Pedagogical Approaches to Science Instruction ~Defining Inquiry~ Bay Area Science Project @ Oakland Unified School District POSIT ~ 2007

AGENDA Introduction Defining Inquiry through Practice Rotating Stations Debrief The Inquiry Continuum & Subtle Shifts Investigable Questions Connecting Inquiry to Student Learning Closing Questions

Pedagogical Approaches to Science Instruction

Exploration Explore 4 stations - rotate as a group. Observe and interact with the materials or answer questions. Think about what you would like to explore further (what you wonder) and write your questions on the index cards.

Exploration…

Debrief - Reflect and Write What was your experience as a learner at each station? Did the sequence make a difference? Which station represents the style in which you mostly teach? Think about the array of students you have and how different students might respond to different approaches

Station Activities Structured Activity Guided Inquiry Open-ended Exploration Read and Answer

Defining Inquiry The Inquiry Continuum Structured Inquiry, teacher provides learners with a hands-on problem to investigate, as well as procedures and materials, but does not inform them of expected outcomes.

Goals of Structured Inquiry Introduce concepts, vocabulary, processes, skills, and investigation methods Guide students toward specific discoveries Provide a common base of experiences

Defining Inquiry The Inquiry Continuum Guided Inquiry, teacher provides only the materials and problem to investigate. Learners devise their own procedure to solve the problem.

Goals of Guided Inquiry Challenge/application Provide a sense of accomplishment Challenge students’ conceptual understanding and skills by applying them to new situations Develop deeper and broader understanding through real world applications

Defining Inquiry The Inquiry Continuum Open Inquiry, learners formulate their own problem to investigate, as well as the procedure to solve the problem. - Alan Colburn, An Inquiry Primer

Goals of Open Inquiry Generate questions Encourage students to work together without direct teacher instruction Develop and identify concepts, processes and skills, raise questions and problems

Goals of Read and Answer Provide specific content information and vocabulary on a topic Extend the information from an activity into descriptions of related experiences that are impractical in a classroom setting Provide alternative explanations and make connections into other subject areas

The Inquiry Continuum Teacher Learner Teacher Learner Teacher Learner Open Inquiry Guided Inquiry Structured Inquiry Demo Results Procedure Question Teacher Learner Teacher Learner Teacher Learner - Douglas Llewellyn, Inquire Within

What is Inquiry? What are the benefits of Inquiry centered science?

Defining Inquiry National Science Education Stds 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.“

Defining Inquiry National Science Education Stds Inquiry Learning “…Inquiry also refers to the activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas…”

Defining Inquiry National Science Education Stds Inquiry Learning, … is an active learning process “something that students do, not something that is done to them.” -- Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards

The Inquiry Cycle

The Inquiry Cycle

“non-investigable,” or II.Testable Questions Questions generated can be “investigable,” “non-investigable,” or “not sure”

Questions - Investigable - can be answered by something you can do in the lab or classroom

Questions Non-Investigable - can not be answered by something you do firsthand in the lab or classroom.

Examples of Investigable and non-Investigable questions

Develop or re-write your questions into investigable questions

The Inquiry Cycle

How Does Inquiry Support Students Learning?

The Connection to Learning Learners need to have opportunities to progress from concrete to abstract ideas. Learners construct their own understanding by taking an active role in their learning.

The Connection to Learning Learners construct understanding by connecting new information to what they already believe or know. Students and teachers, as a learning community, share responsibility for learning and collaborate on constructing understanding.

Implications for Instruction “Learning is something students do, not something done to them” -- NSE Standards, p.20

… to draw meaning out of experience… Inquiry … to draw meaning out of experience…

The End…

III.Experimental Design Investigations can be carried out through: “Systematic Observations” or “Experiments”

Designing Investigations Systematic Observations - setting up a situation according to a plan and then carefully observing it over time.

Designing Investigations Experiment - comparison between two situations keeping all things the same except one.

Designing Investigations Choose a question that you would be interested in investigating further Form groups of 3 or 4. Design an experiment or systematic observation to answer your question.

Designing Investigations Things to be changed… Things to stay the same… Results to be looked at… Plans to measure the outcome… Materials needed…

Designing Investigations Forming groups and designing investigations at the different grade levels Return to Cycle

IV.Discoveries - Making Connections & Constructing Meaning Make claims based on your evidence Connect your research to the California Science Standards or to course concepts to be taught. Return to Cycle

V.Dissemination - Constructing Meaning & Presenting Findings Present your findings. Connect your research to the California Science Standards or to course concepts to be taught. Connect these concepts to real-world applications. Return to Cycle