies in classrooms across EU.
Realizing a Deflection-type D.C. Bridge-based Thermometer under Project-based Learning Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warsahemas, T.; Ramadhiansyah; Ulum, A. I. N.; Yuliza, E.; Khairurrijal

2016-08-01

In addition to conventional learning, project-based learning (PBL) helps students developing skills and becoming more engaged in learning as they have a chance to solve real life problems of actual projects. As the name suggests, PBL is a model that organizes learning around projects. In this paper, the project that will be completed by a group of three students is about making a water temperature measuring instrument using a simple deflection-type d.c. bridge circuit. The project was done in the period of January to April 2015 when they was taking the Measurement and Data Processing Techniques, which is a compulsory course in the fourth semester of undergraduate program in Department of Physics at Institut Teknologi Bandung. With the help of a lecturer and a tutor as facilitators, they have followed this series of steps: 1. Start with a driving question, a problem to be solved, 2. Exploring the driving question by participating in authentic, situated inquiry, 3. Engaging collaborative activities with lecturer and tutor to find solutions to the driving question, 4. Scaffolding with learning technologies that help students participating in activities normally beyond their ability, and 5. Creating a set of tangible products that address the driving question. With this series of steps, the students have become easier to understand the lectures that have been given and the instrument has been realized to measure the temperature of water properly. When realizing the project under the PBL method, we learned other materials beside that have been taught in the course. Due to this project, we have had more skills like designing and soldering as well as problem-solving, teamwork, critical thinking, synthesis and analysis.
Our Practice, Their Readiness: Teacher Educators Collaborate to Explore and Improve Preservice Teacher Readiness for Science and Math Instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steele, Astrid; Brew, Christine; Rees, Carol; Ibrahim-Khan, Sheliza

2013-02-01

Since many preservice teachers (PTs) display anxiety over teaching math and science, four PT educators collaborated to better understand the PTs' background experiences and attitudes toward those subjects. The research project provided two avenues for professional learning: the data collected from the PTs and the opportunity for collaborative action research. The mixed method study focused on: the relationship between gender and undergraduate major (science versus non-science) with respect to previous and current engagement in science and math, understanding the processes of inquiry, and learning outside the classroom. A field trip to a science center provided the setting for the data collection. From a sample of 132 PTs, a multivariate analysis showed that the science major of PTs explained most of the gender differences with respect to the PTs' attitudes toward science and mathematics. The process of inquiry is generally poorly interpreted by PTs, and non-science majors prefer a more social approach in their learning to teach science and math. The four educators/collaborators reflect on the impacts of the research on their individual practices, for example, the need to: include place-based learning, attend to the different learning strategies taken by non-science majors, emphasize social and environmental contexts for learning science and math, be more explicit regarding the processes of science inquiry, and provide out-of-classroom experiences for PTs. They conclude that the collaboration, though difficult at times, provided powerful opportunities for examining individual praxis.

"Without Comic Books, There Would Be No Me": Teachers as Connoisseurs of Adolescents' Literate Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simon, Rob

2012-01-01

This article explores the notion of connoisseurship as a framework for learning about adolescents' lives and literacies and developing relationships in literacy classrooms. Drawing upon data from a two-year qualitative study of the collaborative inquiries of a community of student English teachers, the author examines inquiry projects written for…
Long Term Stability of Learning Outcomes in Undergraduates after an Open-Inquiry Instruction on Thermal Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adorno, Dominique Persano; Pizzolato, Nicola; Fazio, Claudio

2018-01-01

This paper investigates the efficacy of an open-inquiry approach to achieve a long term stability of physics instruction. This study represents the natural continuation of a research project started four years ago when a sample of thirty engineering undergraduates, having already attended traditional university physics instruction, were involved…
Exploring Action Research as an Enduring Experience of Professional Development for Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hummel, Robin Ellen

2017-01-01

This study was an inquiry into the influence of action research on teachers' practice and an exploration of the idea that teaching is synonymous with learning. After 14 participants engaged in individual action research projects that were facilitated by the researcher, the qualitative method of narrative inquiry was used to gather data from the…
Communicating climate science to high school students in the Arctic: Adventure Learning @ Greenland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hougham, R. J.; Miller, B.; Cox, C. J.

2012-12-01

Adventure Learning @ Greenland (AL@GL) engaged high school students in atmospheric research in the Arctic and in local environments to enhance climate literacy. The overarching objective for this project was to support climate literacy in high school students, specifically the concept of energy exchange between the Earth, atmosphere, and space. The goal then is to produce a model of education and outreach for remote STEM research that can be used to meaningfully engage K-12 and public communities. Over the course of the program experience, students conducted scientific inquiry associated with their place that supported a more focused science content at a field location. Approximately 45 students participated in the hybrid learning environments as part of this project at multiple locations in Idaho, USA, and Greenland. In Greenland, the Summit Camp research station located on the Greenland Ice Sheet was the primary location. The AL@GL project provided a compelling opportunity to engage students in an inquiry-based curriculum alongside a cutting-edge geophysical experiment at Summit: the Integrated Characterization of Energy, Clouds, Atmospheric state, and Precipitation at Summit (ICECAPS) experiment. ICECAPS measures parameters that are closely tied to those identified in student misconceptions. Thus, ICECAPS science and the AL@ approach combined to create a learning environment that was practical, rich, and engaging. Students participating in this project were diverse, rural, and traditionally underrepresented. Groups included: students participating in a field school at Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Summit Station as members of the JSEP; students at MOSS will were part of the Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) and HOIST (Helping Orient Indian Students and Teachers) project. These project serve high school students who are first college generation and from low-income families. JSEP is an international group of students from the United States, Greenland, and Denmark. As a result of this project a model for education and outreach for remote science research was developed. The AL@ GL project was interested in the impact on student science and climate literacy. Survey data was collected from student participants two times and the surveys included questions pertaining to student knowledge of atmospheric science and climate and their impressions on scientific inquiry, and student interest and skills in technology. A subset of students were interviewed using a semi-structured, open-ended protocol at the end of the AL@ GL expedition. Beyond reaching 45 students directly through AL@GL instruction and field experiences, the web-based platform for communicating within this project reached over 10,000 site visits. This platform can be viewed at adventurelearningat.org and includes photos, videos and authentic narratives of the students and scientists involved with the project. The Adventure Learning @ (AL@) approach presents a powerful tool for teaching and learning exploring novel places through technology-rich curricula. By defining problems of local interest, and working with experts with local knowledge who have connections to the community, students can come to think of themselves as experts, scientists, and problem solvers within their own places.
An Inquiry-Based Contextual Approach as the Primary Mode of Learning Science with Microcomputer-Based Laboratory Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Espinoza, Fernando; Quarless, Duncan

2010-01-01

Science instruction can be designed to be laboratory-data driven. We report on an investigation of the use of thematic inquiry-based tasks with active incorporation of mathematics, science, and microcomputer-based laboratory technology in standards-correlated activities that enhanced learning experiences. Activities involved students in two major…
Organising the Chemistry of Question-Based Learning: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Jesus, Helena Pedrosa; de Souza, Francisle Neri; Teixeira-Dias, Jose J. C.; Watts, Mike

2005-01-01

Designing inquiry-based-learning with and for university students develops problem-solving skills and logical reasoning, as well as reflective thinking. It involves working as a member of a team, questioning, being creative, shaping the skills for continued intellectual development. It is argued that inquiry-based group work is one of the most…
Implementation and Outcomes of Inquiry-Based Learning in Mathematics Content Courses for Pre-Service Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laursen, Sandra L.; Hassi, Marja-Liisa; Hough, Sarah

2016-01-01

This mixed-methods study describes classroom characteristics and student outcomes from university mathematics courses that are based in mathematics departments, targeted to future pre-tertiary teachers, and taught with inquiry-based learning (IBL) approaches. The study focused on three two-term sequences taught at two research universities,…
Students Dig Deep in the Mystery Soil Lab: A Playful, Inquiry-Based Soil Laboratory Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiet, Rachel K.

2014-01-01

The Mystery Soil Lab, a playful, inquiry-based laboratory project, is designed to develop students' skills of inquiry, soil analysis, and synthesis of foundational concepts in soil science and soil ecology. Student groups are given the charge to explore and identify a "Mystery Soil" collected from a unique landscape within a 10-mile…
Hand-Held Sunphotometers for High School Student Construction and Measuring Aerosol Optical Thickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Almonor, Linda; Baldwin, C.; Craig, R.; Johnson, L. P.

2000-01-01

Science education is taking the teaching of science from a traditional (lecture) approach to a multidimensional sense-making approach which allows teachers to support students by providing exploratory experiences. Using projects is one way of providing students with opportunities to observe and participate in sense-making activity. We created a learning environment that fostered inquiry-based learning. Students were engaged in a variety of Inquiry activities that enabled them to work in cooperative planning teams where respect for each other was encouraged and their ability to grasp, transform and transfer information was enhanced. Summer, 1998: An air pollution workshop was conducted for high school students in the Medgar Evers College/Middle College High School Liberty Partnership Summer Program. Students learned the basics of meteorology: structure and composition of the atmosphere and the processes that cause weather. The highlight of this workshop was the building of hand-held sunphotometers, which measure the intensity of the sunlight striking the Earth. Summer, 1999: high school students conducted a research project which measured the mass and size of ambient particulates and enhanced our ability to observe through land based measurements changes in the optical depth of ambient aerosols over Brooklyn. Students used hand held Sunphotometers to collect data over a two week period and entered it into the NASA GISS database by way of the internet.
STEM-related, Student-led Service Learning / Community Engagement Projects: Examples and Benefits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swap, R. J.; Wayland, K.

2015-12-01

Field-based, STEM-related service learning / community engagement projects present an opportunity for undergraduate students to demonstrate proficiencies related to the process of inquiry. These proficiencies include: appreciation of the larger project context, articulation of an informed question/hypothesis, project proposal development, interdisciplinary collaboration, project management (including planning, implementation reconfiguration and synthesis) and lastly the generation and handing off of acquired knowledge. Calls for these types of proficiencies have been expressed by governmental, non-governmental as well as the private sector. Accordingly, institutions of higher learning have viewed such activities as opportunities for enriching the learning experience for undergraduate students and for making such students more marketable, especially those from STEM-related fields. This institutional interest has provided an opportunity to support and expand field-based learning. Here we present examples of student-led/faculty-mentored international service learning and community engagement projects along the arc of preparation, implementation and post-field process. Representative examples that draw upon environmental science and engineering knowledge have been selected from more than 20 international undergraduate student projects over past decade and include: slow-sand water filtration, rainwater harvesting, methane biodigesters, water reticulation schemes and development and implementation of rocket stoves for communal cooking. We discuss these efforts in terms of the development of the aforementioned proficiencies, the utility of such proficiencies to the larger enterprise of STEM and the potential for transformative student learning outcomes. We share these experiences and lessons learned with the hope that others may intelligently borrow from our approach in a manner appropriate for their particular context.
Investigating the Use of Inquiry & Web-Based Activities with Inclusive Biology Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodzin, Alec M.; Waller, Patricia L.; Edwards, Lana; Darlene Kale, Santoro

2007-01-01

A Web-integrated biology program is used to explore how to best assist inclusive high school students to learn biology with inquiry-based activities. Classroom adaptations and instructional strategies teachers may use to assist in promoting biology learning with inclusive learners are discussed.
Adding Value to Education for Sustainability in Africa with Inquiry-Based Approaches in Open and Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pretorius, Rudi; Lombard, Andrea; Khotoo, Anisa

2016-01-01

Purpose: Inquiry-based approaches can potentially enrich sustainability learning in any educational context, more so in open and distance learning (ODL--perceived as theoretically inclined) and in regions of educational need (such as the Global South, of which Africa forms part). The purpose of this paper is to map the benefits and challenges of…
Are Dewey's Ideas Alive and Well in New Zealand Undergraduate Education? Kiwi Case Studies of Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Steen, Billy

2008-01-01

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an approach that could be used by undergraduate educators that appears to meet the suggestions by Dewey to integrate students' interests and experiences with content knowledge. The IBL approach has been described as "a range of strategies used to promote learning through students' active, and increasingly…
Experiencing Clay: Inquiry-Based Learning and Assessment for Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mui, Ma So

2010-01-01

This article presents an examination of the effects of using an inquiry-based learning pedagogy to teach ceramics to pre-service teachers (my students) at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. At the beginning of the study the students were asked to conduct experiments on the properties of clay. The results indicate that half of them were able to…
Designing a Web-Based Science Learning Environment for Model-Based Collaborative Inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit

2013-02-01

The paper traces a research process in the design and development of a science learning environment called WiMVT (web-based inquirer with modeling and visualization technology). The WiMVT system is designed to help secondary school students build a sophisticated understanding of scientific conceptions, and the science inquiry process, as well as develop critical learning skills through model-based collaborative inquiry approach. It is intended to support collaborative inquiry, real-time social interaction, progressive modeling, and to provide multiple sources of scaffolding for students. We first discuss the theoretical underpinnings for synthesizing the WiMVT design framework, introduce the components and features of the system, and describe the proposed work flow of WiMVT instruction. We also elucidate our research approach that supports the development of the system. Finally, the findings of a pilot study are briefly presented to demonstrate of the potential for learning efficacy of the WiMVT implementation in science learning. Implications are drawn on how to improve the existing system, refine teaching strategies and provide feedback to researchers, designers and teachers. This pilot study informs designers like us on how to narrow the gap between the learning environment's intended design and its actual usage in the classroom.
A phenomenological study of assessment methods in the inquiry-based science classroom: How do educators decide?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tash, Gina G.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of science educators as they select and develop assessment methods for inquiry learning. Balancing preparations for standardized tests and authentic inquiry assessment experiences can be challenging for science educators. The review of literature revealed that current research focused on instructional methods and assessment, students' assessment experiences, and teachers' instructional methods experiences. There remains a gap in current literature regarding the experiences of science educators as they select and develop assessment methods for inquiry learning. This study filled the gap by providing a description of the experiences of science educators as they select and develop assessments for inquiry learning. The participants in this study were 16 fifth through eighth grade science teachers who participate in the Alabama Math, Science, and Technology Initiative (AMSTI) in northwest Alabama. A phenomenological research method was chosen in order to describe the experiences of AMSTI science teachers as they select and develop assessments for inquiry learning. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussions. The data analysis used a modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen framework. The results showed AMSTI science teachers use a variety of assessment resources and methods, feel pressures to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), and implement varying degrees of change in their assessment process due to No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Contributing a positive social change, this study's findings supplied science teachers with descriptions of successful inquiry classrooms and creative assessments that correspond to inquiry-based learning methods.
Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing, and Hearing Signing Undergraduates' Attitudes toward Science in Inquiry-Based Biology Laboratory Classes.

PubMed

Gormally, Cara

2017-01-01

For science learning to be successful, students must develop attitudes toward support future engagement with challenging social issues related to science. This is especially important for increasing participation of students from underrepresented populations. This study investigated how participation in inquiry-based biology laboratory classes affected students' attitudes toward science, focusing on deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing signing students in bilingual learning environments (i.e., taught in American Sign Language and English). Analysis of reflection assignments and interviews revealed that the majority of students developed positive attitudes toward science and scientific attitudes after participating in inquiry-based biology laboratory classes. Attitudinal growth appears to be driven by student value of laboratory activities, repeated direct engagement with scientific inquiry, and peer collaboration. Students perceived that hands-on experimentation involving peer collaboration and a positive, welcoming learning environment were key features of inquiry-based laboratories, affording attitudinal growth. Students who did not perceive biology as useful for their majors, careers, or lives did not develop positive attitudes. Students highlighted the importance of the climate of the learning environment for encouraging student contribution and noted both the benefits and pitfalls of teamwork. Informed by students' characterizations of their learning experiences, recommendations are made for inquiry-based learning in college biology. © 2017 C. Gormally. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).
Impacts and Characteristics of Computer-Based Science Inquiry Learning Environments for Precollege Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donnelly, Dermot F.; Linn, Marcia C.; Ludvigsen, Sten

2014-01-01

The National Science Foundation-sponsored report "Fostering Learning in the Networked World" called for "a common, open platform to support communities of developers and learners in ways that enable both to take advantage of advances in the learning sciences." We review research on science inquiry learning environments (ILEs)…
The ESP Instruction: A Study Based on the Pattern of Autonomous Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jianfeng

2013-01-01

Autonomous inquiry learning is a kind of learning model, which relies mainly on learners and emphasizes that learners should inquire knowledge actively; moreover, ESP, which emphasizes the combination of language learning and specific purposes learning, is a goal-oriented and well targeted instruction system. Therefore, ESP and autonomous inquiry…
Design and validation of general biology learning program based on scientific inquiry skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahyani, R.; Mardiana, D.; Noviantoro, N.

2018-03-01

Scientific inquiry is highly recommended to teach science. The reality in the schools and colleges is that many educators still have not implemented inquiry learning because of their lack of understanding. The study aims to1) analyze students’ difficulties in learning General Biology, 2) design General Biology learning program based on multimedia-assisted scientific inquiry learning, and 3) validate the proposed design. The method used was Research and Development. The subjects of the study were 27 pre-service students of general elementary school/Islamic elementary schools. The workflow of program design includes identifying learning difficulties of General Biology, designing course programs, and designing instruments and assessment rubrics. The program design is made for four lecture sessions. Validation of all learning tools were performed by expert judge. The results showed that: 1) there are some problems identified in General Biology lectures; 2) the designed products include learning programs, multimedia characteristics, worksheet characteristics, and, scientific attitudes; and 3) expert validation shows that all program designs are valid and can be used with minor revisions. The first section in your paper.

Uncovering Barriers to Teaching Assistants (TAs) Implementing Inquiry Teaching: Inconsistent Facilitation Techniques, Student Resistance, and Reluctance to Share Control over Learning with Students.

PubMed

Gormally, Cara; Sullivan, Carol Subiño; Szeinbaum, Nadia

2016-05-01

Inquiry-based teaching approaches are increasingly being adopted in biology laboratories. Yet teaching assistants (TAs), often novice teachers, teach the majority of laboratory courses in US research universities. This study analyzed the perspectives of TAs and their students and used classroom observations to uncover challenges faced by TAs during their first year of inquiry-based teaching. Our study revealed three insights about barriers to effective inquiry teaching practices: 1) TAs lack sufficient facilitation skills; 2) TAs struggle to share control over learning with students as they reconcile long-standing teaching beliefs with newly learned approaches, consequently undermining their fledgling ability to use inquiry approaches; and 3) student evaluations reinforce teacher-centered behaviors as TAs receive positive feedback conflicting with inquiry approaches. We make recommendations, including changing instructional feedback to focus on learner-centered teaching practices. We urge TA mentors to engage TAs in discussions to uncover teaching beliefs underlying teaching choices and support TAs through targeted feedback and practice.
Student Learning through Participation in Inquiry Activities: Two Case Studies in Teacher and Computer Engineering Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damsa, Crina I.; Nerland, Monika

2016-01-01

The two case studies reported in this article contribute to a better understanding of how inquiry tasks and activities are employed as resourceful means for learning in higher professional education. An observation-based approach was used to explore characteristics of and challenges in students' participation in collaborative inquiry activities in…
Revisions of Physical Geology Laboratory Courses to Increase the Level of Inquiry: Implications for Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grissom, April N.; Czajka, C. Douglas; McConnell, David A.

2015-01-01

The introductory physical geology laboratory courses taught at North Carolina State University aims to promote scientific thinking and learning through the use of scientific inquiry-based activities. A rubric describing five possible levels of inquiry was applied to characterize the laboratory activities in the course. Two rock and mineral…
The Role of Computer Simulation in an Inquiry-Based Learning Environment: Reconstructing Geological Events as Geologists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Li-Fen; Hsu, Ying-Shao; Yeh, Yi-Fen

2012-01-01

Several researchers have investigated the effects of computer simulations on students' learning. However, few have focused on how simulations with authentic contexts influences students' inquiry skills. Therefore, for the purposes of this study, we developed a computer simulation (FossilSim) embedded in an authentic inquiry lesson. FossilSim…
GeoMapApp Learning Activities: Grab-and-go inquiry-based geoscience activities that bring cutting-edge technology to the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodwillie, A. M.; Kluge, S.

2011-12-01

NSF-funded GeoMapApp Learning Activities (http://serc.carleton.edu/geomapapp) provide self-contained learning opportunities that are centred around the principles of guided inquiry. The activities allow students to interact with and analyse research-quality geoscience data to explore and enhance student understanding of underlying geoscience content and concepts. Each activity offers ready-to-use step-by-step student instructions and answer sheets that can be downloaded from the web page. Also provided are annotated teacher versions of the worksheets that include teaching tips, additional content and suggestions for further work. Downloadable pre- and post- quizzes tied to each activity help educators gauge the learning progression of their students. Short multimedia tutorials and details on content alignment with state and national teaching standards round out the package of material that comprises each "grab-and-go" activity. GeoMapApp Learning Activities expose students to content and concepts typically found at the community college, high school and introductory undergraduate levels. The activities are based upon GeoMapApp (http://www.geomapapp.org), a free, easy-to-use map-based data exploration and visualisation tool that allows students to access a wide range of geoscience data sets in a virtual lab-like environment. Activities that have so far been created under this project include student exploration of seafloor spreading rates, a study of mass wasting as revealed through geomorphological evidence, and an analysis of plate motion and hotspot traces. The step-by-step instructions and guided inquiry approach lead students through each activity, thus reducing the need for teacher intervention whilst also boosting the time that students can spend on productive exploration and learning. The activities can be used, for example, in a classroom lab with the educator present and as self-paced assignments in an out-of-class setting. GeoMapApp Learning Activities are hosted on the SERC-Carleton web site.
LEARNERS: Interdisciplinary Learning Technology Projects Provide Visualizations and Simulations for Use of Geospatial Data in the Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrell, N.; Hoban, S.

2001-05-01

The NASA Leading Educators to Applications, Research and NASA-related Educational Resources in Science (LEARNERS) initiative supports seven projects for enhancing kindergarten-to-high school science, geography, technology and mathematics education through Internet-based products derived from content on NASA's mission. Topics incorporated in LEARNERS projects include remote sensing of the Earth for agriculture and weather/climate studies, virtual exploration of remote worlds using robotics and digital imagery. Learners are engaged in inquiry or problem-based learning, often assuming the role of an expert scientist as part of an interdisciplinary science team, to study and explain practical problems using real-time NASA data. The presentation/poster will demonstrate novel uses of remote sensing data for K-12 and Post-Secondary students. This will include the use of visualizations, tools for educators, datasets, and classroom scenarios.
The Ripple Effect: Exploring How a Joint Science Specialist/TOSA Can Change Classroom Teachers' Instructional Practices through Project-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gradias, Jean

2017-01-01

In 2013, California became one of the first states to adopt the rigorous Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). However, the current state of science instruction does not support the conceptual shifts of the NGSS, which call for consistent science instruction K-12, increased inquiry, subject integration, as well as science instruction that…
Science Faculty Belief Systems in a Professional Development Program: Inquiry in College Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchins, Kristen L.; Friedrichsen, Patricia J.

2012-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate how science faculty members' belief systems about inquiry-based teaching changed through their experience in a professional development program. The program was designed to support early career science faculty in learning about inquiry and incorporating an inquiry-based approach to teaching laboratories. Data sources for this qualitative study included three semi-structured interviews, observations during the program and during faculty members' implementation in their courses, and a researcher's journal. In the first phase of data analysis, we created profiles for each of the four participants. Next, we developed assertions, and tested for confirming and disconfirming evidence across the profiles. The assertions indicated that, through the professional development program, participants' knowledge and beliefs about inquiry-based teaching shifted, placing more value on student-directed learning and classroom inquiry. Participants who were internally motivated to participate and held incoming positive attitudes toward the mini-journal inquiry-based approach were more likely to incorporate the approach in their future practice. Students' responses played a critical role in participants' belief systems and their decision to continue using the inquiry-based format. The findings from this study have implications for professional development design.
The effect of inquiry-flipped classroom model toward students' achievement on chemical reaction rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paristiowati, Maria; Fitriani, Ella; Aldi, Nurul Hanifah

2017-08-01

The aim of this research is to find out the effect of Inquiry-Flipped Classroom Models toward Students' Achievement on Chemical Reaction Rate topic. This study was conducted at SMA Negeri 3 Tangerang in Eleventh Graders. The Quasi Experimental Method with Non-equivalent Control Group design was implemented in this study. 72 students as the sample was selected by purposive sampling. Students in experimental group were learned through inquiry-flipped classroom model. Meanwhile, in control group, students were learned through guided inquiry learning model. Based on the data analysis, it can be seen that there is significant difference in the result of the average achievement of the students. The average achievement of the students in inquiry-flipped classroom model was 83,44 and the average achievement of the students in guided inquiry learning model was 74,06. It can be concluded that the students' achievement with inquiry-flipped classroom better than guided inquiry. The difference of students' achievement were significant through t-test which is tobs 3.056 > ttable 1.994 (α = 0.005).
The Learning Portal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staudt, Carolyn; Hanzlick-Burton, Camden; Williamson, Carol; McIntyre, Cynthia

2015-01-01

The Innovative Technology in Science Inquiry (ITSI) project is a learning portal with hundreds of free, customizable science, math, and engineering activities funded by the National Science Foundation at the Concord Consortium, a nonprofit research and development organization dedicated to transforming education through technology. The project…
Inquiry-Based Science: Turning Teachable Moments into Learnable Moments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haug, Berit S.

2014-01-01

This study examines how an inquiry-based approach to teaching and learning creates teachable moments that can foster conceptual understanding in students, and how teachers capitalize upon these moments. Six elementary school teachers were videotaped as they implemented an integrated inquiry-based science and literacy curriculum in their…
An Inquiry-Based Linear Algebra Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Haohao; Posey, Lisa

2011-01-01

Linear algebra is a standard undergraduate mathematics course. This paper presents an overview of the design and implementation of an inquiry-based teaching material for the linear algebra course which emphasizes discovery learning, analytical thinking and individual creativity. The inquiry-based teaching material is designed to fit the needs of a…
Successful Implementation of Inquiry-Based Physiology Laboratories in Undergraduate Major and Nonmajor Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casotti, G.; Rieser-Danner, L.; Knabb, M. T.

2008-01-01

Recent evidence has demonstrated that inquiry-based physiology laboratories improve students' critical- and analytical-thinking skills. We implemented inquiry-based learning into three physiology courses: Comparative Vertebrate Physiology (majors), Human Physiology (majors), and Human Anatomy and Physiology (nonmajors). The aims of our curricular…
Designing Higher Education Courses and other Professional Development to Engender Science Teachers' Enthusiasm to Embrace the New Generation Science Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welstead, C.; Forder, S. E.

2014-12-01

This presentation is an overview of best practices in the design of continuing education courses and professional development workshops for Science teachers to enable them to transition to the NGSS; to share their enthusiasm in a way that engages students and leads to increased student achievement; and to become change agents in their educational settings and in their communities, in order to garner widespread support for an inquiry-based, NGSS-based curriculum. Proposed strands for teacher preparation programmes include a focus on higher level conceptual thinking; problem-solving opportunities for learning; inquiry-based learning; experiential learning and fieldwork; the authentic and effective incorporation of technology in teaching and learning; integrated and cross-curricular teaching and learning; learning that supports diversity and equity; and the appropriate, reliable and valid assessment of understanding. A series of three courses has been developed to prepare teachers in a graduate programme for implementing an inquiry-based, standards-based Science curriculum that incorporates the above-mentioned strands.
An Analysis of Pre-Service Elementary Teachers' Understanding of Inquiry-Based Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Carole K.; Shea, Marilyn

2016-01-01

This study examines how pre-service elementary teachers (PSETs) view inquiry-based science learning and teaching, and how the science methods course builds their confidence to teach inquiry science. Most PSETs think that inquiry is asking students questions rather than a formal set of pedagogical tools. In the present study, three groups of PSETs…
Two Dimensions of an Inquiry Stance toward Student-Learning Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Tamara Holmlund; Slavit, David; Deuel, Angie

2012-01-01

Background/Context: Schools and districts are increasingly emphasizing evidence-based decision making as a means for improving teaching and learning. In response, professional development efforts have shifted toward situated, sustained activities that involve groups of teachers in reflective inquiry about student learning data, instructional…
Preservice Elementary Teachers' Adaptation of Science Curriculum Materials for Inquiry-Based Elementary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forbes, Cory T.

2011-01-01

Curriculum materials are important resources with which teachers make pedagogical decisions about the design of science learning environments. To become well-started beginning elementary teachers capable of engaging their students in inquiry-based science, preservice elementary teachers need to learn to use science curriculum materials…
Implementing Inquiry-Based Learning in Teaching Serial Dilutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Candace L.; McGill, Michael T.; Buikema, Arthur L., Jr.; Stevens, Ann M.

2008-01-01

The 5E model of inquiry-based learning was incorporated into a sophomore-level microbiology laboratory to increase student understanding of serial dilutions, a concept that is often difficult for most students to comprehend. Quantitative and qualitative assessments were conducted during the semester to determine the value of this approach for…
Inquiry-Based Learning and the Art of Mathematical Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

von Renesse, Christine; Ecke, Volker

2015-01-01

Our particular flavor of inquiry-based learning (IBL) uses mathematical discourse, conversations, and discussions to empower students to deepen their mathematical thinking, building on strengths of students in the humanities. We present an organized catalog of powerful questions, discussion prompts, and talk moves that can help faculty facilitate…
Inquiry and Blended Learning Based Learning Material Development for Improving Student Achievement on General Physics I of Mathematics and Natural Science of State University of Medan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motlan; Sinulinggga, Karya; Siagian, Henok

2016-01-01

The aim of this research is to determine if inquiry and blended learning based materials can improve student's achievement. The learning materials are: book, worksheet, and test, website, etc. The type of this research is quasi experiment using two-group pretest posttest design. The population is all students of first year who take general physics…

Place and culture-based professional development: cross-hybrid learning and the construction of ecological mindfulness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinn, Pauline W. U.

2015-03-01

This paper approaches mindfulness, an awareness of internal and external realities, as a culturally-shaped habit of mind. Findings of a cross-cultural study and popular sayings that reflect America's cultural orientation to consumption and competition are contrasted with findings from Hawaiian language newspapers, traditional cultural practices, and Hawaiian sayings that indicate an orientation to ecological mindfulness that increased the resilience of fragile social ecosystems. Marginalization of indigenous culture, language, and knowledge and cultural differences between teachers and indigenous students are proposed as a contributing factor to lower science performance of Native Hawaiian students in mainstream schools. Two professional development projects designed to reduce conflicts between culture and science instruction are presented. Findings from these projects suggest alignment of science inquiry with indigenous cultural knowledge and practices oriented to sustainability supports the development of teachers' ecological mindfulness as indicated by increased awareness of, interest in, and incorporation of place and culture-based based resources into their instruction. Teacher feedback indicates that mapping technologies that enable teachers to visualize and integrate indigenous place-based Hawaiian knowledge with science inquiry are promising instructional strategies.
Preparing Digital Stories through the Inquiry-Based Learning Approach: Its Effect on Prospective Teachers' Resistive Behaviors toward Research and Technology-Based Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yavuz Konokman, Gamze; Yanpar Yelken, Tugba

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of preparing digital stories through an inquiry based learning approach on prospective teachers' resistive behaviors toward technology based instruction and conducting research. The research model was convergent parallel design. The sample consisted of 50 prospective teachers who had completed…
Students' attitude-related responses to inquiry learning in undergraduate kinesiology laboratory instruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henige, Kimberly Ann

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the student attitudes are impacted when teaching methods in an undergraduate Kinesiology lab course shift from a traditional, cookbook-style, low inquiry-level to an investigative, high inquiry-level approach. Students participated in five weeks of Level 0-1 (low) inquiry activities, followed by five weeks of a Level 3 (high) inquiry project. The same Likert-scale survey was administered to students before and after each 5-week period. The attitudes measured by the survey included students' (a) attitude to scientific inquiry, (b) adoption of scientific attitudes, (c) enjoyment of science lessons, and (d) motivation in science. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed no significant change in any of the attitude measures when the survey results from the different time points were compared. An open-ended qualitative survey was given to the students at the end of the semester and provided more insight. When asked to compare the low and high-level inquiry experiences, most students reported enjoying the higher level of inquiry more. On the other hand, most students felt they learned more during the low inquiry-level activities. The reported level of motivation in lab was about the same for both levels. When asked what they liked most about the high-level inquiry project, students favored aspects such as the independence, responsibility, and personal relevance. When asked what they liked the least, most students said there was nothing they disliked. Of the minority of students who did not like the high-level of inquiry, most claimed to be uncomfortable with the lack of structure and guidance. Other findings were that many students expressed a new or increased respect and appreciation for what scientists do. Some students experienced a decrease in their reliance on science to be true and correct. While some students thought the high-level inquiry was harder, others perceived it as being easier. These findings illustrate how students enrolled in the same course can have very different experiences with inquiry. In general, the effect of high-level inquiry was not negative, and in fact, was found to have some desirable effects on students.
Designing a Web-Based Science Learning Environment for Model-Based Collaborative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Daner; Looi, Chee-Kit

2013-01-01

The paper traces a research process in the design and development of a science learning environment called WiMVT (web-based inquirer with modeling and visualization technology). The WiMVT system is designed to help secondary school students build a sophisticated understanding of scientific conceptions, and the science inquiry process, as well as…
Effects of Web Based Inquiry Science Environment on Cognitive Outcomes in Biological Science in Correlation to Emotional Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manoj, T. I.; Devanathan, S.

2010-01-01

This research study is the report of an experiment conducted to find out the effects of web based inquiry science environment on cognitive outcomes in Biological science in correlation to Emotional intelligence. Web based inquiry science environment (WISE) provides a platform for creating inquiry-based science projects for students to work…
Second Graders' Emerging Particle Models of Matter in the Context of Learning through Model-Based Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samarapungavan, Ala; Bryan, Lynn; Wills, Jamison

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present a study of second graders' learning about the nature of matter in the context of content-rich, model-based inquiry instruction. The goal of instruction was to help students learn to use simple particle models to explain states of matter and phase changes. We examined changes in students' ideas about matter, the coherence…
Science Teachers' Perceptions of the Relationship Between Game Play and Inquiry Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezei, Jessica M.

The implementation of inquiry learning in American science classrooms remains a challenge. Teachers' perceptions of inquiry learning are predicated on their past educational experiences, which means outdated methods of learning may influence teachers' instructional approaches. In order to enhance their understanding and ultimately their implementation of inquiry learning, teachers need new and more relevant models. This study takes a preliminary step exploring the potential of game play as a valuable experience for science teachers. It has been proposed that game play and inquiry experiences can embody constructivist processes of learning, however there has been little work done with science teachers to systematically explore the relationship between the two. Game play may be an effective new model for teacher education and it is important to understand if and how teachers relate game playing experience and knowledge to inquiry. This study examined science teachers' game playing experiences and their perceptions of inquiry experiences and evaluated teacher's recognition of learning in both contexts. Data was collected through an online survey (N=246) and a series of follow-up interviews (N=29). Research questions guiding the study were: (1) What is the nature of the relationship between science teachers' game experience and their perceptions of inquiry? (2) How do teachers describe learning in and from game playing as compared with inquiry science learning? and (3) What is the range of similarities and differences teachers articulate between game play and inquiry experiences?. Results showed weak quantitative links between science teachers' game experiences and their perceptions of inquiry, but identified promising game variables such as belief in games as learning tools, game experiences, and playing a diverse set of games for future study. The qualitative data suggests that teachers made broad linkages in terms of parallels of both teaching and learning. Teachers mostly articulated learning connections in terms of the active or participatory nature of the experiences. Additionally, a majority of teachers discussed inquiry learning in concert with inquiry teaching which led to a wider range of comparisons made based on the teacher's interpretation of inquiry as a pedagogical approach instead of focusing solely on inquiry learning. This study has implications for both research and practice. Results demonstrate that teachers are interested in game play as it relates to learning and the linkages teachers made between the domains suggests it may yet prove to be a fruitful analogical device that could be leveraged for teacher development. However, further study is needed to test these claims and ultimately, research that further aligns the benefits of game play experiences to teacher practice is encouraged in order to build on the propositions and findings of this thesis.
An interpretative study of elementary school teachers' conceptions of the nature of inquiry and of their roles while participating in an inquiry based science curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stucke, Ann Hancock

The problem. Recent reform efforts in science education have culminated in National Science Education Standards (NSES), which include the theme of inquiry across all grade levels. Consideration must be given to teachers' conceptions of inquiry, and their perceived roles, as they implement the processes of inquiry in the science classroom. Because of the change in pedagogy required by the standards, research efforts must address these areas. Research questions. The following research questions guided this study. (1) What are teachers' conceptions of inquiry? (2) What do the teachers consider important aspects of their roles when providing inquiry experiences for their students? (3) What do the teachers consider important aspects of the students' roles as inquirers? Research paradigm and methodology. The research paradigm that grounded this investigation is the constructivist paradigm proposed by Guba and Lincoln (1989). Participants were three elementary school teachers participating in the Elementary School Education Partners project. Qualitative methodology techniques used in the study included focus group discussion, semi-structured interviews, classroom observation with videotaping, teacher reflections, and fieldnotes. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method as provided by Glaser and Strauss (1967). A case study format was used to discuss the results of themes that emerged. Results. Themes that emerged from the data were (a) inquiry is viewed as a teaching strategy; (b) the teachers' perceptions of the nature of inquiry are different from one another's; (c) there are differences in the degree of fit with the NSES description of inquiry; (d) the manner in which they see themselves as facilitators originates in their own educational experiences and varies from that of a guide, to a monitor, to one who models; and (e) teachers see the role of students as active participants in their learning but the teachers' perceptions of students' roles, as inquirers falls short of students' pursuing answers to their own questions. Conclusions. The themes that emerged from the data suggest that practicing teachers involved in a project using inquiry-based kits don't have an adequate concept of the nature of science and of inquiry in particular as reflected by the NSES and this seems to influence their concepts of their students' roles as inquirers.
Peer-Led Guided in Calculus at University of South Florida

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bénéteau, Catherine; Fox, Gordon; Xu, Xiaoying; Lewis, Jennifer E.; Ramachandran, Kandethody; Campbell, Scott; Holcomb, John

2016-01-01

This paper describes the development of a Peer-Led Guided Inquiry (PLGI) program for teaching calculus at the University of South Florida. This approach uses the POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) teaching strategy and the small group learning model PLTL (Peer-Led Team Learning). The developed materials used a learning cycle based on…
The Empty Cup: "Teaching for Understanding" at 21st Century Edward Waters College. Occasional Paper #6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fluellen, Jerry E., Jr.

2008-01-01

What happens in a final project that fosters teaching for understanding? That inquiry calls to mind the Taoist belief that emptiness makes a cup useful. In the context of this paper, the inquiry organizes a narrative about how teaching for understanding surfaced in a "Theories of Learning" course at Edward Waters College. At a deeper…
Adapting a successful inquiry-based immersion program to create an Authentic, Hands- on, Field based Curriculum in Environmental Science at Barnard College

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenna, T. C.; Pfirman, S.; Mailloux, B. J.; Martin, S.; Kelsey, R.; Bower, P.

2008-12-01

Adapting a successful inquiry-based immersion program to create an Authentic, Hands-on, Field based Curriculum in Environmental Science at Barnard College T. C. Kenna, S. Pfirman, B. J. Mailloux, M. Stute, R. Kelsey, and P. Bower By adapting a successful inquiry-based immersion program (SEA semester) to the typical college format of classes, we are improving the technical and quantitative skills of undergraduate women and minorities in environmental science and improving their critical thinking and problem-solving by exposing our students to open-ended real-world environmental issues. Our approach uses the Hudson River Estuary as a natural laboratory. In a series of hands-on inquiry-based activities, students use advanced equipment to collect data and samples. Each class session introduces new analytical and data analysis techniques. All classes have the connecting theme of the river. Working with real data is open-ended. Our major findings as indicated by surveys as well as journaling throughout the semester are that the field- based experience significantly contributed to student learning and engagement. Journaling responses indicated that nearly all students discussed the importance and excitement of an authentic research experience. Some students were frustrated with data irregularities, uncertainty in methods and data, and the general challenge of a curriculum with inherent ambiguity. The majority were satisfied with the aims of the course to provide an integrative experience. All students demonstrated transfer of learned skills. This project has had a significant impact on our undergraduate female students: several students have pursued senior thesis projects stemming from grant activities, stating that the field activities were the highlight of their semester. Some students love the experience and want more. Others decide that they want to pursue a different career. All learn how science is conducted and have a better foundation to understand concepts such as sampling, uncertainty, and variability, which are important to many fields. Many of the hands-on curricular activities have been adapted and used with a variety of student, teacher, and faculty groups. Faculty participants in our River Summer program (www.riversummer.org) see earth system science in a way that would be hard to replicate without the hands-on experience. Faculty participants are encouraged to adapt our activities to their own classroom. We are in the process of assembling many of our hands-on field-based activities as fully exportable curricular elements to further increase impacts.
Inquiry-based Science Instruction in High School Biology Courses: A Multiple Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aso, Eze

A lack of research exists about how secondary school science teachers use inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how science teachers used inquiry-based instruction to improve student learning in high school biology courses. The conceptual framework was based on Banchi and Bell's model of increasing levels of complexity for inquiry-based instruction. A multiple case study research design was conducted of biology programs at 3 high schools in an urban school district in the northeastern region of the United States. Participants included 2 biology teachers from each of the 3 high schools. Data were collected from individual interviews with biology teachers, observations of lessons in biology, and documents related to state standards, assessments, and professional development. The first level of data analysis involved coding and categorizing the interview and observation data. A content analysis was used for the documents. The second level of data analysis involved examining data across all sources and all cases for themes and discrepancies. According to study findings, biology teachers used confirmation, structure, and guided inquiry to improve student learning. However, they found open inquiry challenging and frustrating to implement because professional development about scaffolding of instruction over time was needed, and students' reading and writing skills needed to improve. This study contributes to positive social change by providing educators and researchers with a deeper understanding about how to scaffold levels of inquiry-based science instruction in order to help students become scientifically literate citizens.
Inquiry-Based Learning in China: Do Teachers Practice What They Preach, and Why?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dai, David Yun; Gerbino, Kathryn A.; Daley, Michael J.

2011-01-01

China is undergoing an education reform that calls for a change from a rigid, fixed curriculum and didactic pedagogy to a more flexible, school-based curriculum and more inquiry-based pedagogy. This study investigated the extent to which Chinese middle and high school teachers (a) endorse an inquiry-based approach and underlying learning…
Inquiry-Based Learning in an Intermediate-Level Undergraduate Neotectonics Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinen, L. A.

2007-12-01

Integrating student-conducted research into the curriculum can provide students with many educational benefits. Documented benefits include, among others, increased communication skills, the ability to work as part of a research team, and enhanced self-confidence in individual problem-solving skills (e.g., Kardash, J. Ed. Psych., 2000; Seymour, et al., Science Education, 2004). As part of a larger departmental goal of integrating student- conducted research into all levels of the Pomona College Geology Department curriculum (e.g., Reinen, et al., CUR-Q, 2006), I have recently developed an intermediate-level Neotectonics course with a strong component of inquiry-based learning. This course was offered for the first time during the spring semester 2007, and will continue to be offered each year. In a series of guided inquiries throughout the course, students investigate recent seismicity and tectonic geomorphology in Southern California. With each subsequent assignment, student contributions to the research direction increases (e.g., data used, area studied, question addressed, methods used), culminating in team proposals and research projects investigating specific student-generated questions of regional tectonics. Students collect data for these investigations from several sources: (1) databases available online (e.g., IRIS, Harvard earthquake catalog), (2) desktop experiments (e.g., the "earthquake machine"), (3) topographic maps, and (4) field observations. The objective of this paper is to present initial results from this teaching experiment and examples of the projects which have been executed, including the preparation students received to be able to use the available data. Discussion and suggestions (particularly about effective means of conducting a rigorous long-term assessment) are strongly encouraged.
Assessing Problem Solving Competence through Inquiry-Based Teaching in School Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zervas, Panagiotis; Sotiriou, Sofoklis; Tiemann, Rüdiger; Sampson, Demetrios G.

2015-01-01

Nowadays, there is a consensus that inquiry-based learning contributes to developing students' scientific literacy in schools. Inquiry-based teaching strategies are promoted for the development (among others) of the cognitive processes that cultivate problem solving (PS) competence. The build up of PS competence is a central objective for most…
An Inquiry-Based Approach of Traditional "Step-by-Step" Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szalay, L.; Tóth, Z.

2016-01-01

This is the start of a road map for the effective introduction of inquiry-based learning in chemistry. Advantages of inquiry-based approaches to the development of scientific literacy are widely discussed in the literature. However, unless chemistry educators take account of teachers' reservations and identified disadvantages such approaches will…
Project LITE - Light Inquiry Through Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brecher, K.

2004-12-01

Hands-on, inquiry-based, constructivist activity offers students a powerful way to explore, uncover and ultimately gain a feel for the nature of science. In order to make practicable a more genuine approach to learning astronomy, we have undertaken the development of hands-on (and eyes-on) materials that can be used in introductory undergraduate astronomy courses. These materials focus on light and optics. Over the past several years as part of Project LITE (Light Inquiry Through Experiments), we have developed a kit of optical materials that is integrated with a set of Java applets. The combined kit and software allows students to do actual experiments concerning geometrical optics, fluorescence, phosphorescence, polarization and other topics by making use of the photons that are emitted by their computer screens. We have also developed a suite of over 100 Flash applets that allow students to directly explore many aspects of visual perception. A major effort of the project concerns spectroscopy, since it is arguably the most important tool used by astronomers to disentangle the nature of the universe. It is also one of the most challenging subjects to teach in undergraduate astronomy courses. The spectroscopy component of Project LITE includes take-home laboratory materials and experiments that are integrated with web-based software. We have also developed a novel quantitative handheld binocular spectrometer (patent pending). Our major spectroscopic software is called the Spectrum Explorer (SPEX). It allows students to create, manipulate and explore all types of spectra including blackbody, power law, emission and absorption. We are now extending the SPEX capabilities to help students gain easy access to the astronomical spectra included in the NVO databases. All of the Project LITE software can be found http://lite.bu.edu. Project LITE is supported by Grant #DUE-0125992 from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education.
Factors Affecting Construction of Science Discourse in the Context of an Extracurricular Science and Technology Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Horace P.

2009-01-01

Doing and learning science are social activities that require certain language, activities, and values. Both constitute what Gee (2005) calls Discourses. The language of learning science varies with the learning context (Lemke, 2001,1990). "Science for All Americans" (AAAS, 1990) and "Inquiry and the National Science Education…
Investigating the Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Instruction on Students with Different Prior Knowledge and Reading Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jing-Ru; Wang, Yuh-Chao; Tai, Hsin-Jung; Chen, Wen-Ju

2010-01-01

This study examined the differential impacts of an inquiry-based instruction on conceptual changes across levels of prior knowledge and reading ability. The instrument emphasized four simultaneously important components: conceptual knowledge, reading ability, attitude toward science, and learning environment. Although the learning patterns and…
Assessing Student Openness to Inquiry-Based Learning in Precalculus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Thomas; Bailey, Brad; Briggs, Karen; Holliday, John

2017-01-01

The authors have completed a 2-year quasi-experimental study on the use of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in precalculus. This study included six traditional lecture-style courses and seven modified Moore method courses taught by three instructors. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were used to investigate the attitudes and beliefs of the…

Exploring Secondary Students' Understanding of Chemical Kinetics through Inquiry-Based Learning Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chairam, Sanoe; Klahan, Nutsuda; Coll, Richard K.

2015-01-01

This research is trying to evaluate the feedback of Thai secondary school students to inquiry-based teaching and learning methods, exemplified by the study of chemical kinetics. This work used the multiple-choice questions, scientifically practical diagram and questionnaire to assess students' understanding of chemical kinetics. The findings…
Inquiring into Familiar Objects: An Inquiry-Based Approach to Introduce Scientific Vocabulary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks Pries, Caitlin; Hughes, Julie

2012-01-01

Learning science vocabulary is an often tedious but important component of many curricula. Frequently, students are expected to learn science vocabulary indirectly, but this method can hinder the success of lower-performing students (Carlisle, Fleming, and Gudbrandsen 2000). We have developed an inquiry-based vocabulary activity wherein students…
Inquiry-Based Learning and the International Student

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bache, Ian; Hayton, Richard

2012-01-01

The relationship between inquiry-based learning (IBL) and international students is of rising importance in the UK in the context of a growing focus on the connection between research and teaching and the increasing number of overseas students. This article explores this relationship, drawing on the findings of research undertaken in a Department…
Inquiry-Based Learning and the Flipped Classroom Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Betty; Hodge, Angie; Corritore, Cynthia; Ernst, Dana C.

2015-01-01

The flipped classroom model of teaching can be an ideal venue for turning a traditional classroom into an engaging, inquiry-based learning (IBL) environment. In this paper, we discuss how two instructors at different universities made their classrooms come to life by moving the acquisition of basic course concepts outside the classroom and using…
Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning in an Undergraduate Exercise Physiology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nybo, Lars; May, Michael

2015-01-01

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of changing a laboratory physiology course for undergraduate students from a traditional step-by-step guided structure to an inquiry-based approach. With this aim in mind, quantitative and qualitative evaluations of learning outcomes (individual subject-specific tests and group interviews)…
Life-Cycle Analysis and Inquiry-Based Learning in Chemistry Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Juntunen, Marianne; Aksela, Maija

2013-01-01

The purpose of this design research is to improve the quality of environmental literacy and sustainability education in chemistry teaching through combining a socio-scientific issue, life-cycle analysis (LCA), with inquiry-based learning (IBL). This first phase of the cyclic design research involved 20 inservice trained chemistry teachers from…
Measuring the Impact of Inquiry-Based Learning on Outcomes and Student Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zafra-Gómez, José Luis; Román-Martínez, Isabel; Gómez-Miranda, María Elena

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the impact of inquiry-based learning (IBL) on students' academic performance and to assess their satisfaction with the process. Linear and logistic regression analyses show that examination grades are positively related to attendance at classes and tutorials; moreover, there is a positive significant…
Inquiry-Based Learning Case Studies for Computing and Computing Forensic Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Jackie

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the use of specifically-developed, inquiry-based learning materials for Computing and Forensic Computing students. Small applications have been developed which require investigation in order to de-bug code, analyse data issues and discover "illegal" behaviour. The applications…
Inquiry-Based Teaching: An Example of Descriptive Science in Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehorek, Susan J.

2004-01-01

Inquiry-based learning is more work than passive learning, and there is a body of students who prefer to take the easier route. But there is also a body of students who wish to explore science. Two descriptive evolutionary experiments conducted by university freshman/sophomore biology majors, enrolled in General Zoology are described.
An Inquiry-Based Exercise for Demonstrating Prey Preference in Snakes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Place, Aaron J.; Abramson, Charles I.

2006-01-01

The recent promotion of inquiry-based learning techniques (Uno, 1990) is well suited to the use of animals in the classroom. Working with living organisms directly engages students and stimulates them to actively participate in the learning process. Students develop a greater appreciation for living things, the natural world, and their impact on…
Ordinary Least Squares and Quantile Regression: An Inquiry-Based Learning Approach to a Comparison of Regression Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helmreich, James E.; Krog, K. Peter

2018-01-01

We present a short, inquiry-based learning course on concepts and methods underlying ordinary least squares (OLS), least absolute deviation (LAD), and quantile regression (QR). Students investigate squared, absolute, and weighted absolute distance functions (metrics) as location measures. Using differential calculus and properties of convex…
Using Inquiry-Based Strategies for Enhancing Students' STEM Education Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Ching-San

2018-01-01

The major purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not the inquiry-based method is effective in improving students' learning in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. A total of 73 college students studying Information Technology (IT) were chosen as…
Teaching Optics with an Intra-Curricular Kit Designed for Inquiry-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cords, Nina; Fischer, Robert; Euler, Manfred; Prasad, Amrita

2012-01-01

In order to increase scientific literacy and the knowledge of science and technology of Europe's citizens, the European Commission suggests a more student-centred implementation of natural sciences in education systems. Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is not only an accepted method to promote students' interest and motivation, it also helps students…
Differentiated Science Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Llewellyn, Douglas

2010-01-01

Given that each child learns differently, it makes sense that one type of science instruction does not fit all. Best-selling author Douglas Llewellyn gives teachers standards-based strategies for differentiating inquiry-based science instruction to more effectively meet the needs of all students. This book takes the concept of inquiry-based…
Using Inquiry Effectively.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bibens, Robert F.

1980-01-01

The inquiry approach to learning is based on three phases. The exploratory phase encourages students to investigate a particular topic; the invention phase asks students to consider what they have learned; the final phase assists students in discovering the inadequacies of their inventions. (JN)
Engaging Non-Science Majors Through Citizen Science Projects In Inquiry-Based Introductory Geoscience Laboratory Courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Humphreys, R. R.; Hall, C.; Colgan, M. W.; Rhodes, E.

2010-12-01

Although inquiry-based/problem-based methods have been successfully incorporated in undergraduate lecture classes, a survey of commonly used laboratory manuals indicates that few non-major geoscience laboratory classes use these strategies. The Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences faculty members have developed a successful introductory Environmental Geology Laboratory course for undergraduate non-majors that challenges traditional teaching methodology as illustrated in most laboratory manuals. The Environmental Geology lab activities employ active learning methods to engage and challenge students. Crucial to establishing an open learning environment is capturing the attention of non-science majors from the moment they enter the classroom. We use catastrophic ‘gloom and doom’ current events to pique the imagination with images, news stories, and videos. Once our students are hooked, we can further the learning process with use of other teaching methods: an inquiry-based approach that requires students take control of their own learning, a cooperative learning approach that requires the participation of all team members in peer learning, and a problem/case study learning approach that primarily relies on activities distilled from current events. The final outcome is focused on creating innovative methods to communicate the findings to the general public. With the general public being the audience for their communiqué, students are less intimated, more focused, and more involved in solving the problem. During lab sessions, teams of students actively engage in mastering course content and develop essential communication skills while exploring real-world scenarios. These activities allow students to use scientific reasoning and concepts to develop solutions for scenarios such as volcanic eruptions, coastal erosion/sea level rise, flooding or landslide hazards, and then creatively communicate their solutions to the public. For example, during a two-week section on Earthquakes, teams study the effects of seismic motion on sediments underlying the Charleston, South Carolina region. Students discover areas where the greatest damage occurred during the 1886 earthquake via a walking tour of Charleston. Extracting information from historical and topographic maps, and aerial and satellite imagery provides students with the necessary information to produce an earthquake hazard map of the area. Applying the creativity and knowledge base of the multidisciplinary students generates a startling array of innovative methods for communicating their results: brochures, storybooks, computer-animated hazard maps, Facebook pages, YouTube videos - even Virtual Reality avatars! When allowed to use their imaginations and resourcefulness, these students have no bounds! Not only does the application of inquiry-based problem solving methodology in conjunction with cooperative learning enhance comprehension of the material, but by allowing undergraduate students to develop methods of communicating their knowledge to the public through an interesting variety of medium, students remain focused, engaged, and even excited about learning science that otherwise intimidated them.
Factors affecting construction of science discourse in the context of an extracurricular science and technology project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, Horace P.

Doing and learning science are social activities that require certain language, activities, and values. Both constitute what Gee (2005) calls Discourses. The language of learning science varies with the learning context (Lemke, 2001,1990). Science for All Americans (AAAS, 1990) and Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 2000) endorse inquiry science learning. In the United States, most science learning is teacher-centered; inquiry science learning is rare (NRC, 2000). This study focused on 12 high school students from two suburban high schools, their three faculty mentors, and two engineering mentors during an extracurricular robotics activity with FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). FRC employed student-centered inquiry focus to teach science principles integrating technology. Research questions were (a) How do science teachers and their students enact Discourses as they teach and learn science? and (b) How does the pedagogical approach of a learning activity facilitate the Discourses that are enacted by students and teachers as they learn and teach science? Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the study examined participants' language during robotic activities to determine how language used in learning science shaped the learning and vice versa. Data sources included videorecordings of participant language and semi-structured interviews with study participants. Transcribed recordings were coded initially using Gee's (2005) linguistic Building Tasks as a priori codes. CDA was applied to code transcripts, to construct Discourses enacted by the participants, and to determine how context facilitated their enactment. Findings indicated that, for the students, FRC facilitated elements of Science Discourse. Wild About Robotics (W.A.R.) team became, through FRC, part of a community similar to scientists' community that promoted knowledge and sound practices, disseminated information, supported research and development and encouraged interaction of its members. The public school science classroom in the U.S. is inimical to inquiry learning because of practices and policies associated with the epistemological stance that spawned the standards and/or testing movement and No Child Left Behind (Baez & Boyles, 2009). The findings of this study provided concrete ideas to accommodate the recommendations by NRC (1996) and NSES (2000) for creating contexts that might lead to inquiry science learning for meaningful student engagement.
Inquiry in the Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanes, Jena; Sadler, Troy D.

2005-01-01

Projects based in the community give students the opportunity to engage in investigation as scientists and apply their work to make a difference at home. Community-based projects allow for easy implementation of high-end inquiry in the science classroom. When students become involved in research based in authentic community problems they gain a…
Inquiry-Based Learning: An Educational Reform Based upon Content-Centred Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLoughlin, M. Padraig M. M.

2009-01-01

The author of this paper posits that inquiry-based learning (IBL) enacted via a modified Moore method (MMM) is a content-driven pedagogy; as such it is content-centred not instructor-centred or student-centred. The MMM is a philosophy of education where student must master material by doing; not simply discussing, reading, or seeing it and that…
Influences of an Inquiry-based Ubiquitous Gaming Design on Students' Learning Achievements, Motivation, Behavioral Patterns, and Tendency towards Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hwang, Gwo-Jen; Chen, Chih-Hung

2017-01-01

In this paper, an inquiry-based ubiquitous gaming approach was proposed. The objective of the study was to enhance students' performances in in-field learning activities. To show the advantages of the approach, an experiment was carried out to assess the effects of it on students' learning achievement, motivation, critical thinking, and problem…

Integrating Various Apps on BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) into Seamless Inquiry-Based Learning to Enhance Primary Students' Science Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Yanjie; Wen, Yun

2018-01-01

Despite that BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) technology model has been increasingly adopted in education, few studies have been reported on how to integrate various apps on BYOD into inquiry-based pedagogical practices in primary schools. This article reports a case study, examining what apps on BYOD can help students enhance their science learning,…
The Effect of Scientific Inquiry Learning Model Based on Conceptual Change on Physics Cognitive Competence and Science Process Skill (SPS) of Students at Senior High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sahhyar; Nst, Febriani Hastini

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research was to analyze the physics cognitive competence and science process skill of students using scientific inquiry learning model based on conceptual change better than using conventional learning. The research type was quasi experiment and two group pretest-posttest designs were used in this study. The sample were Class…
Process-oriented guided-inquiry learning: a natural fit for occupational therapy education.

PubMed

Jaffe, Lynn; Gibson, Robert; D'Amico, Mariana

2015-04-01

After a brief review of the major group cooperative learning strategies, this article presents the format and use of Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL) as a recommended teaching strategy for occupational therapy classes. This recommendation is based upon evidence of effectiveness of this strategy for enhancing critical thinking, content retention, and teamwork. Strategies for learning the process and suggestions for its use are based upon literature evidence and the authors' experiences with this strategy over 4 years in a class on evidence-based practice.
Creating contextually authentic science in a low-performing urban elementary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, Cory A.

2006-09-01

This article reports on a 2-year collaborate project to reform the teaching and learning of science in the context of Mae Jemison Elementary, the lowest performing elementary school in the state of Louisiana. I outline a taxonomy of authentic science inquiry experiences and then use the resulting framework to focus on how project participants interpreted and enacted ideas about collaboration and authenticity. The resulting contextually authentic science inquiry model links the strengths of a canonically authentic model of science inquiry (grounded in the Western scientific canon) with the strengths of a youth-centered model of authenticity (grounded in student-generated inquiry), thus bringing together relevant content standards and topics with critical social relevance. I address the question of how such enactments may or may not promote doing science together and consider the implications of this model for urban science education.
The Heuristic Method, Precursor of Guided Inquiry: Henry Armstrong and British Girls' Schools, 1890-1920

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rayner-Canham, Geoff; Rayner-Canham, Marelene

2015-01-01

Though guided-inquiry learning, discovery learning, student-centered learning, and problem-based learning are commonly believed to be recent new approaches to the teaching of chemistry, in fact, the concept dates back to the late 19th century. Here, we will show that it was the British chemist, Henry Armstrong, who pioneered this technique,…
Inquiry Based Learning: A Modified Moore Method Approach To Encourage Student Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLoughlin, M. Padraig M. M.

2008-01-01

The author of this paper submits that a mathematics student needs to learn to conjecture and prove or disprove said conjecture. Ergo, the purpose of the paper is to submit the thesis that learning requires doing; only through inquiry is learning achieved, and hence this paper proposes a programme of use of a modified Moore method (MMM) across the…
"I Know It's so Good, but I Prefer Not to Use It" An Interpretive Investigation of Jordanian Preservice Elementary Teachers' Perspectives about Learning Biology through Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qablan, Ahmad; Al-Ruz, Jamal Abu; Theodora, Debaz; Al-Momani, Ibrahim

2008-01-01

Many researchers emphasize the significance of employing inquiry learning in shaping preservice elementary teachers' tendencies to teach science. Using an interpretive research methodology, this study examined the influence of employing an inquiry-based teaching approach on teaching biology to preservice elementary teachers at the Hashemite…
Fostering Creativity through Inquiry and Adventure in Informal Learning Environment Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doering, Aaron; Henrickson, Jeni

2015-01-01

Self-directed, inquiry-based learning opportunities focused on transdisciplinary real-world problem solving have been shown to foster creativity in learners. What tools might we provide classroom teachers to scaffold them and their students through this creative process? This study examines an online informal learning environment and the role the…
Learning from Analyzing Linguistically Diverse Students' Work: A Contribution of Preservice Teacher Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanases, Steven Z.; Wong, Joanna W.

2018-01-01

One task of Feiman-Nemser's teacher learning model--develop tools and dispositions to study teaching--frames how we organized learning opportunities during teacher preparation. We explored how and to what degree preservice teachers used teacher inquiry to analyze linguistically diverse students' work through an asset-based lens, beyond deficit…
Teachers Learning to Research Climate: Development of hybrid teacher professional development to support climate inquiry and research in the classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Odell, M. R.; Charlevoix, D. J.; Kennedy, T.

2011-12-01

The GLOBE Program is an international science and education focused on connecting scientists, teachers and students around relevant, local environmental issues. GLOBE's focus during the next two years in on climate, global change and understanding climate from a scientific perspective. The GLOBE Student Climate Research Campaign (SCRFC) will engage youth from around the world in understanding and researching climate through investigations of local climate challenges. GLOBE teachers are trained in implementation of inquiry in the classroom and the use of scientific data collection protocols to develop inquiry and research projects of the Earth System. In preparation for the SCRC, GLOBE teachers will need additional training in climate science, global change and communicating climate science in the classroom. GLOBE's reach to 111 countries around the world requires development of scalable models for training teachers. In June GLOBE held the first teacher professional development workshop (Learning to Research Summer Institute) in a hybrid format with two-thirds of the teachers participating face-to-face and the remaining teachers participating virtually using Adobe Connect. The week long workshop prepared teachers to integrate climate science inquiry and research projects in the classrooms in the 2011-12 academic year. GLOBE scientists and other climate science experts will work with teachers and their students throughout the year in designing and executing a climate science research project. Final projects and research results will be presented in May 2012 through a virtual conference. This presentation will provide the framework for hybrid teacher professional development in climate science research and inquiry projects as well as summarize the findings from this inaugural session. The GLOBE Program office, headquartered in Boulder, is funded through cooperative agreements with NASA and NOAA with additional support from NSF and the U.S. Department of State. GLOBE is supported in countries around the world through bi-lateral agreements between U.S. Department of state and national governments.
Alternative certification science teachers' understanding and implementation of inquiry-based instruction in their beginning years of teaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demir, Abdulkadir

The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to: (a) understand how beginning science teachers recruited from various science disciplines and prepared in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program (ATCP) implemented inquiry during their initial years of teaching; (b) describe constraints and needs that these beginning science teachers perceived in implementing inquiry-based science instruction; and (c) understand the relation between what they learned in their ATCP and their practice of teaching science through inquiry. The participants of this study consisted of four ATCP teachers who are in their beginning years of teaching. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observation, field notes, and artifacts used as source of data collection. The beginning science teachers in this study held incomplete views of inquiry. These views of inquiry did not reflect inquiry as described in NRC (2000)---essential features of inquiry,---nor did they reflect views of faculty members involved in teaching science methods courses. Although the participants described themselves as reform-oriented, there were inconsistencies between their views and practices. Their practice of inquiry did not reflect inquiry either as outlined by essential features of inquiry (NRC, 2000) or inquiry as modeled in activities used in their ATCP. The research participants' perceived constraints and needs in their implementation of inquiry-based activities. Their perceived constraints included logistical and student constraints and school culture. The perceived needs included classroom management, pedagogical skills, practical knowledge, discipline, successful grade-specific models of inquiry, and access to a strong support system. Prior professional work experience, models and activities used in the ATCP, and benefits of inquiry to student learning were the declared factors that facilitated the research participants' practice of inquiry-based teaching.
Enhanced Learning of Biotechnology Students by an Inquiry-Based Cellulase Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketpichainarong, Watcharee; Panijpan, Bhinyo; Ruenwongsa, Pintip

2010-01-01

This study explored the effectiveness of an inquiry-based cellulase laboratory unit in promoting inquiry in undergraduate students in biotechnology. The following tools were used to assess the students' achievements and attitude: conceptual understanding test, concept mapping, students' documents, CLES questionnaire, students' self reflection, and…
The Impact of a Practice-Teaching Professional Development Model on Teachers' Inquiry Instruction and Inquiry Efficacy Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotter, Christine R.; Thompson, Stephen; Dickenson, Tammiee S.; Smiley, Whitney F.; Blue, Genine; Rea, Mary

2018-01-01

This study examined changes in middle school teachers' beliefs about inquiry, implementation of inquiry practices, and self-efficacy to teach science through inquiry after participating in a year-long professional development program. The professional development model design was based on Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory of learning and…
The Horizon Report: 2009 Australia-New Zealand Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, L.; Levine, A.; Smith, R.; Smythe, T.; Stone, S.

2009-01-01

The New Media Consortium's Horizon Project is an ongoing research project that aims to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative inquiry within education around the globe over a five-year time period. The project's central products are the "Horizon Reports", an annual…
Authenticating Children's Literature: Raising Cultural Awareness with an Inquiry-Based Project in a Teacher Education Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jane; Wiese, Patricia

2006-01-01

This article discusses the importance of authentic picture-storybook adaptations of multicultural folktales and describes an action research project through which a children's picture-book adaptation of a traditional tale can be authenticated using an inquiry-based process. In addition to modeling an actual authentication project using "The Golden…
Uncovering Barriers to Teaching Assistants (TAs) Implementing Inquiry Teaching: Inconsistent Facilitation Techniques, Student Resistance, and Reluctance to Share Control over Learning with Students †

PubMed Central

Gormally, Cara; Sullivan, Carol Subiño; Szeinbaum, Nadia

2016-01-01

Inquiry-based teaching approaches are increasingly being adopted in biology laboratories. Yet teaching assistants (TAs), often novice teachers, teach the majority of laboratory courses in US research universities. This study analyzed the perspectives of TAs and their students and used classroom observations to uncover challenges faced by TAs during their first year of inquiry-based teaching. Our study revealed three insights about barriers to effective inquiry teaching practices: 1) TAs lack sufficient facilitation skills; 2) TAs struggle to share control over learning with students as they reconcile long-standing teaching beliefs with newly learned approaches, consequently undermining their fledgling ability to use inquiry approaches; and 3) student evaluations reinforce teacher-centered behaviors as TAs receive positive feedback conflicting with inquiry approaches. We make recommendations, including changing instructional feedback to focus on learner-centered teaching practices. We urge TA mentors to engage TAs in discussions to uncover teaching beliefs underlying teaching choices and support TAs through targeted feedback and practice. PMID:27158302
Teacher's Reflection of Inquiry Teaching in Finland before and during an In-Service Program: Examination by a Progress Model of Collaborative Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minkee; Lavonen, Jari; Juuti, Kalle; Holbrook, Jack; Rannikmae, Miia

2013-01-01

In inquiry-based science education, there have been gradual shifts in research interests: the nature of scientific method, the debates on the effects of inquiry learning, and, recently, inquiry teaching. However, many in-service programs for inquiry teaching have reported inconsistent results due to the static view of classroom inquiries and due…
An Analysis of Didactic and Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning on Student Achievement in Urban Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varnado, Jacqueline

2011-01-01

Limited research has been conducted on inquiry based teaching strategies on language arts and mathematics instruction. The research problem at the study site was the lack of research-based findings on the effectiveness of traditional and inquiry based teaching strategies on language arts and mathematics instruction. The purpose of this case study…
in the wind clothes dance on a line. Performative inquiry: A (re)search methodology. Possibilities and absences within a space-moment of imagining a universe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fels, Lynn Margaret

in the wind clothes dance on a line is the conceptualization and articulation of performative inquiry as a research methodology within the field of education. Performative inquiry invites innovative and non-linear investigations, playing upon the multiple realities and interpretations of co-evolving worlds realized and recognized through creative action and interaction between researcher/teacher and participants/students within individual and shared, existing and imagined environments through motivating (im)pulse(s) of inquiry. Performative inquiry is elusively and momentarily balanced on the "edge of chaos" within the interstices of enactivism, complexity, interpretation, and performance. In articulating an ecological-cognitive reading of performance, I am in company with curricular theorists who envision curriculum as a journey and expression of students' and teachers' shared investigations within co-evolving landscapes of action and interaction. in the wind clothes dance on a line is a playful response to current conversations among researchers seeking recognition and articulation of arts-based processes as legitimate site(s) and praxis of research. Performative inquiry offers researchers---in drama education, in particular, and in education, in general---a theoretical and practical venue to investigate their fields of inquiry through an integrated vehicle of body, mind and imagination. This dissertation is informed by a three year science education research project (1995--1997) conducted with science educator, Karen Meyer. Our research investigated the teaching and learning of science education through drama and storytelling, culminating in a performance piece, Light Sound Movin' Around: What Are Monsters Made Of? Follow-up interviews with pre-service teachers speak eloquently to the possibility and power of performative inquiry as a research tool and learning vehicle in science education. in the wind clothes dance on a line has been imagined "in the air" through moments realized and recognized during the science education research project and through my work as a performing arts educator. And it is these moments that set the clothes dancing in the wind. in the wind clothes dance on a line is a conceptual piece, a performative work through which the reader will hopefully realize and recognize his or her own imaginings and understandings of possible universes within education.
The science experience: The relationship between an inquiry-based science program and student outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poderoso, Charie

Science education reforms in U.S. schools emphasize the importance of students' construction of knowledge through inquiry. Organizations such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Research Council (NRC), and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) have demonstrated a commitment to searching for solutions and renewed efforts to improve science education. One suggestion for science education reform in U.S. schools was a transition from traditional didactic, textbook-based to inquiry-based instructional programs. While inquiry has shown evidence for improved student learning in science, what is needed is empirical evidence of those inquiry-based practices that affect student outcomes in a local context. This study explores the relationship between instructional programs and curricular changes affecting student outcomes in the Santa Ana Unified District (SAUSD): It provides evidence related to achievement and attitudes. SAUSD employs two approaches to teaching in the middle school science classrooms: traditional and inquiry-based approaches. The Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) program is an inquiry-based science program that utilizes resources for implementation of the University of California Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science Education for Public Understanding Program (SEPUP) to support inquiry-based teaching and learning. Findings in this study provide empirical support related to outcomes of seventh-grade students, N = 328, in the LASER and traditional science programs in SAUSD.

Crawl into Inquiry-Based Learning: Hermit Crab Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wolf, Maya; Laferriere, Alix

2009-01-01

There is a particular need for inquiry-based lessons in the early elementary grades, when students are starting to develop their analytical skills. In this article, the authors present a 2-tiered inquiry-based lesson plan for 1st and 2nd grades that has been successfully used by graduate teaching fellows involved in the National Science Foundation…
The Relationship of Teacher-Facilitated, Inquiry-Based Instruction to Student Higher-Order Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jeff C.; Horton, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Commissions, studies, and reports continue to call for inquiry-based learning approaches in science and math that challenge students to think critically and deeply. While working with a group of middle school science and math teachers, we conducted more than 100 classroom observations, assessing several attributes of inquiry-based instruction. We…
The effects of inquiry instruction on student learning in technology-based undergraduate chemistry laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meade, Karen Marie

The purpose of this study was to identify conceptual and attitudinal effects of inquiry learning in technology-based undergraduate chemistry laboratories. There were 428 participants who were registered in general chemistry laboratory at the University of Iowa in the Spring of 2002. Conceptual and attitudinal pretest and posttest results were quantitative in nature. Qualitative results were collected from questionnaires and focus groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to identify differences between treatment groups. A high-inquiry treatment group was open-ended and required student decisions regarding data collection, data representation, and interpretation. The low-inquiry treatment involved collaboration and traditional learning strategies. Major findings of this study were: (1) Pretest to posttest conceptual gains were significant for both treatment groups. Low-inquiry students performed significantly better on exploration questions than high-inquiry students. (2) Process skills developed at higher levels for high-inquiry students than low-inquiry students. (3) Positive attitudes decreased significantly for all students from pretest to posttest. More favorable attitudes toward science enjoyment and the ability to do well in science were found for high-inquiry students. More favorable attitudes toward science enjoyment and the ability to do well in science were found for low-inquiry males and high-inquiry females. (4) More favorable attitudes toward the nature of science caused by use of the learning cycle were reported by high-inquiry students. (5) Low-inquiry students reported more favorable attitudes toward technologies in the laboratory than did high-inquiry students. Favorable attitudes toward the use of infrared spectrometers and unfavorable attitudes toward the use of pH meters were reported by both treatment groups. (6) More formal reasoning skills were reported by high-inquiry students. Both groups reported that looking for patterns was a common theme in the laboratories. Hypotheses were reported as rarely used by both treatment groups. These findings are significant because they indicate that inquiry activities positively affect attitudes toward science, gender equality, and contribute to the development of formal reasoning skills and process skills.
Talking Science: Developing a Discourse of Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hackling, Mark; Smith, Pru; Murcia, Karen

2010-01-01

A key principle of inquiry-based science education is that the process of inquiry must include opportunities for the exploration of questions and ideas, as well as reasoning with ideas and evidence. Teaching and learning Science therefore involves teachers managing a discourse that supports inquiry and students engaging in talk that facilitates…
Moving from answer finding to sensemaking: Supporting middle school students' online inquiry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Meilan

Online inquiry, use of the Web as an information source to conduct inquiry for a scientific question, has become increasingly common in middle schools in recent years. However, while valuable Web resources provide unprecedented learning opportunities, easy access to information does not guarantee learning. Previous research has found that middle school students tend to use the Web in a superficial manner. To address the challenges that students face in online inquiry, this study explored several supporting strategies implemented in Digital IdeaKeeper, a scaffolded software tool to help students move from passively finding a ready-made answer to actively making sense of the information they encounter through support for inquiry planning, information search, analysis, and synthesis. This study examined the differences and similarities between regular online inquiry and supported online inquiry performed by several sixth-graders in real classroom settings. Four pairs from a sixth grade class used IdeaKeeper for their online inquiry project, and another four pairs from a different sixth grade class taught by the same teacher used regular online search engines only. Both groups worked on the same science topic-water, and the entire project lasted about four weeks. During that time, students in both groups used computers for about 10-14 days to conduct online research. Multiple sources of data were collected, including video recordings of students' computer activities and conversations, students' artifacts, log files and student final writings. Several themes emerged from the data analysis. First, the findings refer to the importance of providing a structure for students' online inquiry, to promote a more integrated, efficient, continuous, metacognitive and engaging online inquiry. In addition, guidance is important to promote more careful, thorough, and purposeful online reading, Overall, the results suggest that middle school students' online inquiry needs to be structured and their online reading needs to be guided. However, challenges still remain to engage students in high-level critical thinking in online inquiry, because some prompts designed to guide students' reading do not seem effective. Implications of the research findings are discussed.
Symposium: A New Observation Tool for Looking at Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, M. J.; And Others

This document comprises four papers from a symposium on using an inquiry-based observation tool for assessing teaching and learning on various educational levels. The first paper, "Introduction, and Overview and Use of the Tool for K-12 Science, Mathematics, and Technology Program Evaluation" (M. Jean Young), presents an overview of the tool…
Meta-Analysis of Inquiry-Based Learning: Effects of Guidance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazonder, Ard W.; Harmsen, Ruth

2016-01-01

Research has consistently shown that inquiry-based learning can be more effective than other, more expository instructional approaches as long as students are supported adequately. But what type of guidance is adequate, and for whom? These questions are difficult to answer as most previous research has only focused on one type of guidance and one…
An Inquiry-Based Augmented Reality Mobile Learning Approach to Fostering Primary School Students' Historical Reasoning in Non-Formal Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Efstathiou, Irene; Kyza, Eleni A.; Georgiou, Yiannis

2018-01-01

This study investigated the contribution of a location-based augmented reality (AR) inquiry-learning environment in developing 3rd grade students' historical empathy and conceptual understanding. Historical empathy is an important element of historical thinking, which is considered to improve conceptual understanding and support the development of…
An Exploration into Inquiry-Based Learning by a Multidisciplinary Group of Higher Education Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Daniela B.; Crews, Tena B.; Caicedo, Juan M.; Besley, John C.; Weinberg, Justin; Freeman, Miriam L.

2010-01-01

This manuscript describes faculty and student experiences and future activities of a multidisciplinary group of university faculty who are implementing inquiry-based learning (IBL) in their classrooms for the first time. This opportunity to implement the IBL instructional method was provided to the faculty through a grant from the university's…
An International Collaboration to Promote Inquiry-Based Learning in Undergraduate Engineering Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Randall, D'Arcy C.; Moore, Christy; Carvalho, Isabel S.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe specific techniques of "inquiry-based learning" employed by three instructors in Engineering schools, one in Europe and two in the USA. Design/methodology/approach: Theorists such as Bransford et al. argue that twenty-first century educators need to teach students to do more than simply…
Mutation-Based Learning to Improve Student Autonomy and Scientific Inquiry Skills in a Large Genetics Laboratory Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Jinlu

2013-01-01

Laboratory education can play a vital role in developing a learner's autonomy and scientific inquiry skills. In an innovative, mutation-based learning (MBL) approach, students were instructed to redesign a teacher-designed standard experimental protocol by a "mutation" method in a molecular genetics laboratory course. Students could…
Using Expectancy-Value Theory to Explore Aspects of Motivation and Engagement in Inquiry-Based Learning in Primary Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fielding-Wells, Jill; O'Brien, Mia; Makar, Katie

2017-01-01

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a pedagogical approach in which students address complex, ill-structured problems set in authentic contexts. While IBL is gaining ground in Australia as an instructional practice, there has been little research that considers implications for student motivation and engagement. Expectancy-value theory (Eccles and…
Teacher Beliefs and Attitudes about Inquiry-Based Learning in a Rural School District in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramnarain, Umesh; Hlatshwayo, Manzini

2018-01-01

Despite growing consensus regarding the value of inquiry-based teaching and learning, the implementation of such a pedagogical practice continues to be a challenge for many South African teachers, especially at rural schools. The research reported in this article concerns the interaction between Grade 10 Physical Sciences teachers' beliefs about…
Beverage-Agarose Gel Electrophoresis: An Inquiry-Based Laboratory Exercise with Virtual Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Steven C.; McNear, Brad; Pearlman, Rebecca S.; Kern, Scott E.

2006-01-01

A wide range of literature and experience has shown that teaching methods that promote active learning, such as inquiry-based approaches, are more effective than those that rely on passive learning. Gel electrophoresis, one of the most common laboratory techniques in molecular biology, has a wide range of applications in the life sciences. As…
Inquiry-based training improves teaching effectiveness of biology teaching assistants

PubMed Central

Hughes, P. William; Ellefson, Michelle R.

2013-01-01

Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are used extensively as undergraduate science lab instructors at universities, yet they often have having minimal instructional training and little is known about effective training methods. This blind randomized control trial study assessed the impact of two training regimens on GTA teaching effectiveness. GTAs teaching undergraduate biology labs (n = 52) completed five hours of training in either inquiry-based learning pedagogy or general instructional “best practices”. GTA teaching effectiveness was evaluated using: (1) a nine-factor student evaluation of educational quality; (2) a six-factor questionnaire for student learning; and (3) course grades. Ratings from both GTAs and undergraduates indicated that indicated that the inquiry-based learning pedagogy training has a positive effect on GTA teaching effectiveness. PMID:24147138
Transforming a Traditional Inquiry-Based Science Unit into a STEM Unit for Elementary Pre-service Teachers: A View from the Trenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, Matthew; Fulton, Lori

2016-04-01

The need to prepare students with twenty-first-century skills through STEM-related teaching is strong, especially at the elementary level. However, most teacher education preparation programs do not focus on STEM education. In an attempt to provide an exemplary model of a STEM unit, we used a rapid prototyping approach to transform an inquiry-based unit on moon phases into one that integrated technology in a meaningful manner to develop technological literacy and scientific concepts for pre-service teachers (PSTs). Using qualitative case study methodology, we describe lessons learned related to the development and implementation of a STEM unit in an undergraduate elementary methods course, focusing on the impact the inquiry model had on PSTs' perceptions of inquiry-based science instruction and how the integration of technology impacted their learning experience. Using field notes and survey data, we uncovered three overarching themes. First, we found that PSTs held absolutist beliefs and had a need for instruction on inquiry-based learning and teaching. Second, we determined that explicit examples of effective and ineffective technology use are needed to help PSTs develop an understanding of meaningful technology integration. Finally, the rapid prototyping approach resulted in a successful modification of the unit, but caused the usability of our digital instructional materials to suffer. Our findings suggest that while inquiry-based STEM units can be implemented in existing programs, creating and testing these prototypes requires significant effort to meet PSTs' learning needs, and that iterating designs is essential to successful implementation.
Multiage Grouping and Student Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, Matthew

2014-01-01

The aim of this action research project was to investigate students' social preferences and pro-social interactions in a multiage, high school classroom in order to better understand how to group students to maximize learning and collaboration. According to many educational experts and previous inquiries, mixed-age learning groups introduce…
Watershed Watch: Using undergraduate student-driven inquiry-based research projects as a means of engaging undeclared students in the biogeosciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rock, B. N.; Hale, S.; Graham, K.; Hayden, L. B.

2009-12-01

Watershed Watch (NSF 0525433) engages early undergraduate students from two-year and four-year colleges in student-driven full inquiry-based instruction in the biogeosciences. Program goals for Watershed Watch are to test if inquiry-rich student-driven projects sufficiently engage undeclared students (or noncommittal STEM majors) to declare a STEM major (or remain with their STEM major). The program is a partnership between two four-year campuses - the University of New Hampshire (UNH), and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU, in North Carolina); and two two-year campuses - Great Bay Community College (GBCC, in New Hampshire) and the College of the Albemarle (COA, in North Carolina). The program focuses on two watersheds: the Merrimack Ricer Watershed in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and the Pasquotank River Watershed in Virginia and North Carolina. Both the terrestrial and aquatic components of both watersheds are evaluated using the student-driven projects. A significant component of this program is an intensive two-week Summer Research Institute (SRI), in which undeclared freshmen and sophomores investigate various aspects of their local watershed. Two Summer Research Institutes have been held on the UNH campus (2006 and 2008) and two on the ECSU campus (2007 and 2009). Students develop their own research questions and study design, collect and analyze data, and produce a scientific oral or poster presentation on the last day of the SRI. The course objectives, curriculum and schedule are presented as a model for dissemination for other institutions and programs seeking to develop inquiry-rich programs or courses designed to attract students into biogeoscience disciplines. Data from self-reported student feedback indicate the most important factors explaining high-levels of student motivation and research excellence in the program are: 1) working with committed, energetic, and enthusiastic faculty mentors, and 2) faculty mentors demonstrating high degrees of teamwork and coordination. The past four Summer Research Institutes have engaged over 100 entry-level undergraduate students in the process of learning science by doing it, and approximately 50% of those participating have declared majors in a wide range of science fields. A total of eight Watershed Watch students have presented findings from their SRI research projects at AGU meetings in 2007, 2008, and 2009. This presentation will highlight the lessons learned over the past four years in the Watershed Watch program.
Promoting Inquiry-Based Teaching in Laboratory Courses: Are We Meeting the Grade?

PubMed Central

Butler, Amy; Burke da Silva, Karen

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, repeated calls have been made to incorporate more active teaching and learning in undergraduate biology courses. The emphasis on inquiry-based teaching is especially important in laboratory courses, as these are the courses in which students are applying the process of science. To determine the current state of research on inquiry-based teaching in undergraduate biology laboratory courses, we reviewed the recent published literature on inquiry-based exercises. The majority of studies in our data set were in the subdisciplines of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. In addition, most exercises were guided inquiry, rather than open ended or research based. Almost 75% of the studies included assessment data, with two-thirds of these studies including multiple types of assessment data. However, few exercises were assessed in multiple courses or at multiple institutions. Furthermore, assessments were rarely based on published instruments. Although the results of the studies in our data set show a positive effect of inquiry-based teaching in biology laboratory courses on student learning gains, research that uses the same instrument across a range of courses and institutions is needed to determine whether these results can be generalized. PMID:25185228
A Model Inquiry-Based Genetics Experiment for Introductory Biology Students: Screening for Enhancers & Suppressors of Ptpmeg

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Setty, Sumana; Kosinski-Collins, Melissa S.

2015-01-01

It has been noted that undergraduate project-based laboratories lead to increased interest in scientific research and student understanding of biological concepts. We created a novel, inquiry-based, multiweek genetics research project studying Ptpmeg, for the Introductory Biology Laboratory course at Brandeis University. Ptpmeg is a protein…

Some links on this page may take you to non-federal websites. Their policies may differ from this site.