Teaching Inquiry

1. Teaching Inquiry • The BSCS 5E Model

2. What is Inquiry? • Inquiry is a general term for the processes by which scientific knowledge is developed. • Scientific inquiry encompasses the processes in which scientists ask questions, make predictions, carry out investigations, gather evidence, and propose explanations.

3. School Inquiry • Inquiry in science education is a thinking skill that can extend beyond science class. • Students learn to ask questions, gather appropriate evidence, and use evidence to support their conclusions. • School inquiry is usually much less sophisticated than authentic scientific inquiry.

4. Types of Scientific Studies • Experiments: testing hypotheses by manipulating variables. • Correlational studies: finding connections between different phenomena. • Descriptive studies: discovering, describing, classifying, and categorizing.

5. Myths About Inquiry • “Inquiry is doing hands-on science.” • “If students do inquiry, they will understand inquiry.” • “Inquiry is using the scientific method.” • “Inquiry is unstructured and chaotic.” • “Inquiry is asking students questions.”

6. Inquiry Continuum • “Cookbook” labs tend to fall at the “Teacher Guided” end of the continuum. • Independent projects arising from a student question fall at the “Learner Self-Directed” end of the continuum. • Between the two ends falls guided inquiry.

7. Essential Features of Inquiry

8. Engagement • Students must first be engaged by a driving question about a natural event.

9. Evidence • Students give priority to evidence rather than opinion or belief when addressing scientifically-oriented questions.

10. Explanations • Students use evidence to develop explanations about natural events in order to answer their questions.

11. Evaluate • Students evaluate their explanations by considering alternative explanations, and consider which is best supported by evidence.

12. Communicate • Students clearly communicate their findings to others and justify their explanations using evidence.

13. The 5E Model

14. BSCS 5E Model • The 5E Instructional Model of Inquiry was developed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) • The model is grounded in constructivism. • The 5E model is one model, but not the only model, for teaching inquiry.

15. Engage • An introductory stage where the teacher captures the students’ interest. This may involve: • demonstration • reading aloud • assessing prior knowledge • asking questions

16. Explore • Students carry out cooperative activities to explore the topic and to develop a common set of concrete knowledge.

17. Explain • Students develop their own explanations and listen to each other’s. The teacher clarifies concepts, introduces vocabulary, and may correct misconceptions.

18. Elaborate • Students carry out further activities to deepen their knowledge, answer new questions, or confront misconceptions.

19. Evaluate • The teacher evaluates student learning of concepts and skills. • Evaluation may lead into a new 5E cycle of learning to expand on or correct concepts.