Inquiry and Teaching Science

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Inquiry and Teaching Science

• TAMU - QU
• Methods for Teaching Science

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Objectives

• Explain the concept of inquiry, scientific
  inquiry, teaching science by inquiry, and
  teaching science as inquiry.
• Describe eight strategies and techniques to
  initiate and sustain inquiry-based science
• Demonstrate instructional strategies and
  techniques that engage students in finding out.

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Phrases that are used often in science reference
and research literature

• Inquiry learning
• Science as inquiry
• Science as process
• Scientific inquiry
• Discovery learning

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What is Inquiry?

• Scientific inquiry refers to the diverse ways
  in which scientists study the natural world and
  propose explanations based on the evidence
  derived from their work. Inquiry also refers to
  the activities of students in which they develop
  knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas,
  as well as an understanding of how scientists
  study the natural world.
• (National Science Education Standards, 1996)

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Scientific Inquiry

• Two critical aspects to consider
• There is a process of finding out
• There is a product of the search
• A lot of school science is just presenting
  products of the search. Inquiry allows students
  to experience the process of finding out.

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Differences between inquiry learning and
discovery learning

• Discovery is more limited in scope than inquiry.
• Discovery means to figure out something for ones
  self.
• Science as inquiry has many more elements than
  discovery, some of which do not include figuring
  out something by ones self.
• Scientists often read other literature and
  consult other professionals to help answer
  questions.

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Content

• Body of knowledge that results from scientific
  activity as well as the ideas upon which
  knowledge is built.
• Includes facts, concepts, laws, principles, and
  theories used to explain objects and events.
• Knowledge and understanding about the world is
  the major goal of scientific inquiry.

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Content with process

• Includes the process of finding out something in
  science teaching
• Methods, techniques, and laboratory equipment
  scientists use are important parts of the
  scientific process
• Laboratory experiments and investigations
  designed to answer questions are essential

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Process with content

• Main focus is to engage students in finding out
  about events and various phenomena
• Used to promote active student engagement and to
  teach students to inquire
• Hands-on activities are the focus, along with
  some student understanding of the content
• Caution Science process skills are best
  learned in the context of important science
  content. Activities should include evaluation
  because students can be busy but learn very
  little.

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Inquiry Process Skills

• Observing
• Using space/time relationships
• Using numbers
• Classifying
• Measuring
• Communicating
• Predicting
• Inferring
• Controlling variables
• Interpreting data
• Formulating hypotheses
• Defining operationally
• Experimenting

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Process approach

• Used in science teaching to promote inquiry and
  discovery learning
• Main goal is to teach students investigative
  skills used by scientists
• De-emphasizes critical science content
• Note Approach is not recommended by
  decades of research

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Four ways to view inquiry and science instruction
Process with Content
Content with Process
Process (not supported by research)
Content
Teaching science as inquiry
Teaching science by inquiry
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Examples of Inquiry Methods

• Making observations
• Posing questions
• Examining books
• Planning investigations
• Reviewing what is already known
• Using tools
• Proposing answers
• Identifying assumptions