WHY INQUIRY TEACHING?

1. WHY INQUIRY TEACHING? “Science teaching has suffered because science has been so frequently presented just as so much ready-made knowledge, so much subject matter of fact and law, rather than as the effective method of inquiry into any subject matter.” John Dewey, Science, 1910.

2. The Expository Approach • In favor: • fast, efficient, and easy • In opposition: • teacher seen as an authority figure • treats subject matter and methods separately • traditional practice rarely allows students to understand the process of scientific inquiry • expository approaches preclude the use of the skills of inquiry by students • “problem solving” is too simplistic a view of science • “problem solving” is really puzzle solving • traditional “problem solving” leads students to believe that science is “finding the right equation”

3. Inquiry-oriented methods • get students to do science by following steps inherent in the process • observing • defining a problem • hypothesizing • identifying and controlling variables • collecting and interpreting data • drawing a conclusion • strengthen higher-level thinking skills • inquiry students outperform expository students in tests of higher-level thinking (Lott, 1983) • inquiry students, though covering less subject matter, perform equally well when low-level cognitive processes are assessed (Lott, 1983)

4. Expository versus Inquiry • Expository practices: • emphasize knowledge of facts, laws, and theories. • utilize labs as verification exercises. • emphasize application of knowledge. • Inquiry practices: • emphasize the understanding of the structure and processes of science. • integrates labs into course discussion. • emphasizes higher cognitive skills. • Which would you perceive as being more effective in preparing scientifically literate students?

5. Salient Behaviors of Inquiry -- The teacher: • encourages thinking, questioning, and discussing. • engenders debate and discussion • provides a variety of levels and paths of investigation. • works as a fellow investigator. • promotes an active interest in student and promotes an active quest for new information and ideas. • avoids appeals to authority. • maintains an atmosphere conducive to inquiry. • places emphasis on “How do I known the material of this course?” rather than “What must I know in this course?”

6. Salient Behaviors of Inquiry -- The students: • make observations and collect and interpret data. • formulate hypotheses and create and conduct experiments to test. • work out relationships of cause and effect. • relate independent and dependent variables. • use reasoning ability. • draw conclusions on the basis of data. • defend conclusions on the basis of data.

7. Some Teacher-Perceived Performance Problems • time and energy • too slow • risk too high • student immaturity • teaching habits • discomfort • too expensive Cortenson and Lawson (1986) Is it can’t, won’t, or don’t?

8. Generalizations from Research on Teaching and Learning • Lillian McDermott, University of Washington • APS Research in Physics Education • “Teaching by telling is an ineffective mode of instruction for most students.” • “Facility in solving standard quantitative problems is not an adequate criterion for functional understanding.” • http://www.aps.org/educ/edou15.html