1st Edition

Inquiry-based Science Education

By Robyn M. Gillies Copyright 2020
    122 Pages 10 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    Students often think of science as disconnected pieces of information rather than a narrative that challenges their thinking, requires them to develop evidence-based explanations for the phenomena under investigation, and communicate their ideas in discipline-specific language as to why certain solutions to a problem work. The author provides teachers in primary and junior secondary school with different evidence-based strategies they can use to teach inquiry science in their classrooms. The research and theoretical perspectives that underpin the strategies are discussed as are examples of how different ones areimplemented in science classrooms to affect student engagement and learning.

    Key Features:

    • Presents processes involved in teaching inquiry-based science

    • Discusses importance of multi-modal representations in teaching inquiry based-science

    • Covers ways to develop scientifically literacy

    • Uses the Structure of Observed learning Outcomes (SOLO) Taxonomy to assess student reasoning, problem-solving and learning

    • Presents ways to promote scientific discourse, including teacher-student interactions, student-student interactions, and meta-cognitive thinking

    Chapter 1: Inquiry-based science

     BACKGROUND

    INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE

    USING INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE TO CHALLENGE THINKING

    Cooperative Learning Activities

    Strategies to help students learn to work cooperatively together

    Group size

    Group composition.

    Type of task

    Individual reflection activity

    Group’s Action Plan

    Characteristics of Complex Tasks

    CHALLENGES IMPLEMENTING INQUIRY-BASED SCIENCE

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

    Chapter 2: Visual, embodied and language representations in teaching inquiry based-science: A case study

     INTRODUCTION

    TYPES OF REPRESENTATIONS

    Purpose of the case study

    METHOD

    Context for the study

    Inquiry-based science unit

    Data collection

    Teacher measures

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

     

    The inquiry-based science lessons

    Lesson 1: Engage  

    Lesson 2: Explore

    Lesson 3: Explain

    Lesson 4: Elaborate

    Lesson 5: Evaluate

     

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

     Chapter 3: Developing scientific literacy

     INTRODUCTION

    BACKGROUND

    SCIENTIFIC LITERACY

    Questions that challenge children’s understandings

    Question Stems and Cognitive Processes

    The discourse of science

    Encouraging audience participation

    Linguistic Tools that promote student discussion

    Accountable Talk

    Exploratory Talk

                Philosophy for Children (P4C)

     

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

    Chapter 4: Promoting scientific discourse

     INTRODUCTION

    DIALOGIC TEACHING

    Example of Dialogic Teaching

    Dialogic interactions in a cooperative group setting

    STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE DIALOGIC INTERACTIONS

    DIALOGIC STRATEGIES FOR STUDENTS

    Critical Thinking Skills

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

    Chapter 5: Structuring cooperative learning to promote social and academic learning

     INTRODUCTION

    COOPERATIVE LEARNING

    BENEFITS OF COOPERATIVE LEARNING

    Advantages of small, cooperative group instruction

    Types of cooperative learning groups

    KEY ELEMENTS IN COOPERATIVE LEARNING

    Skills that Facilitate Interpersonal Communication

     

    STRATEGIES FOR CONSTRUCTING COOPERATION IN GROUPS

    STRATEGIES FOR ASSESSING COOPERATIVE LEARNING

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

    Chapter 6: The Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO) Taxonomy: Assessing students’ reasoning, problem-solving and learning

     INTRODUCTION

    THE SOLO TAXONOMY

    FIVE LEVELS OF THE SOLO TAXONOMY

    INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

    Examples of the increasing complexity in students’ language: Using the SOLO Taxonomy

     

    CHAPTER SUMMARY

    ADDITIONAL READINGS

     

     

     

    Biography

    Professor Robyn Gillies has worked extensively in both primary and secondary schools to embed STEM education initiatives into the science curriculum. This includes helping teachers to embed inquiry skills into the science curricula so they capture students’ interests, provide opportunities for them to explore possible solutions to problems, explain phenomena, elaborate on potential outcomes, and evaluate findings. Professor Gillies is a Chief Investigator on the Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC), her recommendations on how teachers can translate research into practice have been widely profiled in the international literature and on the website of the Smithsonian Science Education Center in Washington, DC.