Inquiry: The Heart and Soul of Science Education Michael Padilla Clemson University

Scientific Inquiry “More and more jobs demand advanced skills, requiring that people be able to learn, reason, think creatively, make decisions, and solve problems.” National Science Education Standards p.1

What is Scientific Inquiry?  Discuss attributes of inquiry with a neighbor.  Make a list of attributes that describe inquiry.  Hands-up exercise.

What is Scientific Inquiry? Hands-up Quiz  Questioning  Evidence  Communicating  Rigid steps in a process  A social activity  Teacher questioning  Creativity  Using books and other resources  A teaching technique  Students arguing and exchanging opinions  Wonder and excitement

Inquiry Defined Inquiry is a multifaceted activity that involves :  Making observations;  Posing questions;  Examining books and other sources of information to see what is already known;  Planning investigations;  Reviewing what is already known in light of experimental evidence;  Using tools to gather, analyze, and interpret data;  Proposing answers, explanations, and predictions; and  Communicating the results.

The Scientific World View Science  Demands evidence  Is a blend of logic and imagination  Explains and predicts  Is inquiry  Is a complex social activity Science For All Americans

Inquiry Task  Predict how many times you can fold a piece of paper in half.  Test your prediction.  Design an experiment to test whether the number of folds differs depending on the size of paper.  Perform your experiment and draw a conclusion.

What Would You Expect of Students?  Identify important variables Manipulated /Independent Responding/dependent Controlled  Develop a hypothesis  Design an experiment to test the question  Carry out the experiment  Collect data  Make sense of and communicate with others about the data

But Inquiry Is More!  How could you practice inquiry while: Reading text or trade books Writing about science Answering questions about text graphics Discussing lab data Conversing about current events Even while discussing responses to homework

Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry  Learners are engaged by scientifically oriented questions.  Learners give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate explanations that address scientifically oriented questions.  Learners formulate explanations from evidence to address scientifically oriented questions.  Learners evaluate their explorations in light of alternative explanations, particularly those reflecting scientific understanding.  Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations. Inquiry and the national science education standards: A guide for teaching and learning, 25.

TIMSS Lesson Analysis Study Ogura and Matsubara (1999) The best lessons:  Emphasize depth of understanding vs. correct answers.  Allow students to focus on their doubts and predictions.  Encourage creative and individual ideas.  Promote exchange of opinions among students.  Utilize methods to support and facilitate student thought.

Teaching Strategies that Promote Inquiry –Hands Up Quiz  Asking questions.  Encouraging students to elaborate answers.  Giving students hints and suggestions.  Prompting students to cite evidence for their claims.  Using silence and wait time.  Asking students to justify their answers.  Using neutral responses to encourage elaboration.  Having students write justifications.  Stimulating student to student questions and interaction.