Science Curriculum Design (Hawai‘i International Conference on Education) Francis M. Pottenger III, PhD January 8, 2010

What Is Inquiry? Inquiry is a cognitive survival mechanism of our species. Inquiry is how we humans know and make sense of our surroundings. In sum, inquiry is the multiple ways we discover, invent, and test answers and solutions to questions and problems, and make conclusions about their usefulness.

Inquiry is a process of considered thought in contrast to reflexive response. Out of inquiry, we construct a mental virtual reality, an analog of our surroundings and ourselves; thus, we are constructivists; we are makers of knowledge. We correct our mental versions of the world by personal inquiry into natural phenomena and the knowledge of others.

Infrastructure Knowledge Generation Existing Knowledge Informal Knowlege Directed by inquiring person Personally produced knowledge Creates a heuristic problem solutions, testing, and interpretation Creates new knowledge Directed by inquiring person individual receiver Personally, acquired knowledge Learn of another’s problem solutions, tests, and interpretations Learns existing knowledge Formal Knowlege Directed by a community Individual producer Community produced knowledge Creates a rule-based problem solutions, testing, interpretation, and community validated products • Creates new knowledge • Directed by a community • Individual receiver • Community instructed knowledge • Learn products of rule-based problem solving, testing, interpretation, and community validation • Learns existing knowledge

Associated Members of the Natural Science Disciplines

Structural Elements of Disciplines King and Brownell A discipline is a community of persons. A discipline is an expression of human imagination. A discipline is a domain. A discipline is a mode of inquiry. A discipline is a tradition. A discipline is a conceptual structure. A discipline is a specialized language or other system of symbols. A discipline is a heritage of literature and artifacts and networks of communication. A discipline is a valuing and affective stance. A discipline is an instructive community.

Instructional Models

Modes of Inquiry

Taxonomy of Inquiry

Taxonomy of Inquiry (part 2)

Proto-curiousity Structural Profile

Curiousity Inquiry Structural Profile

Replicative Structural Profile

Technological Structural Profile

Informal Personal Learning Profile

Formal Authoritative Community Instruction

Evaluative Structural Profile

Quantitative Structural Profile

Communicative Structural Profile

Deductive Structural Profile

Deductive Structural Profile

Explanatory-Experimental Inquiry

Theoretic Structural Profile

Operations of the Phases of Disciplinary Inquiry

CONTENT IN UPPER ELEMENTARY GRADES BIOLOGICAL NEED Social Bonding Learning Communication Control of Self and Others Acquisitiveness Curiosity Aesthetic Balance TECHNOLOGY Mental Health Systems Education Systems Communication Sys. Government Merchandizing, Banking Systems All Technologies Music, Art, Drama, Writing DISCIPLINARY AREAS Astronomy Chemistry Biology Earth Science Physics Ecology Health Nutrition Information Science Ethics Economics

Interpersonal Bonding CONTENT IN LOWER ELEMENTARY GRADES BIOLOGICAL NEED Air Water Food Sleep Elimination Reproduction Disease/Injury Prot. Thermal Protection Exercise Mobility Interpersonal Bonding Learning Communication Curiousity Aesthetic Bonding TECHNOLOGY Ventilation Plumbing, Hydrology Hunting, Gathering, Herding, Farming Shelter Crafts Sanitation Animal Breeding Medicine Tailoring Sports Transportation, Wayfinding Family, Community Schooling Language, Graphics All Technologies Music, Art, Drama SCIENCE Descriptive Meteorology Natural History Astronomy

What is Socratic Inquiry flexible, interactive tool that allows the user to explore new ideas, build on ideas, jog memories, and explore knowledge status interactive involving teacher and student student(s) attempts to invent an answer to satisfy teacher’s testing question and teacher invents next testing question to guide student’s response in desired pathway