The Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Techniques in Place of Explicit Instruction What happens when inquiry-based techniques are used in place of explicit instruction when teaching science? A Framework for K-12 Science Education (2012) states that “from its inception, one of the principal goals of science education has been to cultivate students’ scientific habits of mind, develop their capability to engage in scientific inquiry, and teach them to reason in a scientific context” (p. 41). Most states have many standards and units for each grade level that contain both science content areas and inquiry based skills. The challenge for science teachers especially in the elementary levels is to teach all of the content standards using methods that foster inquiry and the develop of our students’ young minds into scientists as well as students who can achieve highly on state created standardized tests seeking to evaluate their scientific understanding of specific concepts. The plan is to teach the same standards to each class of fifth graders however teaching one with direct instruction and the other through inquiry-based instruction. In order to gather the quantitative data, students will be given the same pre and post assessments and find out which class learns the content most effectively according to their post test data. To provide a qualitative aspect to the research, observations during the inquiry process and the direct instruction process to see if the students are asking inquiry based questions, having discussions, and applying their evidence to draw a conclusion from their investigations. The third aspect of the study is to interview students from the direct instruction class and from the inquiry class to determine t... ... middle of paper ... ...ol Science and Mathematics. doi:10.1111/j.1949-8594.2001.tb18187.x Khishfe, R., & Abd-El-Khalick, F. (2002). Influence of explicit and reflective versus implicit inquiry-oriented instruction on sixth graders' views of nature of science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching. doi:10.1002/tea.10036 Llewellyn, D. (2007). Inquire within: Implementing inquiry-based science standards in grades 3-8. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. National Research Council (NRC). (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. Pea, C. H. (2012). Inquiry-based Instruction: Does School Environment Context Matter? Science Educator, 21(1), 37-43. Pratt, H., Bybee, R. W., National Science Teachers Association, & National Research Council (U.S.) (2012). The NSTA reader's guide to a framework for K-12 science education. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
Teachers and students provide the following feedback to the Secondary Science Education Department at the University of Nebraska:
Lillian, M. et al. (2006). Improving the preparation of K-12 teachers through physics education research. American Journal of Physics 74(9): 763-767.
Researching the US National Standards of Science Education and the New York State Science Standards gave our group valuable information about any science curriculum in New York State. We searched the Web and the New York State Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology booklet. Conducting an interview with both Ethanie Holl, kindergarten teacher, and Dr. LaChance, professor, were also very helpful.
Last summer, I worked at Project Think, a summer academic program for kids ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade. As an assistant teacher, I was to create an environment that would inspire a passion for science. Having a parent as a teacher, I knew how difficult it could be, but I was ready for the challenge. As a science enthusiast, I was determined to make the kids enjoy learning science, even during summer break!
Inquiry-based learning is geared with a student-centered approach, where teachers use the scaffolding technique to help students move toward stronger understanding of the subject area. Being directed towards a Science class, Forrest discovered that the literacy skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking are all components of the inquiry process and are essential to learning in a Science classroom. Methods of using inquiry-based learning in a Science classroom includes; active reading where students are given a purpose for reading, scaffolding or teacher provided guidance, and collaboration in small groups to provide feedback on a specific source. The goal of active reading is to help students focus their inquiries on specific topics in an effort to increase learning. Another discovery that was made is that Middle-school students enjoy gaining new knowledge, especially when it is presented in a social way where they can provide their own ideas and listen to the ideas of their classmates which further promote their literary proficiencies. The article concludes that using inquiry-based literacy strategies will motivate and engage students in all subject
Teachers use IBL to encourage students to develop their research skills and the external bonds with other students in the class, using each student’s prior knowledge to enrich that of others. The benefits are highly applicable to Science, where the prior knowledge of individual students often varies greatly, and the interconnectedness of science to other subjects leave ample opportunities for integration and research. Science skills that are facilitated by IBL include “posing questions, planning, conducting and critiquing investigations, collecting, analysing and interpreting evi...
It is important for children to be able to develops the necessary skills to make sense of data, memorising information is no longer the most key skill for children to possess (Inquiry-based learning, n.d.). Inquiry-based learning is defined by Lutheran Education Queensland (n.d.) as seeking for truth, information or knowledge and understanding and is used in all aspects and stages of life. Inquiry based learning assists children with learning by developing critical and creative thinking skills. The twenty-first century requires “young people to be creative, innovative, enterprising and adaptable, with the motivation, confidence and skills to use critical and creative thinking purposefully” (ACARA, 2016b). According to Touhill (2012a) Inquiry-based learning is supported when educators are co-learners with children as they develop, supporting and extending on a child’s own attempts at understanding. This knowledge can be broadened by ensuring that children have the time, space and resources to become deeply involved in their investigations and there are opportunities for reflections during and after activities (Touhill, 2012a). Furthermore, it is imperative that the physical environment contains spaces as well as materials that encourage a child’s curiosity and investigation (Touhill, 2012a). By providing interesting and engaging materials educators are able to provide stimulus for children’s investigation and
An inquiry based learning approach is being adopted by educators across learning areas in the curriculum. One such learning area embracing an inquiry based approach is the teaching of history. An inquiry based learning approach liberates history teachings, allowing for students to break away from their role of knowledge reciting parrots, instead becoming investigators of history. An inquiry approach is a powerful tool for early childhood educators introducing young children to the history learning area. Early childhood teachers are able to create inquiry based projects for early learners in which they will be engaged in investigations about their families, prior and current events.
In classrooms today, educators are constantly seeking and implementing engaging lessons that will increase student knowledge and skills. The intent of the activities is to help students become independent learners and use process thinking skills. Students seem to learn best by actually directing their own learning and doing, rather than being led from step to step by the teacher. In science, it is especially important that students learn by inquiry and use more of a hands-on approach to learning scientific concepts. According to Wilke and Straits (2005), inquiry-based learning is where students explore a problem using the processes and tools of the discipline. It is often shown in a way that resembles the scientific method (Wilke & Straits, 2005). The scientific inquiry model demonstrates four phases that involve students in identifying a problem and investigation using inquiry-based learning (Joyce, Weil & Calhoun, 2009). The four phases suggests that students are introduced to an area of investigation, then they develop a problem, next the problem is identified in the investigation and finally students come up with ways to solve the problem (Joyce, Weil & Calhoun, 2009). Science education is part of everyday life being that the skills learned in science, such as, the scientific method are used in solving problems that occur daily. Dalton, Morocco, Tivnan, & Mead, 1997 found that students seem to learn best by actually doing science, such as asking questions, designing experiments, observing, predicting, manipulating materials, and learning from their own mistakes. I believe the scientific inquiry model exemplifies an excellent way to implement inquiry-based learning by using the scientific method in any classroom; es...
Uyeda, Steve, et al. “Solving Authentic Science Problems: Problem based learning connects science to the world beyond school.” Science Teacher. 69.1 (Jan. 2002): 24-29.
...o listen carefully to ensure that kids are discussing scientific ideas, not socializing. The teacher's role is to ensure that students achieve their primary goal: meaningful understanding of scientific concepts. The practices described in this article help bring this about in several ways. When instruction centers on students and focuses on hands-on experience with scientific phenomena, science class becomes an exciting place. When instruction concentrates on the investigation of current problems and issues through scientific inquiry, science class becomes a relevant and meaningful place. When instruction emphasizes the development of communication skills, science class becomes an invaluable place for preparing children to tackle the challenges of adulthood. And the education community owes it to its students to assess their academic progress fairly and accurately.
When integrating Nature of Science into curriculum, assumptions are made about students and instructors. These assumptions include that students are all at the same level in terms of science understanding and concepts as the rest of their classmates, and also assumes that the students learn at the same rates (NGSS: Appendix A). These assumptions are detrimental to science education when focus needs to be on the content being taught rather than teaching background of science as a standalone. Teaching NOS explicitly becomes increasingly difficult when students aren’t given access to proper science learning environments. As mentioned in the High Hopes – Few Opportunities reading, it is stated that, “California students do no typically experience high-quality science learning opportunities[.]” (Dorph et al., 2011). When students don’t have a basis for scientific concepts, it becomes increasingly difficult to teach NOS. America’s Lab Report further expands on the idea that this style of learning is not likely achievable, as “[N]o single […] experience is likely to achieve all of these learning goals.” (Schweingruber et al., 2005) where learning goals is referencing the goals of laboratory experiences that include understanding Nature of Science. Again, when a lack of understanding for general science exists, its arguably much more difficult to teach
The Access Center. (n.d.). Science inquiry: the link to accessing the general education curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.k8accesscenter.org/training_resources/ScienceInquiry_accesscurriculum.asp
Hassard, J., & Dias, M. (2013). The art of teaching science: Inquiry and innovation in
However, I firmly believe in inquiry-based methods. “While some research in this area revealed success stories of students’ learning when they are engaged in student-directed, open-ended scientific inquiry activities, other are more skeptical about how these activities impact students’ learning in and of science” (Wong, 2012, pp. 197). Like mentioned early, there is always a skeptic in every situation; therefore, teachers cannot let skeptics keep them from following their philosophy for teaching in each and every subject. It is crucial for teacher to teach in the way that works for them and most importantly works for their students and their learning; no matter what other parties