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Inquiry Scientific Research
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Inquiry Scientific Research

• What is inquiry?
• How does QuarkNet connect research
• to classroom science?
• How do YOU connect research
• to classroom science?

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Research in Education
Research in physics education is changing how
science is taught.
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National Science Education Standards

• Science is for all students.
• Learning science is an active process.
• School science reflects the practice of science.
• Improving science education is part
• of systemic education reform.

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All Facets Are Involved

• Teaching
• Professional Development
• Assessment
• Content
• Program
• System

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS emphasis on
• treating students as a whole.
• MORE emphasis on
• individual interests, strengths, needs.

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• rigidly following curriculum
• MORE
• selecting and adapting curriculum

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• focusing on student acquisition of information.
• MORE
• understanding and use of
• sc. knowledge, ideas,
• inquiry processes

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• lecture, text, and demos.
• MORE
• active, extended scientific inquiry

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• recitation of acquired knowledge.
• MORE
• scientific discussion debate.

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• testing for facts at end of unit.
• MORE
• continuously assessing.

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• teacher responsible for learning.
• MORE
• students sharing responsibility for learning.

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Changing Emphasis

• LESS
• competition for grades.
• MORE
• cooperation, shared responsibility, respect.

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LESS MORE
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Professional Development

• LESS
• learning science by lecture and reading.
• MORE
• learning science through investigations.

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Professional Development

• LESS
• separation of scientific and teaching knowledge.
• MORE
• integration of scientific teaching knowledge.

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Professional Development

• LESS
• teacher as technician.
• MORE
• teacher as intelligent, reflective practitioner.

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Professional Development

• LESS
• teacher as individual in classroom.
• MORE
• teacher as member of collegial professional
• community.

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Content

• LESS
• emphasis on knowing scientific facts.
• MORE
• understanding scientific concepts
• and developing inquiry abilities.

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Content

• LESS
• on covering many topics.
• MORE
• studying a few fundamental concepts.

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Content

• LESS
• separating scientific knowledge and
• scientific process.
• MORE
• integrating all aspects of scientific content.

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Inquiry
What is INQUIRY?
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Inquiry
The action of seeking . . . of asking . . .
Curiosity is the centerpiece of inquiry.
We all start our lives as inquirers.
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Inquiry
is a way of thinking, of processing,
of operating in the world.
. . .is bounded by repeatability of results, by
self-consistency . . .
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Scientific Inquiry

• is concerned with content as well as process.
• is learning to ask good questions
• as much as getting good answers.
• occurs within the framework of previous
• knowledge.
• is concerned with gathering of evidence.

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Scientific Inquiry

• is personally-driven.
• is developed in scientists through
• mentoring over long periods of time.
• involves the skills of
• directed observations
• problem solving
• analysis
• experimentation

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Teachers Guide Inquiry

• Teachers shift attitude, not the curriculum.
• Teachers actively practice inquiry process, too.
• Teachers are sages - facilitators,
• but not on stage.

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Doing Science!

• Science is what students do,
• NOT what is done to them.

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Students

• experience inquiry and construct knowledge
• NOT lists of facts and formula to memorize.
• NOT limited to theory - must allow multiple
  results
• (Not found in most labs!)
• NOT all hands-on. They use many resources.

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Promoting Student Inquiry

• Students
• investigate and analyze science questions.
• use process skills in the context of
  investigation.
• do longer investigations.
• design the investigations.

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Promoting Student Inquiry

• Students
• use evidence for revising explanations.
• use science as argument and explanation.
• communicate scientific explanations.

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Inquiry and QuarkNet
Inquiry in the science classroom should mirror as
closely as possible the doing of real science.
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Inquiry and QuarkNet
QuarkNet teachers will do real science with you.
QuarkNet students will learn by using inquiry
that models real science.