Inquiry

Dr. Dennis S. Kubasko, Jr.

EDN 406

Position Statement Teaching through Inquiry is but one

process to engage our students A powerful tool!

Question strategies Resources Different styles

Experienced vs. Novice

Inquiry

Inquiry: Chiappetta Inquiry-Based Science Asking questions, resolving discrepancies,

figuring out patterns, representing ideas, discussing information, and solving problems

Historical Late 50’s and early 60’s

Post-Sputnik initiative

1990’s reform minded recommendation AAAS, NRC, and DeBoer

Inquiry: Chiappetta Two Approaches to inquiry

General inquiry: teaching science by inquiry Finding out about anything and everything Models scientists

Scientific inquiry: teach science as inquiry Active student learning and the importance of

understanding a scientific topic

Inquiry: Chiappetta Process rather than content

Questions around student personal interests Students engage in authentic science process skills:

stimulate same thinking patterns scientists use Discrepant events: puzzling students, causing then to

wonder Inductive activities: Experience before vocabulary Deductive activities: vocabulary before experience Gathering information: variety of resources Problem solving

Inquiry: Hackett Inquiry: Both Means and Ends Inquiry as defined by the National Science

Education Standards 1. Teaching Methods and Strategies 2. Content

Problems with Science Educators Either / or Inquiry as a means, understanding subject matter an end Understanding subject matter as a means, Inquiry as an

end

Inquiry: Hackett Inquiry as an outcome

Attaining student outcomes in science subject matter understanding as an end

Attaining student outcomes in inquiry-based skills and abilities as an end

Full inquiry invokes both inquiry-based skills and abilities and science subject matter understanding as an end

Achieving it all Science subject matter and scientific inquiry

Guided and structured investigations Intellectual ownership Assessments

Inquiry: Martin-Hansen Defining inquiry National Research Council (2000): “inquiry into

authentic questions generated from student experiences is the central strategy for teaching science.”

Inquiry refers to the work scientists do when they study the natural world, proposing explanations that include evidence gathered from the world around them.

Activities of students: posing questions, planning investigations, and reviewing what experimental evidence is already known

Inquiry: Martin-Hansen Open or full inquiry

Student-centered approach that begins with a student’s question, followed by a student designing and conducting an investigation or experiment and communicating results

Implementation: AP or Advanced classes Small class size Experienced teachers

Inquiry: Martin-Hansen Guided inquiry

Teacher chooses the investigation for the student

Teacher assists students develop the questions in class

Implementation: Can lead into full inquiry Introduce complex phenomenon All levels of students, smaller classes

Inquiry: Martin-Hansen Coupled inquiry

Combines a guided inquiry investigation with an open-inquiry investigation

5 steps: Invitation to inquiry, guided inquiry, open inquiry, inquiry resolution, assessment

Implementation: Upper levels of students: Large classes Lower levels of students: Small classes

Inquiry: Martin-Hansen Structured inquiry

Directed inquiry by the teacher Cookbook lesson implementation Endpoint or product is known Limited student engagement Implementation:

All levels: Large classes Teacher can take away components Beginning of the teacher evolution process

Inquiry: Koballa et al. The Spectrum of Scientific Literacy: Koballa NSES defines scientific literacy as “the

knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision making, participation in civic and cultural affairs and economic productivity.”

Educational goal? Something achievable by all students at the end of a period of instruction

Inquiry: Koballa et al. Three-dimensional framework

1. Level of scientific literacy Range of understanding and abilities that enable people to

function to different degrees in our scientific orientated world

Seven levels Figure 1: DNA Figure 2: General

Expectations now? Levels IV or V on many science related topics

Novice teacher verses experienced teacher Where should we expect our students to be?

Inquiry: Koballa et al. Multiple Domains

Profile of teacher understanding Biology, Physics, EES, Chemistry

Student profiles Scientific Literacy as a value

Different degrees of value for scientific literacy Social-cultural issue…does society have a need for

scientific literacy? Cloning? Stem-cell research? Missile defense system?

Global warming? Life-long objective