Inquiry
Strategy Summary
What is Inquiry?
Scientific inquiry is an effective strategy used by many educators. Inquiry was originally and formally defined by the National Research Council (NRC) in the National Science Education Standards (NSES) as “the activities through which students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world” (NRC, 1996). This is often done through open-ended, student centered, and hands-on activities (Colburn, 2000). By participating in inquiry, students come to understand how and why scientific knowledge changes, and are also able to construct new ideas upon their current understandings (Olsen & Loucks-Horsley, 2000). According to the NRC (1996), there are six fundamental abilities that students will gain while engaging through inquiry
1. Identify questions and conept
2. Design and conduct scientific investigations
3. Use appropriate technologies
4. Formulate and revise scientific explanations
5. Recognize and analyze
6. Communicate and defend a scientific arguement
Levels of Inquiry
According to Power (2012), there is a continuum of inquiry levels: low, medium and high
Five Essential Features
According to Olsen & Loucks-Horsely (2000), the process of science inquiry in schools mimics that of a researcher trying to expand their knowledge of the natural world. The NRC (1996) lists five essential features of scientific inquiry
1. Scientifically oriented questions
2. Evidence collected by students
3. Explanations developed by students based on the evidence they collect
4. Evaluation of students work and explanations
5. Communication and justification of results
How Inquiry Relates to Next Generation Science Standards
More recently, the NRC revamped the National Science Education Standards to create the Next Generation Science Standards. In these, the NRC extended the definition of inquiry in science and “the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires” (NRC, 2013). In the NGSS, the practice of scientific inquiry is replaced by engineering design. The two are very similar, with the main difference being that scientific inquiry “involves the formulation of a question that can be answered through investigation, while engineering design involves the formulation of a problem that can be solved through design” (NRC, 2013). The hope is that these new standards will demonstrate the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in students’ everyday lives (NRC, 2013). The focus of these new standards is on practices such as modeling, developing explanations, and engaging in critique and evaluation (argumentation). Critique is stressed as an essential element with the belief that “knowing why the wrong answer is wrong can help secure a deeper and stronger understanding of why the right answer is right” (NRC, 2012).
Scientific inquiry is an effective strategy used by many educators. Inquiry was originally and formally defined by the National Research Council (NRC) in the National Science Education Standards (NSES) as “the activities through which students develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world” (NRC, 1996). This is often done through open-ended, student centered, and hands-on activities (Colburn, 2000). By participating in inquiry, students come to understand how and why scientific knowledge changes, and are also able to construct new ideas upon their current understandings (Olsen & Loucks-Horsley, 2000). According to the NRC (1996), there are six fundamental abilities that students will gain while engaging through inquiry
1. Identify questions and conept
2. Design and conduct scientific investigations
3. Use appropriate technologies
4. Formulate and revise scientific explanations
5. Recognize and analyze
6. Communicate and defend a scientific arguement
Levels of Inquiry
According to Power (2012), there is a continuum of inquiry levels: low, medium and high
- Low: The teacher is directing learning with a highly structured inquiry model, where the teacher provides the question and methods. This level of inquiry is often used to reinforce a concept that has already been introduced.
- Middle: The teacher is guiding inquiry but the students create their own questions and explanations after some modeling.
- High: Solely student-guided, or “open inquiry,” where students create their own question and methods. This level of inquiry is often used to introduce students to new concepts or go further into detail regarding previous concepts. Power also states that the continuum of inquiry “provides increasing levels of cognitive challenge and enables students to develop deeper knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts” (Power, 2012).
Five Essential Features
According to Olsen & Loucks-Horsely (2000), the process of science inquiry in schools mimics that of a researcher trying to expand their knowledge of the natural world. The NRC (1996) lists five essential features of scientific inquiry
1. Scientifically oriented questions
2. Evidence collected by students
3. Explanations developed by students based on the evidence they collect
4. Evaluation of students work and explanations
5. Communication and justification of results
How Inquiry Relates to Next Generation Science Standards
More recently, the NRC revamped the National Science Education Standards to create the Next Generation Science Standards. In these, the NRC extended the definition of inquiry in science and “the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires” (NRC, 2013). In the NGSS, the practice of scientific inquiry is replaced by engineering design. The two are very similar, with the main difference being that scientific inquiry “involves the formulation of a question that can be answered through investigation, while engineering design involves the formulation of a problem that can be solved through design” (NRC, 2013). The hope is that these new standards will demonstrate the importance of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in students’ everyday lives (NRC, 2013). The focus of these new standards is on practices such as modeling, developing explanations, and engaging in critique and evaluation (argumentation). Critique is stressed as an essential element with the belief that “knowing why the wrong answer is wrong can help secure a deeper and stronger understanding of why the right answer is right” (NRC, 2012).
Novel Synthesis
Our novel synthesis involves differentiating between the different age groups and appropriate use of inquiry. We have divided up Teton Science School's Science Circle and written about best practices regarding the National Science Education Standards from 1996 (NSES) and the Next Generation Science Standards from 2012 (NGSS), as well as information we learned during Advanced Instructional Strategies (AIS).
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Related Learning Goals
References
Colburn, A. (2000). An inquiry primer. Science scope, 23(6), 42-44.
Doran, G. T. (1981). "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives", Management Review, Vol. 70, Issue 11, pp. 35-36.
National Science Teachers Association. (2004). NSTA position statement: Scientific inquiry. Retrieved online June 30, 2010.
National Research Council. (1996). The National Science Education Standards. National Academy Press.
National Research Council. (2013). Three Dimensional Learning. Next
Generation Science Standards. Retrieved Decemeber 15, 2016 from http://www.nextgenscience.org/three-dimensions
National Research Council. (2012). A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices,
Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. National Academics Press.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (2005). Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry. Center for Curriculum Development.
Olson, S., & Loucks-Horsley, S. (Eds.). (2000). Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A guide for teaching and learning. National Academies Press.
Power, B. (2012, December). Enriching students’ intellectual diet through inquiry based learning. Libri, 62(4), 305-325.
Ralston Elementary School. (2015, December 15). Inquiry-Based Learning: From
Teacher-Guided to Student-Driven. Retrieved from Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/practice/inquiry-based-learning-teacher-guided-student-driven
Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-Based Learning. (2016, August 12). Retrieved from Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/article/inquiry-based-learning-resources-downloads
Teton Science Schools. (2016). Science as a Verb: Science Circle. Retrieved from TSS: Field Education : http://www.tetonscience.org/index.cfm?id=school_youth_science
The Lawrence Hall of Science. (2016). Resources for Outdoor Science Programs. Retrieved from Beetles: Science and Teaching for Field Instructors. Retrieved from http://beetlesproject.org/
The Real Process of Science. (n.d.). Unbderstanding Science. Retrieved from
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_02
Doran, G. T. (1981). "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives", Management Review, Vol. 70, Issue 11, pp. 35-36.
National Science Teachers Association. (2004). NSTA position statement: Scientific inquiry. Retrieved online June 30, 2010.
National Research Council. (1996). The National Science Education Standards. National Academy Press.
National Research Council. (2013). Three Dimensional Learning. Next
Generation Science Standards. Retrieved Decemeber 15, 2016 from http://www.nextgenscience.org/three-dimensions
National Research Council. (2012). A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices,
Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. National Academics Press.
National Institute of General Medical Sciences. (2005). Doing Science: The Process of Scientific Inquiry. Center for Curriculum Development.
Olson, S., & Loucks-Horsley, S. (Eds.). (2000). Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards: A guide for teaching and learning. National Academies Press.
Power, B. (2012, December). Enriching students’ intellectual diet through inquiry based learning. Libri, 62(4), 305-325.
Ralston Elementary School. (2015, December 15). Inquiry-Based Learning: From
Teacher-Guided to Student-Driven. Retrieved from Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/practice/inquiry-based-learning-teacher-guided-student-driven
Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-Based Learning. (2016, August 12). Retrieved from Edutopia: https://www.edutopia.org/article/inquiry-based-learning-resources-downloads
Teton Science Schools. (2016). Science as a Verb: Science Circle. Retrieved from TSS: Field Education : http://www.tetonscience.org/index.cfm?id=school_youth_science
The Lawrence Hall of Science. (2016). Resources for Outdoor Science Programs. Retrieved from Beetles: Science and Teaching for Field Instructors. Retrieved from http://beetlesproject.org/
The Real Process of Science. (n.d.). Unbderstanding Science. Retrieved from
http://undsci.berkeley.edu/article/0_0_0/howscienceworks_02