The Inquiry Method

By Tina Waddy

Why the Inquiry Model?

• Questioning what we see around us.

– Space Travel

– Sea Exploration

– Man’s Origin

• Questioning how to make things better.

– Medical Industry

– Automotive Industry

– Robotics

– Modern Inventions

From the Classroom to the Real World

• Formulate Predictions• Organize and Interpret

Data• Communicate

Findings• Build Models

• Examine Patterns and Relationships

• Classify Information• Draw Conclusions• Interpret Evidence and

Experimenting

Types of Inquiry

• Structured Inquiry

• Guided Inquiry

• Open Inquiry

• Student Directed Inquiry

• Student Research Inquiry

Structured Inquiry

Implementation

• Teacher Responsibility– Topic – Questions – Materials– Instruction & Guidance

• Students Responsibility– Results

Looks Like

• Teacher provides the question in testable form.

• Teacher provides complete experimental design.

• Teacher and students analyze and interpret data.

• Teacher writes the results based conclusion as an example for students.

Guided Inquiry

Implementation

• Teachers Responsibility– Topic– Question– Materials– Procedures & Design (50%)

• Student Responsibility– Procedures & Design (50%)

– Results – Conclusion

Looks Like

• Teacher provides the question in testable form.

• Teacher and student provide complete experimental design.

• Students analyze and interpret data.

• Student write the results based conclusion.

Open Inquiry

Implementation

• Teacher Responsibility– Topic

– Materials

• Students Responsibility– Question

– Procedures & Design

– Results

– Conclusion

Looks Like

• Students write the question in testable form.

• Students create complete experimental design.

• Students analyze and interpret data.

• Students write the results based conclusion.

Student Directed Inquiry

Implementation

• Teacher Responsibility– Topic– Question (50%)

– Materials (50%)

• Students Responsibility– Question (50%)

– Materials (50%)

– Procedure & Design– Results– Conclusion

Looks Like

• Teacher and students write the question in testable form with teacher assistance.

• Students create complete experimental design.

• Students analyze and interpret data.

• Students write the results based conclusion.

Student Research Inquiry

Implementation

• Teacher Responsibility– Topic (50%)

• Students Responsibility– Topic (50%)

– Question– Materials– Procedure & Design– Results– Conclusion

Looks Like

• Students write the question in testable form.

• Students create complete experimental design.

• Students analyze and interpret data.

• Students write the results based conclusion.

Inquiry Continuum

Structured Inquiry

Guided Inquiry

Open Inquiry

Student Directed Inquiry

Student Research Inquiry

Teacher Controlled → → → → → → Student

Controlled

Topic Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher / Student

Question Teacher Teacher Student Teacher / Student

Student

Materials Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher / Student

Student

Procedures / Design

Teacher Teacher / Student

Student Student Student

Results / Analysis

Teacher / Student

Student Student Student Student

Conclusion Teacher Student Student Student Student

Inquiry Continuum Activity

Strategies That Work

Topics

Do’s

• Understand your students skill level and background knowledge.

• Know the state-based science standards.

• Match your topic to the appropriate inquiry-based strategy.

Don’ts

• Stay away from topics like natural selection, or relativity.

• Pick topics that are peripherally related to science standards.

Know Your PhasesInitiation Phase Exploration Phase Experimentation

PhasePresentation Phase

Looks Like First phase of the process, designed to stimulate and motivate student curiosity, challenges a belief or assumption.

Second phase of the process, questions are narrowed down to actual questions that can be answered through experimentation.

Third phase of the process, students are grouped to conduct the experiment, students collect data and formulate a method of presentation.

Fourth phase of the process, data is placed into presentation form (PowerPoint, project display board), groups share out data and answer questions.

Sounds Like

•Have you ever seen…? •Did you notice…? •What did you observe…?

•What happened when…? •What did you…? •What could we do to find out…? •What questions do you have…?

•What did you find out about…? •How is it the same as or different from…? •What do you know about the characteristics of…?

•Can you explain why…? •Why do you think…? •What other factors may be included in…? •Can you find a way to…? •How did you arrive at a solution to…?

Modeling is Key

• Establish, Enforce, and Model High Standards

• Model Effective Use of Time

• Model Collaboration with Peers

• Model Save and Proper Use of Equipment

Work Smarter, Not Harder

• Collaboration Fuels Problem Solving

• Teach and Model Collaboration

• Make Expectation for Group Work Clear by Re-teaching Before Each Experiment

• Provide ongoing feedback about student interactions

Supply vs. Demand

• Don’t give too many hints.

• Don’t ask too many leading questions.

• Supply only what students need.

• Students will always look to you for the answers.

• Students won’t learn how to think.

• Reinforce the process of thinking and searching.

Support and Guidance

• Monitor Student Behavior and Comments

• Be Prepared to Offer Assistance

• Help Students Work Independently

• Be a good listener because comments and behavior tell exactly what students know and don’t know.

• Anticipated certain student comments.

• Provide structure by planning and modeling.

Holding Students Accountable

Using Accountable Talk

Summing it all up!

References

http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/what-is-inquiry-in-science

http://teachingtoday.glencoe.com/howtoarticles/integrating-the-inquiry-approach-in-science

http://www.asd.k12.ak.us/Depts/Science/Elementary/inquiry.htm

National Science Education Standards, National Academy Press, Washington, DC, 1996,pg.2.

Bonnstetter, Ronald J., "Inquiry: Learning from the Past with an Eye on the Future," University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Electronic Journal of Science Education, V3 N1, September 1998.

http://www.k12.wa.us/conferences/summerinstitute2005/materials/DELGADILLOTRANFORMING2.pdf

http://www.justsciencenow.com/phases/index.htm