Scientific Inquiry

13 February, 2009

Scientific Inquiry

What is it?

- Your definition

- NSTA Position Statement

- Other internet resources

Scientific Inquiry

Characteristics Asking & identifying questionsDesigning & conducting investigationsUsing appropriate technology & toolsFormulating & revising explanations/modelsAnalyzing alternative explanations/modelsCommunicating resultsGenerating new questions

From National Science Education Standards

Scientific Inquiry

Table 2-5. 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 explanations in light of alternative explanations, particularly those reflecting scientific understanding

Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations.

From National Science Education Standards (Ch. 2 p. 25)

Levels of Scientific Inquiry

Confirmation/Verification - students confirm a principle through a prescribed activity when the results are known in advance.

Structured Inquiry - students investigate a teacher-presented question through a prescribed procedure.

Guided Inquiry - students investigate a teacher-presented question using student designed/selected procedures.

Open Inquiry - students investigate topic-related questions that are student formulated through student designed/selected procedures.

From: http://edweb.sdsu.edu/wip/four_levels.htm

Levels of Scientific Inquiry

What is given to the learner?

Level of Inquiry Problem? Procedure? Solution?

Confirmation – 0                           

Structured – 1                             

Guided – 2                               

Open - 3                                 

Herron, M.D. (1971). The nature of scientific enquiry. School Review, 79(2), 171- 212.

Table 2-6. Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry and Their Variations

Essential Feature Variations     

1. Learner engages in scientifically oriented questions

Learner poses a question Learner selects among questions, poses new questions

Learner sharpens or clarifies question provided by teacher, materials, or other source

Learner engages in question provided by teacher, materials, or other source

2. Learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions

Learner determines what constitutes evidence and collects it

Learner directed to collect certain data

Learner given data and asked to analyze

Learner given data and told how to analyze

3. Learner formulate explanations from evidence

Learner formulates explanation after summarizing evidence

Learner guided in process of formulating explanations from evidence

Learner given possible ways to use evidence to formulate explanation

Learner provided with evidence and how to use evidence to formulate explanation

4. Learner connects explanations to scientific knowledge

Learner independently examines other resources and forms the links to explanations

Learner directed toward areas and sources of scientific knowledge

Learner given possible connections

 

5. Learner communicates and justifies explanations

Learner forms reasonable and logical argument to communicate explanations

Learner coached in development of communication

Learner provided broad guidelines to use sharpen communication

Learner given steps and procedures for communication

Inquiry - Applications

Investigate resourcesOnlinePrint

Lesson Plans

Inquiry, Objectives, & Questions

Costa’s Levels of Inquiry

Bloom’s Taxonomy of Questions

Level Question Type

3 Experience-based

2 Implicit

1 Explicit

Extensions

How might you modify these lesson plans to make them:Structured inquiry?Guided inquiry?Open inquiry?