Inquiry in the Science Classroom:

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Inquiry in the Science Classroom

• The E2020 Program

Weaver Group Jason L. Steward
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Learning science is something that students do,
not something that is done to them.

• (NRC, 1996)

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Inquiry

• Inquiry-based learning in the science classroom
  takes advantage of students innate curiosity
• Students are encouraged to devise their own
  experiments to test their scientific questions
• Students are given chances to refine and repeat
  their experiments

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Elements of Inquiry

• Observation
• Questioning
• Experimental Design
• Data Collection
• Data Analysis
• Repeating
• Reporting/Peer Review

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Research Goals

• Devise instruments to quantify level of inquiry
  used in the classroom
• Determine effectiveness of inquiry-based methods
  on student learning, interest, and motivation
• Explore the effect of inquiry-based teaching
  methods on teacher/student attitudes
• Identify possible barriers to the implementation
  of inquiry-based methods in the classroom
• The utilization of both quantitative and
  qualitative methods in data collection

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Background of the E2020 Program
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Teachers working with scientists

• Teachers are paired with experienced researchers
  from universities.
• First-hand experience in laboratories to see
  scientific inquiry in action.
• Teachers are able to see how the process of
  inquiry is initiated and carried-out in the real
  world.
• Experiments with researcher-mentors carried out
  over a six-week period.

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Summer Workshop

• Workshops are used to further explore the use of
  inquiry in the classroom.
• Teachers receive assistance on how to implement
  their ideas in the classroom.

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Implementation in the classroom

• Teachers and students work on project throughout
  school year
• Inquiry is not a one-time learning experience it
  is an ongoing process
• Project can be related to the authentic research
  done during summer
• Project based on students questions
• Students should have ownership of the scientific
  questions to give context and make data
  collection more relevant (Moss, Abrams, and
  Kull).

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Assessment Goals

• Within the domain of inquiry-based education,
  categorize teachers based on the amount of
  inquiry used in the classroom.
• Correlate student outcomes within teacher
  categories.
• Attitude/Interest
• Understanding of the scientific process
• Variable manipulation within experimentation

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Preliminary Assessment Trends 2001-2002 group

• Attitude
• Correlation of post-year student attitude scores
  (Likert scale) vs. teacher scores (frequency of
  activities the students observed in the classroom
  throughout the year)
• I like to figure out tough problems without
  anybody elses help (r .986, p.014)
• I will sometimes do more work than is required
  in science just because it is interesting (r
  .920, p.080)
• What I learn in my science class is useful in
  everyday life (r .909, p.091)
• Computers are useful in my science class (r
  .938, p.062)

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Preliminary Assessment Trends2001-2002 group

• Paired T-test on pretest and posttest attitude
  scores (Likert scale).
• Posttests showed an increase in means for the
  following statements
• I enjoy science (p.003)
• I will sometimes do more work than is required
  in science just because it is interesting
  (p.084)
• What I learn in my science class is useful in
  everyday life (p.012)
• It is important to me to do well in science
  class(p.033)

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Future Research

• E2020
• 2002-2003 group data will be analyzed to detect
  trends
• Teacher interviews in April/May 2003
• Inquiry
• Study the utilization and occurrence of inquiry
  at the undergraduate and graduate levels