Using inquiry to teach abstract concepts in secondary science Melanie Isaacs Learning & Teaching Branch Office for Government School Education

Our challenge Watters & Diezmann (2003) School Science (a typical science classroom) World Science (science in practice) Problems are well defined and devised by teachers curriculum designers or publishers Problems are ill-defined and identified by practitioners – problem identification is as important as problem solution Focus is on communicating content, facts or on testing established theories Focus is on finding out the unknown or generating theory There is assumed to be a right answer to a problem (failures are attributed to methodology) Failure is important as an outcome of testing a theory – experience is the greatest teacher Science content is discrete based on technical rationality with systems being considered in isolation or clustered as traditional disciplines Content is integrated and holistic. Social, economic and ethical issues are significant considerations with reliance on skills of persuasion and argument

What characterises inquiry learning in science?

What is inquiry based learning? Arthur L. Costa: It means that students are involved, that students reflect, that students ask questions, that students identify and surface problems, that they form their own theories. And this is a little bit different than typical kinds of classrooms where either the curriculum or the teacher thinks that they have the information that students need and they transmit it to the students. So this is one in which kids solve problems and reflect on those problem-solving processes rather than having the teacher tell them what is needed to be known and the teacher transmits that knowledge. And, instead, the students are forming their own knowledge.

What characteristics make inquiry valuable in learning science?

Inquiry promotes powerful learning in science restructuring existing ideas awareness of purposes; linking practical activities to science ideas reflection and metacognition thinking laterally and creatively sharing intellectual control connecting to everyday experiences; issues of science in society coming up with some of the scientific explanation themselves

Integrating inquiry Inquiry often focuses on the process of developing science ideas or the application of predetermined science models and has limited connection to the core understandings being developed Students’ experience of inquiry can be of something that is distinct from other science learning Inquiry needs to be focussed on the actual concepts we are developing with students – this can be difficult when the concepts are very abstract

Some traps we fall into when working with abstract concepts … Exploring analogies and not linking these to the real system Using library research as inquiry Presenting ideas through direct teaching Using single investigations to ‘prove’ complex phenomena Skating over the time required for the scientific community to move from naïve conceptions to these ideas; expecting students to move far more quickly

How can we develop inquiry approaches for abstract concepts? Eg… –The particle model –The dynamic structure of the Earth –Genetics and evolution

Science Continuum P-10 VELS Science standards Science Knowledge & Understanding Science at Work Science concept development maps MatterLiving thingsForces & motionEarth & space Focus Ideas Student everyday experiences vs scientific view Critical teaching ideas Teaching strategies Links to further resources

The particle model Students are often encouraged to inquire about different states of matter and to use the particle model to explain their observations. Can we support students to engage in inquiry learning about the particle model itself?

Inquiring into the particle model Solids The particles are close together, stay in one position, but do keep vibrating. Liquids The particles are close together, but keep swapping places, they keep moving. Gases The particles are a long way apart, move very quickly, bounce around the container, collide hard with each other and the walls.

Challenge the answer Some student challenges: Why do particles always move… keep colliding? [Wouldn’t] water fall between the holes in the particles of a cup?

Challenge the answer Why do atoms [in gases] float and not us? Why doesn’t a hole in a solid fill up if they are always moving? Why can’t I feel [or see] a table vibrating? How do the particles get stuck together? Are the particles hard or soft, what shape are they, are they coloured? How can particles make us?

Inquiring into the particle model Start from students’ conceptions and questions Use thought experiments (eg. What would happen if we stuck an incredibly tiny needle into a particle of gas?) Practise using the model Promote reflection on how ideas have changed

Dynamic structure of the Earth The structure of the Earth is beyond our experience – the deepest drill has only penetrated 2% of the distance to the centre of the Earth 2 significant issues: –What we know –How we know

An inquiry approach… What do we already know? Animations of tectonic plates, volcanoes and earthquakes can be explored and can enable students to recognise patterns in the data With careful support, students can then infer/hypothesise some aspects of the internal structure of the Earth Students can gather evidence for their theories through research The challenge is to choose the right moments to provide key information!

Role of simulations and models Can facilitate observation of certain phenomena and enable students to experiment with phenomena Powerful, but can be a danger zone - represent ‘cleaned up’ versions of the complex and messy real world

Key principles Focus inquiry around the development and justification of key models in the area of study Attend to student conceptions and use these as a prompt for inquiry Structure inquiries to provide opportunities for students to recognise the patterns in data that the big ideas or models seek to explain Structure inquiries for students to test the models in different contexts