1. Inquiry
Dr. Charles Ophardt
EDU 370

2. Defining Inquiry
Inquiry is how scientists study the natural world - Part of nature of science - Processes of science
Inquiry as a Teaching Technique Problem solving Student centered Hand’s on Activities

3. Inquiry as a Process of Science
Scientific method
Question
Hypothesis
Experimentation controlling and changing variables
Observations and Data Gathering
Conclusions and Explanations

4. Inquiry - Process of Science II
Scientific method
A step-by-step process that may be followed in order to conduct scientific studies.
Is quite restrictive in its scope. Scientists usually do not walk through the method sequentially. May form a new hypothesis during experimentation.
Studies based upon observation in which no experimentation is performed are also valid scientific studies.

5. Inquiry - Process of Science III
Hypothesis
A student may tell you "A hypothesis is an educated guess.” This is not an adequate response.
A hypothesis is a statement, based on previous observations, that can be tested scientifically.

6. Inquiry - Process of Science IV
Observations and inferences.
Observations describe an environment based on our five senses.
Inference is bringing our past experience into making a judgment based on an observation. It is also the start of an explanation.
Scientific facts are observable phenomenon in a particular situation. "Dinosaurs were cold-blooded" is not a scientific fact, because this phenomenon cannot be observed

7. Inquiry - Process of Science V
Theories.
In common usage, theories are often ideas that have not been validated.
In science, a theory has a much stronger meaning.
Scientific theories are broadly based concepts that make sense of a large body of observations and experimentation.
Theories successfully tie together a huge amount of information that has been validated

8. Inquiry - Process of Science VI - Nature of Theories.
Because inductive reasoning starts with data, scientific theories must be based on data.
Scientific theories must be logically falsifiable.
Scientific theories must be empirically testable, or lead to predictions or retrodictions that are testable.
Scientific theories must make verified predictions or retrodictions.
Scientific theories must concern reproducible results.
Scientific theories must not postulate anything unnecessary.

9. Features of Classroom Inquiry
Students engaged:
Science questions and problems
Give priority to evidence to develop and evaluate explanations
Formulate explanation from evidence
Evaluate explanations
Communicate explanations

10. Inquiry Based Instruction
Structured Inquiry
Guided Inquiry
Open Inquiry

11. Structured Inquiry Students given: Problem to solve
Method to solve problem
Necessary Materials
But not expected outcomes
Student expected to discover concept and generalize from data collected

12. Guided Inquiry Student need to:
In addition to the items in structured inquiry,
Must figure out their own method to solve the problem

13. Open Inquiry In addition to the items in structured inquiry,
Must also formulate their own question
Must figure out their own method to solve the problem
Most closely “mimics” actions of scientists

14. Inquiry Models of Teaching
Inductive Inquiry
Discovery Learning
Problem solving
Deductive Inquiry

15. Inductive Inquiry Start with simple questions Observe lots of objects
Gather information
Find patterns
Discover concepts and theories

16. Deductive Inquiry Reverse of Inductive Inquiry
Give concepts, principles, or theories
Activities are designed to help understand concept
Look for evidence
Apply concepts

17. Discovery Learning Very similar to deductive inquiry
Designed to assimilate new concepts and principles
Engaged in observing, measuring, Inferring, predicting, classifying

18. Problems Solving Can be student generated
Not traditional numerical problems
Can be more global in nature
Could focus on process skills

19. References
Inquiry Models of Teaching
Inquiry and NSES