Inquiry-based Science

1
Inquiry-based Science Math Instruction
2
Review

• What is inquiry?
• What are the kinds of things that we expect
  students to be doing in an inquiry-based
  approach?
• What are the points along the inquiry continuum?

3
Inquiry Continuum

• Confirmation Labs
• Directed Inquiry
• Confirmation Inquiry
• Open Inquiry

4
Simplifying Inquiry Instruction Article

• According to the authors, what are the key
  features of inquiry-based instruction?
• What is the authors take on internet or library
  research (in terms of inquiry)?
• Based on the authors framework, provide an
  example of a common science/math ed activity
• Inquiry
• Non-inquiry

5
Multiple ways of classifying a lesson

• Student centered v. Teacher centered
• Bell et al.s focus on questions data
• Inquiry continuum Confirmation Directed/Guided
  Open

6
Figure 1 Activity Series

• 2A)
• Student Centered-No
• Bells Inquiry-No
• Inquiry Continuum-N/A

• 2a) Teacher defines describes the El Nino
  effect by using text and images found on the
  internet.
• 2b) Students go to the library to find newspaper
  accounts describing the impact of El Nino on the
  California coast. They then summarize what they
  find in a two-page written report.
• 2c) Students select a location in the US then
  search the Internet for monthly temperature data
  for this location for the most recent El Nino
  year to the average temperature data for the past
  50 years in order to assess the impact of El Nino
  on that particular location.

• 2B)
• Student Centered-Yes
• Bells Inquiry-No
• Inquiry Continuum-N/A

• 2c)
• Student Centered-Yes
• Bells Inquiry-Yes
• Inquiry Continuum- Guided/Directed

7
Group Task

• Small groups Develop an activity sequence (at
  least 3 variations of the same activity). Each of
  the variations should be classified differently
  based on the 3 taxonomies.
• Individuals will partner with a person from
  another group. The partners will classify each
  others work.

8
Why Classify?

• Do all learning activities need to be
  student-centered, focused on student
  collection/analysis of data, and moving toward
  higher levels of inquiry? NO!!!
• These taxonomies can help us think about how we
  structure learning experiences and promote
  diversity in learning experiences.