Inquiry

1. Inquiry

2. What is scientific inquiry? • Scientific Inquiry - diverse ways in which scientists study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence derived from their work (p. 23, NSES)

3. What is student inquiry? • Student inquiry- learning process in which students are engaged… an active learning process - “something that students do, not something that is done to them.”

4. 5 Essential Features of Inquiry (NRC 2000) 1. Learner engages in scientifically oriented questions. 2. Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions. 3. Learner formulates explanations from evidence. 4. Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge. 5. Learner communicates and justifies explanations.

5. Implications for TeachingLechtanski, V.L. (2000) Inquiry-Based Experiments in Chemistry. Oxford University Press: Washington, D.C. • Choose labs that address simple, important concepts. • Choose experiments that can be completed using familiar equipment. • Choose a lab where the data can be pooled by the class and that lends itself to the determination of a mathematical relationship. • Reduce the procedural steps of the experiment. • Increase the opportunities for the students to think about the data they should collect.

6. Roles of Teacher • Facilitating, assisting, guiding students as needed • Approving the procedures that students propose (what is allowable) • Providing safety information • Remaining flexible enough to allow students to direct the next moves • Classroom management that facilitates independent learning

8. Is it Inquiry? • Who is doing the meaning-making? • Students? • Teachers?

9. Levels of Inquiry

10. Confirmation Labs Teacher’s Role 1. Give Problem and Answer a. Ask student to read text or b. Provide oral description or c. Both A & B Student’s Role 1. Perform activity 2. Discover “truth” as stated in text or by teacher Climate and Motivation 1. Authoritarian, doing something other than listening and writing.

11. Directed Inquiry Teacher’s Role 1. Define structured problem 2. Describe or demonstrate procedures Student’s Role 1. Follow outlined procedures 2. Collect Data 3. Display data 4. Interpret Data 5. Draw Conclusions Climate and Motivation 1. Authoritarian but more relaxed 2. Joy of Discovery

12. Guided Inquiry Teacher’s Role 1. Provide a situation 2. Solicit a problem statement 3. Solicit inferences 4. Solicit hypotheses 5. Say, “I just happen to have!” 6. Solicit experimental design 7. Approve experimental design 8. Supervise the laboratory 9. Solicit data interpretations 10. Solicit conclusions Student’s Role 1. Respond to teacher 2. Collect Data 3. Display Data 4. Interpret Data 5. Draw Conclusions

13. Open Inquiry Student’s Role 1. Describe the situation 2. Identify inferences 3. State testable hypotheses 4. Plan experiment 5. Describe data treatment 6. Interpret data 7. Draw conclusions 8. Present findings Teacher’s Role 1. Approves problems and experiments 2. Suggests Resources 3. Encourages independence 4. Reviews findings and conclusions

14. 5 Myths about Inquiry Teaching 1. All science subject matter should be taught through inquiry. 2. True inquiry occurs only when students pursue and generate their own questions. 3. Inquiry teaching occurs easily through the use of hands-on or kit-based instruction materials. 4. Student engagement in hands-on activities guarantees that inquiry teaching & learning are occurring. 5. Inquiry can be taught without attention to subject matter.