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Inquiry-based science laboratories: An analysis of preservice teachers' beliefs about learning science through inquiry and their performances
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of inquiry-based instruction on preservice teachers' beliefs concerning learning science through inquiry and their performance to apply a scientific inquiry process. A case study design was used in the study and the data were collected through interviews, observations and written documents. Two preservice teachers with different experiences in their previous science education were selected. The preservice teachers learnt both science and scientific inquiry process through open inquiry activities. The results of the research show that past experiences of preservice teachers are effective on beliefs about learning science through inquiry. The open inquiry science activities which allow preservice teachers' making discussion, collaboration, and interaction were effective in developing their beliefs concerning learning science through inquiry and increasing their ability to apply a scientific inquiry process. The overall findings indicate that inquiry-based activities should frequently be a preferred instruction method in preservice teacher education.
... Generally, some of the factors affecting the U.S. are mainly: (1) pre-service preparation (Tatar, 2012), (2) Another study in Finland by Kim, et al., (2013), investigated science reflection of inquiry teaching before and during in-service PD program by using a progress model of collaborative reflection. The Audio-Video data and their quantification allowed identification of the consistent prior beliefs and practices as the multiplicity of inquiry teaching and their interwoven progress during the PD program. ...
... Meanwhile other scholars investigates how science teachers practice inquiry in their classrooms (e.g.Cappa & Crawford, 2012; Chang & Wu, 2015;Chowdhary, et al., 2014; Dudu & Uhurumuko, 2012;Gao & Wang, 2014; Kramer, Nessler & Schluter, 2015;Ku, Ho, Hau, & Lai, 2014; Kwok, 2014;Lakin & Wallace, 2015;Madhuri, 2012;Oppong-Nuako, et al., 2015; Philippou, et al., 2015;Plummer & Tanis, 2015 Polly, et al., 2014Pringle, et al., 2015;Saribas & Ceyhan, 2015; Sekeres, et al., 2014;Sun & Xie, 2014;Wang, et al., 2015 ), and other examine the factors affecting science teachers practice of inquiry ( e,g.Avsec & Kocijancic, 2016; Dailey & Robinson, 2016; Fevre, 2014; Furtak & Alonzo, 2014;Hussen, 2016; Jarman & Boyland, 2011;Johnson, 2011;Kukkonen, et al., 2016; Kwok, 2014;Pea, 2012;Pozuelos & Gonzales, 2014; Slentz, 2013Ramnarain, 2016: Tatar, 2012 Unal & Ural, 2012; Williams & Engle, 2012; Wong, Wong, Rogers & Brook,2012 ). ...
... Jarman & Boyland, 2011;Unal & Unal, 2012; Wong, Wong, Rogers, & Brook, 2012), (3) Class size(Johnson, 2011), (4) School environment(Pea, 2012),(5) Teachers beliefs(Johnson, Zhang & Kahle, 2012; Milner et al., 2011), (6) Professional development( Miller, 2011;Tatar, 2012), (7) Accountability( Judson, 2012; William & Engle, 2012), and(8)Teacher evaluation ( Slentz, 2013; Williams & Engle, 2012). Some of the above factors may appear similar to those magnitude. ...
... Inquiry is emphasized in the teaching of science concepts in order to facilitate students'ʹ understanding of science and provide them with the ability to think scientifically when trying to explain the events they encounter in their everyday lives. Although the definition of inquiry has been substantially established in the National Science Education Standards (NRC 2000), it is reported that teachers have inaccurate beliefs about inquiry and inquiry---based instruction (Tatar, 2012). While teachers believe they are implementing inquiry---based strategies, they are actually making use of a prescription---like inquiry model that is based on well---constructed step---by---step teaching (McLaughlin & MacFadden, 2014). ...
... For example, the teacher candidates it should be used candidates may have had the learning experience of being expected to repeat an experiment after the instructor demonstrated it only once (Dickson & Kadbey, 2014). The laboratory experience that the candidates had had ever since elementary school may have led to their harboring mistaken ideas about inquiry (Tatar, 2012). If it is considered that many studies report that the experiments included in textbooks are only at the structured inquiry level, it becomes easier to understand why the pre---service teachers'ʹ orientation is at the structured inquiry level (Cheung, 2011;Yıldız---Feyzioğlu & Tatar, 2012). ...
... Yıldız---Feyzioğlu, E. ve Tatar, N. (2012). Fen ve teknoloji ders kitaplarındaki etkinliklerin bilimsel süreç becerilerine ve yapısal özelliklerine göre incelenmesi. ...
... Chapter I. Review of the literature Before the 19th century, many educators viewed science as a body of knowledge to be presented to the students through direct instruction (Tatar, 2012). In the latter part of the19th century, some eminent scientists, such as Herbert Spencer and T. H. Huxley, urged that science be taught through students' experiences (Ionescu, 2007). ...
... Inquiry-based teaching includes practices that promote the learning of scientific concepts and processes as well as "how scientists study the natural world" (Tatar, 2012).Piaget proposed that individuals must construct their own knowledge and that they build knowledge through experience (Spronken-Smith et al, 2008). Recently, Kuhn (2010) argued that children engage in scientific thinking when asked to indicate the outcome and to justify the knowledge seeking, 4-year-olds show a fragile distinction between the twokinds of justification --"How do you know?" and 'Why is it so?' --in other words, the evidence for the claim versus an explanation for it.Ciascai et al. (Dulamă, 2012) emphasize some of the benefits of teaching students to organising and stimulating learning situations to initiate students in the process called ``inquiry``. ...
The challenge for early childhood educators is to provide appropriate learning experiences and an engaging environment within early learning centres. The aim of this paper is to describe the concept, process and skills of scientific inquiry, outlines the basic principle of nurture this curiosity by providing opportunities, in a safe and caring environment, for preschoolers to explore, question, observe, discover and share their wonder of the world a preschool (four-year-old) classroom as a form of guided scientific inquiry. In Study 1, we proposed an experiment for children in order to predict the relations that hold among the distinct stages of growth (seed, plant, flower, fruit). In conclusion, findings suggest that preschoolers realize that plants growth, need water and take it from their surroundings. Implications of inquiry-based learning are disscused.
... Inquiry-based laboratory is believed as the most relevant teaching method for promoting scientific concepts and scientific processes and developing research skills, covering asking research questions, formulating hypotheses, and arranging the test from the hypotheses (Casem, 2006;Tatar, 2012). In this approach, students investigate and evaluate critically the things around them and participate in learning to build the concept and long-term understanding like scientists (Löfgren, Schoultz, Hultman & Björklund, 2013;Lord & Orkwiszewski, 2006;Sağlam & Şahin, 2017). ...
... Supportively, Maxwell et al. (2015) revealed that critical thinking can be developed through inquiry approach. In this regard, inquiry process is believed to facilitate students in explaining the concept, sharing the knowledge, explaining the opinion, listening to alternative opinion, discussing with others, and maintaining their ideas, as revealed by Tatar (2012). By participating in inquiry-based activities, students can recognize the nature of science, the phenomenon, and scientific concept; develop their ability in evaluating scientific data critically and participate in scientific community (Löfgren et al., 2013). ...
Purpose: Although critical thinking skills (CTS) and scientific process skills (SPS) are the beneficial skills needed in the 21st century learning, the fact is that the acquisition of these two skills is still low. Research with a focus on improving these skills by using inquiry-based approach is also limited. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study aimed to enhance preservice elementary teachers’ CTS and SPS by using Inquiry-Based Laboratory Instruction (IBLI).
Method: A pretest-posttest control group design was executed. A total of 43 students who attended Teaching Science in Elementary School-II Laboratory Course at the Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo were divided into two groups using cluster random sampling. The experimental group (n = 21) was taught by using IBLI, while the control group (n = 22) was taught by using traditional laboratory method. The Oliver-Hoyo Rubric for Critical Thinking (OHRCT) and the Observation Checklist for SPS (OCSPS) were administered. The data were then analyzed by using normalized gain score and Mann- Whitney U test at significance level .05.
Findings: There was a significant difference in terms of CTS and SPS between control and experimental groups in favor of experimental group students. It was found out that gained CTS score of control and experimental group students was .58 and .80, while gained SPS score was .60 and .81, respectively. It can be highlighted that IBLI had a significant effect on preservice elementary teachers’ performance compared to the conventional group.
Implications for Research and Practice: The findings suggest that IBLI is considered as the effective method to foster CTS and SPS of preservice elementary teachers. According to results, it is recommended that preservice teachers need to be given opportunities to develop hands- on and minds-on experiences in the science laboratory activities. The lecturers should utilize IBLI to develop students’ various lifelong learning skills.
... Inquiry-based laboratory is believed as the most relevant teaching method for promoting scientific concepts and scientific processes and developing research skills, covering asking research questions, formulating hypotheses, and arranging the test from the hypotheses (Casem, 2006;Tatar, 2012). In this approach, students investigate and evaluate critically the things around them and participate in learning to build the concept and long-term understanding like scientists (Löfgren, Schoultz, Hultman & Björklund, 2013;Lord & Orkwiszewski, 2006;Sağlam & Şahin, 2017). ...
... Supportively, Maxwell et al. (2015) revealed that critical thinking can be developed through inquiry approach. In this regard, inquiry process is believed to facilitate students in explaining the concept, sharing the knowledge, explaining the opinion, listening to alternative opinion, discussing with others, and maintaining their ideas, as revealed by Tatar (2012). By participating in inquiry-based activities, students can recognize the nature of science, the phenomenon, and scientific concept; develop their ability in evaluating scientific data critically and participate in scientific community (Löfgren et al., 2013). ...
Purpose: Although critical thinking skills (CTS) and scientific process skills (SPS) are the beneficial skills needed in the 21st century learning, the fact is that the acquisition of these two skills is still low. Research with a focus on improving these skills by using inquiry-based approach is also limited. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study aimed to enhance preservice elementary teachers’ CTS and SPS by using Inquiry-Based Laboratory Instruction (IBLI).
Method: A pretest-posttest control group design was executed. A total of 43 students who attended Teaching Science in Elementary School-II Laboratory Course at the Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo were divided into two groups using cluster random sampling. The experimental group (n=21) was taught by using IBLI, while the control group (n=22) was taught by using traditional laboratory method. The Oliver-Hoyo Rubric for Critical Thinking (OHRCT) and the Observation Checklist for SPS (OCSPS) were administered. The data were then analyzed by using normalized gain score and Mann- Whitney U test at significance level .05.
Findings: There was a significant difference in terms of CTS and SPS between control and experimental groups in favor of experimental group students. It was found out that gained CTS score of control and experimental group students was .58 and .80, while gained SPS score was .60 and .81, respectively. It can be highlighted that IBLI had a significant effect on preservice elementary teachers’ performance compared to the conventional group.
Implications for Research and Practice: The findings suggest that IBLI is considered as the effective method to foster CTS and SPS of preservice elementary teachers. According to results, it is recommended that preservice teachers need to be given opportunities to develop hands- on and minds-on experiences in the science laboratory activities. The lecturers should utilize IBLI to develop students’ various lifelong learning skills.
... Inquiry-based laboratory is believed as the most relevant teaching method for promoting scientific concepts and scientific processes and developing research skills, covering asking research questions, formulating hypotheses, and arranging the test from the hypotheses (Casem, 2006;Tatar, 2012). In this approach, students investigate and evaluate critically the things around them and participate in learning to build the concept and long-term understanding like scientists (Löfgren, Schoultz, Hultman & Björklund, 2013;Lord & Orkwiszewski, 2006;Sağlam & Şahin, 2017). ...
... Supportively, Maxwell et al. (2015) revealed that critical thinking can be developed through inquiry approach. In this regard, inquiry process is believed to facilitate students in explaining the concept, sharing the knowledge, explaining the opinion, listening to alternative opinion, discussing with others, and maintaining their ideas, as revealed by Tatar (2012). By participating in inquiry-based activities, students can recognize the nature of science, the phenomenon, and scientific concept; develop their ability in evaluating scientific data critically and participate in scientific community (Löfgren et al., 2013). ...
Purpose: Although critical thinking skills (CTS) and scientific process skills (SPS) are the beneficial skills needed in the 21st century learning, the fact is that the acquisition of these two skills is still low. Research with a focus on improving these skills by using inquiry-based approach is also limited. Therefore, this quasi-experimental study aimed to enhance preservice elementary teachers’ CTS and SPS by using Inquiry-Based Laboratory Instruction (IBLI). Method: A pretest-posttest control group design was executed. A total of 43 students who attended Teaching Science in Elementary School-II LaboratoryCourse at the Muhammadiyah University of Ponorogo were divided into two groups using cluster random sampling. The experimental group (n=21) was taught by using IBLI, while the control group (n=22) was taught by using traditional laboratory method. The Oliver-Hoyo Rubric for Critical Thinking (OHRCT) and the Observation Checklist for SPS (OCSPS) were administered. The data were then analyzed by using normalized gain score and Mann-Whitney U test at significance level .05. Findings: There was a significant difference in terms of CTS and SPS between control and experimental groups in favor of experimental group students. It was found out that gained CTS score of control and experimental group students was .58 and .80, while gained SPS score was .60 and .81, respectively. It can be highlighted that IBLI had a significant effect on preservice elementary teachers’ performance compared to the conventional group. Implications for Research and Practice: The findings suggest that IBLI is considered as the effective method to foster CTS and SPS of preservice elementary teachers. According to results, it is recommended that preservice teachers need to be given opportunities to develop hands-on and minds-on experiences in the science laboratory activities. The lecturers should utilize IBLI to develop students’ various lifelong learning skills.
... Moreover, in-service and pre-service teachers who experienced science inquiry activities developed more positive beliefs about learning and inquiry (Choi & Ramsey, 2009;Duran, Ballone-Duran, Haney & Beltyukova, 2009;Hutchins & Friedrichsen, 2012;Pilitsis & Duncan, 2012;Rushton, Lutter & Singer, 2011;Tatar, 2012). Experiencing the activities positively affected teachers' self-efficacy beliefs (Duran et al., 2009), and their values about the science learning based on studentcentered (Hutchins & Friedrichsen, 2012;Pilitsis & Duncan, 2012). ...
... Experiencing the activities positively affected teachers' self-efficacy beliefs (Duran et al., 2009), and their values about the science learning based on studentcentered (Hutchins & Friedrichsen, 2012;Pilitsis & Duncan, 2012). Pre-service teachers (Tatar, 2012) and in-service elementary teachers (Choi & Ramsey, 2009) also possessed more positive beliefs about the inquiry instruction after they attended science inquiry-based activities. Rushton et al. (2011) indicated that high school chemistry teachers valued inquiry and viewed inquiry as helpful for students to improve their thinking abilities after experiencing inquiry activities. ...
Renewed primary and elementary schools science curriculum has been implemented in Turkey for three years. In this curriculum students are required to learn school science subjects by various inquiry-based learning activities or experiments. However, whether pre-service elementary science teachers (PSTs) are completely ready to implement this curriculum by considering some levels of inquiry is still not known. This study aims to explore PSTs' difficulties in performing guided inquiry-based physic experiments and their perceptions about physics laboratory. A total of 80 PSTs participated in the study and they performed guided inquiry-based electricity experiments. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire, the interview and field note. Qualitative content analysis was performed to analyze the data obtained. The results of this study showed that some PSTs faced difficulty in performing the experiments due to their teacher-centered previous learning experiences, insufficient content knowledge about physics, insufficient inquiry skills, poor adaptation to inquiry activities and low-level collaboration. In addition, the majority of PSTs perceived physics laboratory as a place where the physics knowledge was confirmed. As a conclusion, this study showed that most PSTs had some difficulties in performing the guided inquiry-based electricity experiments. How researchers and instructors can decrease the number of the difficulties that PSTs face in the inquiry activities or experiments by taking some precautions is also discussed in this study.
... Can (2012)'ın fen bilgisi öğretmen adayları ile yaptığı çalışmanın sonucuna göre lise öğrenimlerinde laboratuvar uygulamalarını etkin bir şekilde veya kısmen alan öğrencilerin laboratuvara karşı olumlu tutumları lisans eğitimlerinde de devam etmektedir. Yine Tatar (2012)ın öğretmen adayları ile yaptığı çalışmaya göre öğretmen adaylarının deneyimli olmaları araştırma-sorgulama laboratuvarına karşı inançlarını olumlu olarak etkilemektedir. Bu çalışmada ise özellikle birinci sınıflarda ön bilgi ve deneyim yetersizliği görülmüştür. ...
... Low level of inquiry in physics laboratory classes might be a result of inadequate laboratory equipment, students' lack of experience and their pre-knowledge about inquiry. Researches show that when teacher candidates had experience on laboratories before, they had positive attitudes toward inquiry based laboratories (Can, 2012) and had more confidence in inquiry based laboratories (Tatar, 2012). Similarly, Bolat, Türk, Sözen and Turna (2012) found that general physics laboratory students neither could write hypotheses nor design an experiment when they were given a problem statement because of their inadequate preknowledge and experience. ...
... These beliefs have thus been found difficult to change (Pellikka, Lutovac and Kaasila 2021;Richardson 2003). Research has documented various beliefs preservice teachers hold, such as beliefs about teaching and learning in general (see Fives and Buehl 2012; see also Fives, Lacatena and Gerard 2015;Leavy, McSorley and Boté 2007;Löfström and Poom-Valickis 2013), epistemic beliefs and assumptions of students' beliefs (Rebmann et al. 2015), beliefs about specific subjects, such as beliefs about mathematics as a discipline (Jankvist 2015) and content related beliefs, for example, about mathematical problem solving (Ford 1994;Xenofontos and Andrews 2014) and science inquiry (Herranen et al. 2019;Tatar 2012). To our knowledge, preservice teachers' beliefs about teacher interest have not been addressed before. ...
This study explores preservice teachers’ beliefs about teacher subject interest and its impact on teaching and learning, which has received little attention in research in initial teacher education. To form an understanding of their beliefs, we examined the writings produced by 47 preservice subject teachers of mathematics, physics and chemistry about teacher subject interest. All participants expressed that teacher subject interest, or lack thereof, has an impact on teaching and learning. Most preservice teachers’ beliefs were related to teacher’s high subject interest; however, preservice teachers also recognised possible challenges related to teacher’s high subject interest. Moreover, a few preservice teachers believed that a teacher should not let the possible differences in their subject interests be noticed by the students. These findings suggest that high subject interest can pose challenges and should be addressed in both research and teacher education.
... Designing and implementing inquiry-based instructional activities have higher requirements for science teachers on their pedagogical knowledge, instructional design skills, and the capabilities on scaffolding inquiry task (Papaevripidou et al., 2017;Schleicher, 2012). However, many researchers have emphasized that pre-service science teachers generally still lack relevant knowledge and skills of designing inquiry-based instructional activities (Al Mamun et al., 2020;Seneviratne et al., 2019), and practical experiences and trainings of designing inquiry-based instructional activities (Duncan et al., 2010;Ramnarain, 2014;Tatar, 2012). Their shortage of experiences on designing inquiry-based instructional activities has been thought to lead to their difficulties in inquiry-based instruction practice when they have graduated and worked as science teachers (Bahtiyar & Can, 2017;Gutierez, 2015). ...
Inquiry-based instruction has played an important role in science education, and been recognized as a critical approach to improve students’ scientific learning effectiveness. However, current research revealed that it is a challenge for teacher education programs to improve pre-service science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional activity design competency. Due to the dynamic and complicated process of the instructional design competency improvement, there is a strong need for new methods that could trace this process. Considering the Knowledge Integration (KI) theory has been demonstrated to be able to help science teachers design their inquiry-based instructional activities in a large amount of existing research, in this study, a KI-based collaborative learning environment was designed to support 19 pre-service science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional activity design. Epistemic network analysis (ENA) was applied to trace the development process of their inquiry-based instructional activity design e behaviour patterns. Data analysis results revealed that the pre-service science teachers demonstrated gradually more active in “guiding students to design exploratory activities” and “guiding students to communicate and cooperate” in their instructional designs during the process of using the KI-based collaborative learning environment. Through identifying and comparing the design patterns of the high-performing and low-performing groups, the results showed that the low-performing groups demonstrated more active on “posing inquiry questions” and “guiding students to formulate scientific explanation,” while the high performing groups demonstrated more active in “guiding students to design exploratory activities” and “guiding students to communicate and cooperate.” Furthermore, the semi-structured interview results demonstrated that the KI-based collaborative learning environment not only provided the pre-service science teachers a convenient way on online collaboration, but also helped them form more normative and integrated understandings on inquiry-based instruction. However, this study demonstrated that quite a few pre-service science teachers still had misconceptions on inquiry-based instruction. Suggestions are provided for improving pre-service science teachers’ inquiry-based instructional design competency in a technology-enhanced learning environment.
... The inquiry process is considered a valuable approach in science education because it supports students in various aspects of learning. Tatar (2012) argues that engaging in the inquiry process can help students explain concepts, share knowledge, express opinions, listen to alternative views, engage in conversations, and retain their ideas. Participation in inquirybased activities allows students to understand the nature of science, various scientific phenomena and concepts. ...
... Guided inquiry can improve thinking skills (Artayasa, 2018), even in laboratory learning (Artayasa, 2017). Modified free inquiry has less guidance than guided inquiry however, more direction than free inquiry (Tatar, 2012). ...
Pendidikan saat ini telah membawa pada pentingnya pembelajaran abad 21. Abad ke-21 mengarahkan kehidupan pada empat pilar, yaitu belajar untuk mengetahui, belajar untuk melakukan, belajar untuk menjadi dan belajar untuk hidup bersama. Keempat pilar tersebut memuat keterampilan khusus yang harus dikembangkan dalam proses pembelajaran seperti keterampilan komunikasi, berpikir kritis, kolaborasi, kreasi dan inovasi, literasi informasi, dan pemecahan masalah. Penelitian ini mengulas tentang pentingnya peran pembelajaran abad 21 dalam model pembelajaran berbasis inkuiri sebagai model pembelajaran yang dapat memecahkan tantangan abad 21. Berdasarkan hasil analisis artikel mengenai model pembelajaran berbasis inkuiri ditemukan bahwa model pembelajaran berbasis inkuiri merupakan salah satu model pembelajaran yang dapat digunakan pada abad 21 untuk membimbing siswa mencapai empat keterampilan dalam bidang keterampilan. abad ke 21. Model pembelajaran inkuiri merupakan model pembelajaran yang mempersiapkan siswa dalam situasi untuk melakukan percobaan sendiri sehingga mereka dapat berpikir kritis untuk mencari dan menemukan jawaban terhadap suatu permasalahan yang dipertanyakan. Inkuiri memungkinkan siswa mempunyai ruang bebas bagi siswa untuk belajar, namun memberikan batas-batas eksplorasi yang jelas.
... Several of the articles in the procedural domain reported on favourable outcomes of IBL sequences related to scientific process skills (Irwanto et al., 2019;Sen & Vekli, 2016;Tatar, 2012;Valls-Bautista et al., 2021;Yakar & Baykara, 2014). One example was given by Oh (2011), who described an abductive inquiry model in which PSTs worked on constructing scientific explanations for the path of a typhoon. ...
Inquiry is central in science education and therefore also in pre-service teacher (PST) education. In this systematic review of 142 empirical articles, we examine research on inquiry-based science education (IBSE) in teacher education between 2000 and 2022. The aim is to investigate how and with what outcomes IBSE is used in PST education. The included articles were categorised according to whether the PSTs worked with inquiry in the role of learner or in the role of teacher and also according to the cognitive domains of inquiry (epistemic, procedural, conceptual, social, pedagogical, or affective). The review shows that IBSE is used for PSTs to learn science concepts and processes and how to teach science through inquiry; however, few studies highlight the transition between these. In terms of cognitive domains, the procedural, conceptual, pedagogical, and affective domains dominated, whereas fewer articles addressed the epistemic or social domains. Favourable outcomes of IBSE for science understanding, teaching competence and improved attitudes or self-efficacy were reported. Challenges were noted, for example with implementing IBSE in school placement after having learned about it in campus-based courses. Finally, we offer recommendations for fruitful ways of implementing IBSE in PST education and suggest areas for future research.
... The lack of variety of ecological practicum activities also results in students not being able to explore studies in-depth and use them to solve practical problems in their daily lives. This incomplete information will cause students to have difficulty constructing knowledge so that student learning outcomes are less than optimal (Tatar, 2012). To be able to utilize ecological knowledge in everyday life, students must be able to understand the ecological complexities that can be manifested in various levels of the organization of life from the molecular level to the ecosystem. ...
Ecology is a complex system, so it requires thinking skills to understand it. One of the skills that can be trained in ecological practicum lectures is systems thinking skills. Ecology practicum has the potential and strategic role in preparing quality students to face the era of industrialization and globalization. This potential will be realized if practicum activities can equip students with the ability to think logically, think creatively, think critically, and think systems, which ends up being able to solve integrated problems. To design an ecology practicum program that can train systems thinking skills, it is necessary to know the existing forms of ecological practicum implementation, students' systems thinking skills, and their logical thinking skills. This study aims to obtain information on the description of these three things so that it becomes the basis for developing a better practicum program. and adaptive to changes and developments of the times. This research is in the form of field research, namely research whose object is about the symptoms or events that occur in the subject group. 18 third-level students and 39 fourth-level students were selected as research subjects. Limited interviews were conducted with practicum assistants and course lecturers. The instrument used consisted of a logical thinking ability test, systems thinking scale, systems thinking test, and interview guidelines. The results of the study show practicum activities only practice the skills of collecting, processing, and analyzing ecological data. Students' logical thinking ability is in a “good” category, especially at the level of combinatorial reasoning. Students' systems thinking ability is low, especially forest thinking skills.
... Inquiry activities also allow for discussion, collaboration, and interaction between students that can grow their confidence about inquiry-based chemistry learning and increase their ability to apply the stages of scientific inquiry. Inquirybased learning, as a teaching method, should be prioritized in the education of pre-service teachers (Çimer, 2007;Tatar, 2012;Sağlam and Şahin, 2017 to the quality of classroom practice but also to the educational and teaching theory that is accessible to other teachers so that education is more reflective (Cohen, Manion and Morrison, 2007). In this research, the practice of action is shown by the existence of a process of practicing (Sagor, 2005). ...
... Bearing in mind the importance of communication and collaboration as essential parts of entrepreneurship, the application of an inquiry-based approach in chemistry education is also suitable for the promotion of these competencies (Finlayson et al., 2015). In addition, inquiry-based learning (IBL) designed for the application in a laboratory environment (inquiry-based labs) is combining practical hands-on work ISSN 1648-3898 /Print/ ISSN 2538-7138 /Online/ with students' discussion and discovery of the concepts (Cheung, 2011;Cummins et al., 2004;Deters, 2005;Kipnis & Hofstein, 2008;Tatar, 2012). Students' experience in inquiry-based learning under the lab work circumstances could be a good starting point for their engagement in the process of transformation of functional knowledge into the products valuable within the market framework. ...
Development of entrepreneurial capacities, entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial culture among students is one of the goals of modern education. In Serbia, there is an idea and vision of entrepreneurial education in the chemistry domain, which is also regulated by the curriculum. Despite these facts, a curriculum that supports entrepreneurship and a large scope for chemistry entrepreneurship, primary schools still lack in activities that could develop competencies related to entrepreneurship in students. Within this research, a series of activities were designed with the aim to enhance students' entrepreneurial competencies. Proposed activities were based on inquiry-based learning (IBL) and project-based learning (PBL) as their characteristics support entrepreneurial education. The conducted study involved 18 high-achieving students in the chemistry domain. Data obtained from pre- and post-questionnaires confirm the assumptions of present researchers that the proposed activities could improve some students' entrepreneurial skills. The results from the second questionnaire, which examined the impact of conducted activities on the students’ entrepreneurial skills and abilities, reveal that when an approach like this is used as the teaching method, some entrepreneurial peculiarities within students can be increased. Keywords: high-achieving students, primary school, entrepreneurial education
... The studies by Feyzioğlu (2019) and Erika et al. (2019) revealed that preservice teachers who strive to form an argument feel that their views are valuable, and that their self-efficacy also develops. Moreover, as preservice teachers state their claims in small groups, take part in discussions by listening to alternative views, and form their arguments in collaboration with each other, they become more determined to overcome the difficulties experienced in their skills for defining the problem, designing an experiment, measurement, and conducting an unbiased experiment (García-Carmona, 2019;Tatar, 2012). Therefore, by increasing their self-efficacy, preservice teachers will be more willing to participate in an argumentation activity and to make an effort to continue this activity (Marshall et al., 2009). ...
The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between preservice teachers’ critical thinking skills and their self-efficacy for argumentation. The participants of the research consisted of 858 preservice teachers (447 female, 411 male) studying in education faculties at five different state universities in Turkey. In this study, the “Self-Efficacy for Argumentation Scale” (SEAS) and the “Critical Thinking Standards Scale” (CTSS) were used to gather the data. SEAS include “effort for argumentation” “confidence for argumentation,” while CTSS include “depth, breadth and sufficiency,” “precision and accuracy” and “significance, relevance and clarity.” The findings indicated that both the “effort for argumentation” and “confidence for argumentation” were significant, positive predictors of “depth-breadth-sufficiency” and “significance-relevance-clarity.” Although, the “effort for argumentation” predicted the “precision and accuracy,” it was found that the “confidence for argumentation” did not predict this dimension.
... Satu tingkat inkuiri dapat memiliki fase berbeda. Fase inkuiri terdiri atas mengajukan pertanyaan, merancang studi, mengumpulkan dan menginterpretasi data, menyimpulkan [53]. Fase inkuiri berupa teori, hipotesis yang dapat diuji, cari dan analisis data, perbaiki teori [54]. ...
... So that inquiry learning does not only develop knowledge, but also a positive attitude and self-confidence. Inquiry is able to develop students' beliefs to improve science process skills in the form of discussion and collaboration so that students are able to better understand the subject matter [6]. ...
... Focus group discussions were transcribed, coded and analyzed by the researcher. Manual coding and analyses were done using the following steps: a) familiarization with data and identifying main categories, b) in-depth examination of the data , c) coding pieces of data and grouping them into categories and d) interpretation and synthesis of the organized data to generate conclusions [17]. Inductive method of analyzing focus group discussions was used. ...
This was an exploratory study to examine whether a specific open inquiry learning framework can be applied in teaching Science courses. The research has employed an experimental design using qualitative research methods. It aimed to investigate the 21 st century skills acquired and the learning experience of the students exposed in the open inquiry learning framework. The study involved triangulation of data, data were collected from open-ended questionnaires, focus group discussion and observations. NVivo 11 QSR International was used to increase the analysis transparency, accuracy, efficiency, rigour and trustworthiness. Two categories described 21 st century skills attained by the students. They have gained cognitive and interpersonal competencies. Three categories emerged to describe the students learning experience: sources of difficulties, scaffolds of learning and learning opportunities. Sources of difficulties are absence of prior knowledge and experience, group interaction, students' attitudes, experimental design and availability of materials. Scaffolds of learning were identified as internet resources, brainstorming and alternative experiment. The learning opportunities revealed in this study are questioning, research, experiments and presentation. The framework has been effective in the development of 21 st century skills and learning of students, thus it should be widely applied in Science instruction.
... The reform drive is an attempt to address and reverse effects of traditional teaching practices such as rote learning of science (Gaigher, Lederman & Lederman, 2014). Based on the widespread adoptions of inquiry-based science teaching in most national curricula, Tatar (2012) makes an extrapolation that one of the aims of science teacher education is to prepare pre-service teachers for the teaching of science through inquiry. Inquiry-based science teaching is commonly implemented through practical work (Leon, 2015). ...
This paper reports on the results of a needs analysis stage of a larger design-based research project on how pre-service teachers learn to facilitate inquiry-based practical work (IBPW) in science classrooms. Using a case study of one university in South Africa, a questionnaire with close-ended question items was completed by 31 final year pre-service science teachers in the postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) and bachelor of education (BEd) intermediate phase programmes. The concept of opportunities to learn (OTL) was used to guide the experiences measured by the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, the Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to analyse the quantitative data. The findings indicated that the pre-service teachers from both programmes brought similar experiences of OTL from school. The PGCE pre-service teachers perceived that the OTL on how to facilitate IBPW were significantly enhanced during tertiary education experiences. However, the intermediate phase pre-service teachers did not perceive that the tertiary education experiences significantly enhanced the OTL how to facilitate IBPW. The study indicates nine positively correlated experiences that present OTL how to facilitate IBPW. A recommendation to increase and diversify OTL how to facilitate IBPW experiences is made.
... The inquiry-based science activities that allow discussion, collaboration and interaction between preservice teachers are useful in developing their beliefs of inquiry-based science learning and enhancing their abilities to apply scientific inquiry processes. The overall findings have suggested that the inquiry-based activities, as an instruction method, should be preferred for preservice teacher education (Çimer, 2007;Sağlam & Şahin, 2017;Tatar, 2012). Further, they have shown that inquiry-based learning increases students' interest in studentcentered investigations and facilitates conceptual understanding. ...
Because school laboratory activities obtained by pre-service teachers tend to use cookbook experiments, this study focused on redesigning chemistry laboratory activities at the university level from cookbook experiments to inquiry-based Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS) approach, and analyzing pre-service chemistry teachers’ performances and their views to the redesigned laboratory activities. Through action research methodology, team teaching was conducted with 20 PCTs by following ‘Plan-Do-Study-Act’ (PDSA) Cycle model within ‘The Course of Laboratory Practice in Basic Chemistry (CLP-BC)’. Science process skills test (SPST), performance observation sheets (POS), presentation observation sheets (PrOS), self-reflective journals (SRJ), and interviews were used to evaluate the redesigned process. The CLP-BC activities consisted of 16 meetings through two PSDA cycles. The redesigned chemistry laboratory activities included such topics as colligative properties of the solution; chemical equilibrium on solubility; acid-base titration; solubility product; and voltaic cells. The results indicated improvements at the PCTs’ science process skills, performances in managing laboratory and discussion activities as well as their positive responses at their self-reflective journals.
... Research has shown that class size, classroom management, pre-service preparation and state assessments serve to reduce the amount of time spent on science in elementary grades [see e.g. 10,11,12,13) while professional development and strong pre-service programs can promote IBI [see e.g. 14]. ...
High school students in Uganda perform poorly in science subjects despite the Ugandan government's efforts to train science teachers and build modern science laboratories in many public high schools. This has been blamed on teachers' inability to teach science through Inquiry-Based Instruction (IBI) to motivate students to learn. However, there have been no empirical studies to establish the factors that influence science teachers' understanding and practice of IBI in the country. Therefore, taking the case of Chemistry teachers in public schools in Kampala City, we undertook this study to explore the factors that teachers perceive to influence their understanding and practice of IBI. We collected qualitative data using semi-structured interviews, observation and document analysis. We analysed these data using an interactive open coding approach. We established that the main factors influencing teachers' understanding and practice of IBI were their attitudes; their teaching experience; their motivation; availability of instructional materials; mode of assessment; class size; their pre-service and in-service training; peer support; and time constraints. We conclude that most of these factors are beyond the teachers' control because they are systemic challenges that lie beyond the schools where the teachers were teaching. It is recommended that teacher educators and policymakers address the factors.
... Practical work or laboratory studies have been agreed to offer pedagogical constructs for students to learn and experience physics contents (Hofstein and Lunetta 2003;Tatar 2012). Beyond being an environment for mere actualizations of activities and experiments in which students witnessed as proofs, any pedagogical design with which physics contents organized into labs would play a key role in student meaningful learning and science achievement. ...
Lab activities have been innovated and progressed to fulfill the purpose that students need to experience physics concepts through hands-on and minds-on interactions. However, student centered and conceptual activities in physics labs are challenged with time and material constraints that degrades the merits of the learning environment. This study adopts a pedagogical design, "learning by preparing to teach", to address the challenges with conducting a satisfactory number of activities in physics labs and therefore promoting student hands-on and minds-on experiences with the activities. Eight activities covering the conceptual variables of thermal conduction in a two-hour lab session were studied by freshmen students at a university. To implement the pedagogical design, the students were arranged into the learning and teaching groups that paved way to a lab design that student was first learners and then teachers. Lab activities were configured that each group studied a certain set of activities. Upon completing the activities, members of the learning groups were designated to the teaching groups in which students cooperated to achieve conceptual objectives of the lab. The results showed that a usual lab duration becomes effective to cover numerous activities.
... This indicates that inquiry-based physics learning still needs to be improved. Inquirybased activities should be used as a preferred instruction method in preservice teacher education (Tatar & Nilgün, 2012). For more details, a diagram of the difficulty level of the items of each stage can be made, as shown in Figure 3. ...
The purpose of this research was to develop a valid, reliable instrument with good difficulty indices for Physics lab test on Senior High School level. By applying research development (R & D) design, data were collected through observation, test and project assessment in the form of three categories of polytomous data. The research subject was 505 respondents studying at grade XI-MIA of Public and Private High Schools in Pemalang. The data obtained were analyzed by using three programs, namely Quest program to verify model suitability and difficulty index level, and Parcale program to obtain information function and Standard Error of Measurement (SEM). Confirmatory Factor Analysis using Lisrel program was applied to measure the construct validity of the instrument. Results yielded that the construct of physics lab test instrument at senior high school level consisted of 4 factors, namely (1) preparation of practicum, (2) practicum, (3) practicum results (4) practicum reporting. Developed instruments were valid and reliable, and suitable to be applied to learners who have medium ability. The implications of this study are that the assessment becomes more fair and accurate because assessment is done from the preparation until the lab report.
... Science educators have emphasized student-centered or open-type scientific inquiry in which students will find an inquiry problem, design experimental procedures, and draw conclusions by themselves (Kim & Park, 2015;Berg, Bergendahl, Lundberg, & Tibell, 2003;Krystyniak & Heikkinen, 2007;Zion, 2008;Zion & Mendelovici, 2013). Such open inquiry is important not only for elementary and high-school students, but also important for science teachers who guide these students (Lamanauskas & Augiene, 2016;Tatar, 2012;Windschitl, 2004). ED as one of major elements in open inquiry has also been emphasized in science curriculum. ...
Even though experimental design (ED) in open inquiry is important for more authentic scientific inquiry, it is not easy for students. The objective of this research was to identify factors considered important in students’ ED and explore how to utilize it to improve students’ ED. To achieve the objective, in the first step, eighteen middle-school students in a gifted center participated in this study voluntarily. They were asked to design experimental procedures without any guidelines or help. Students’ EDs were analyzed qualitatively to extract difficulties that students experienced when designing experimental procedures. Based on analysis results, 17 factors were identified as factors to be considered for students’ ED and structured in a form of checklist. In the second step, the checklist was provided to 50 students in the gifted center as guidelines for their ED. They were then asked to design experimental procedures. Comparing scores of these students’ ED with those of the control group, it was found that these factors were significantly effective for improving students’ ED with high effect size. In conclusion, results of this research suggest that effective teaching strategy for students’ ED in scientific open inquiry can be obtained based on analysis about their difficulties in ED.
... First, it enriches the international discussion and understanding of the process of inquiry learning. Inquiry learning has been regarded as a key learning approach in many European-level strategic documents and national curricula (e.g., Osborn & Dilon, 2008; Tatar, 2012); however, it is still not widespread in schools (Martin et al., 2004). One of the reasons could be that the model of inquiry has not been complete. ...
... First, it enriches the international discussion and understanding of the process of inquiry learning. Inquiry learning has been regarded as a key learning approach in many European-level strategic documents and national curricula (e.g., Osborn & Dilon, 2008;Tatar, 2012); however, it is still not widespread in schools (Martin et al., 2004). One of the reasons could be that the model of inquiry has not been complete. ...
Inquiry has been regarded internationally as an eff ective learning approach for science learning; however, it is still not actively used in many schools. The current study argues that one of the reasons is incompleteness of the model for inquiry. This study seeks to open inquiry from a new angle by bringing in general inquiry knowledge, which could be regarded as an important limitation in enhancing inquiry. Next, it is empirically tested if general inquiry knowledge is related to the level of students' transformative inquiry skills. General inquiry knowledge pertains to the nature of a coherent inquiry process as a whole, comprehending knowledge about transformative and regulative inquiry processes. In this study, students' general inquiry knowledge and transformative inquiry skills were evaluated in a web-based learning environment Young Researcher. The analysis of the results demonstrated that the learning environment was suitable for improving students' general inquiry knowledge, and these are related with the level of transformative inquiry skills.
... However, the quality of the whole inquiry-based learning and its related learning gains can depend on the discussions during each inquiry phase and/or after completing all of the other phases. Several authors have included Discussion as a culminating inquiry phase (Bruce & Casey, 2012;Conole, Scanlon, Littleton, Kerawalla, & Mulholland, 2010;Valanides & Angeli, 2008), while others consider Conclusion as the final stage of an inquiry cycle (de Jong & van Joolingen, 2008;National Research Council, 1996;Tatar, 2012). ...
Inquiry-based learning is gaining popularity in science curricula, international research and development projects as well as teaching. One of the underlying reasons is that its success can be significantly improved due to the recent technical developments that allow the inquiry process to be supported by electronic learning environments. Inquiry-based learning is often organized into inquiry phases that together form an inquiry cycle. However, different variations on what is called the inquiry cycle can be found throughout the literature. The current article focuses on identifying and summarizing the core features of inquiry-based learning by means of a systematic literature review and develops a synthesized inquiry cycle that combines the strengths of existing inquiry-based learning frameworks. The review was conducted using the EBSCO host Library; a total of 32 articles describing inquiry phases or whole inquiry cycles were selected based on specific search criteria. An analysis of the articles resulted in the identification of five distinct general inquiry phases: Orientation, Conceptualization, Investigation, Conclusion, and Discussion. Some of these phases are divided into sub-phases. In particular, the Conceptualization phase is divided into two (alternative) sub-phases, Questioning and Hypothesis Generation; the Investigation phase is divided into three sub-phases, Exploration or Experimentation leading to Data Interpretation; and the Discussion phase is divided into two sub-phases, Reflection and Communication. No framework bringing together all of these phases and sub-phases was found in the literature. Thus, a synthesized framework was developed to describe an inquiry cycle in which all of these phases and sub-phases would be present. In this framework, inquiry-based learning begins with Orientation and flows through Conceptualization to Investigation, where several cycles are possible. Inquiry-based learning usually ends with the Conclusion phase. The Discussion phase (which includes Communication and Reflection) is potentially present at every point during inquiry-based learning and connects to all the other phases, because it can occur at any time during (discussion in-action) or after inquiry-based learning when looking back (discussion on-action).
... Baldoukas A. 1 , Zisos I. 2 , Bourika I. 3 , Tseles D. 2 , Skountzos A. 4 1 TEI of Central Greece, abald@teemail.gr 2 TEI of Piraeus 3 Teacher in primary education 4 Physics teacher in secondary education ...
The central mechanism os Plato’s alarm clock is the Pythagoras cup. The Pythagoras cup is a smart cup of wine brought a line defining the limit of filling and a curved pipette. When someone overfill the fluid covering the siphon, all the wine rows out of the cup automatically. Considered invention of Pythagoras (6th century BC.) who wanted to teach his students the need to respect the measure in our lives.
The Plato’s alarm clock, invented by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato (428–348 BC) who used it at night, possibly for signaling the beginning of his lectures at dawn. Plato’s alarm clock is consisted of three main vessels. The upper ceramic vessel supplies the next vessel (constructed as the Pythagoras cup) through an (appropriately calculated for every case) outflow funnel. When the second vessel becomes full at the programmed moment (for example after 7 hours) through the internally located axial pipette, it evacuates fast towards the next closed vessel and forces the contained air to come out whistling through a tube at its top. After its function, the third vessel empties slowly (through a small hole located at its bottom) towards the lower storage vessel in order to be reused.
In the frame of “TechnoRecycle” sub-project of the scientific project Archimedes III a competition was organized named “From the Pythagoras cup to Plato’s alarm clock using recycling materials”, see www.technorecycle.gr. The participants were called to construct a Plato’s alarm clock, like Fig. 1, using recycling materials. In the competition were three innings, one of Thessaloniki, one of Mytilene and one from Athens. The competition results were presented in this pape
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan bahan ajar (e-modul) fitokimia lahan basah berbasis STEAM-Inkuiri yang valid, praktis dan efektif. Model pengembangan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan ADDIE. Penelitian dilakukan pada mahasiswa pendidikan kimia yang mengambil mata kuliah fitokimia. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan berupa lembar validasi, angket dan tes penilaian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) validitas e-modul yang dikembangkan dalam kriteria ini sangat valid, (2) kepraktisan dan keterbacaan, dan respon mahasiswa terhadap e-modul yang dikembangkan dalam kriteria sangat praktis, (3) efektivitas dilihat dari n-gain kemampuan pemecahan masalah, literasi sains, dan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa secara berurutan 0,49; 0,68; 0,59 berada pada kriteria sedang dan diperkuat dengan hasil uji Wilcoxon(p value < 0,05) yang menunjukkan ada peningkatan yang signifikan antara hasil pre-test dan post-test. Disimpulkan bahwa e-modul yang dikembangkan valid, praktis dan efektif sehingga layak untuk meningkatkan kemampuan pemecahan masalah, literasi sains dan pemahaman konsep mahasiswa.
This research aimed to examine the impact of argumentation-based chemistry instruction on the argumentation self-efficacy of pre-service teachers' (PSTs’) and their perceptions regarding the effectiveness of this instruction on their argumentation self-efficacy. This exploratory study involved a cohort of PSTs who actively participated in a series of argumentation-based chemistry activities facilitated by their classroom teacher over an 11-week period, with each activity spanning 1 or 2 weeks. The introduction of argumentation preceded the exploration of chemistry topics, including heat and temperature, gas laws, physical and chemical change, solubility, distinctive properties of matter, chemical reactions, and acids-bases. Data sources comprised the self-efficacy scale for argumentation, the evaluation of instruction for enhancing self-efficacy survey, and semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed an increase in PSTs' self-efficacy for argumentation after 11 weeks of argumentation-based chemistry instruction. These results suggest that PSTs can significantly enhance their self-efficacy for argumentation when provided with instruction tailored to incorporate argumentation principles.
An undergraduate student should have ability to make the right decision based on data analysis and information able to provide instructions in choosing various alternative solutions independently and in groups. This is an important point in the Indonesian National Qualification Framework at the undergraduate level. One of the skills that must be possessed by students who are part of 21st century skills is critical thinking skills. The aim of this research is to analyze the critical thinking skills profile of science education undergraduate students in basic physics. Subject of this research were undergraduate students with sample of 109 undergraduate students determined by purposive sampling. The instruments have fulfilled the validity requirements (rα = 0.26) and reliability (α = 0.99). Result of this research that the profile of science education undergraduate students is very low level. The students’ critical thinking skills need to be improved based on that level.
Hidrolisis garam merupakan salah satu materi pelajaran kimia yang diajarkan di kelas XI SMA. Sebagian besar (60%) siswa menyatakan materi hidrolisis garam tergolong sukar.Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk menerapkan pembelajaran bounded inquiry labs untuk meningkatkan penguasaan konsep dan kemampuan berpikir analisis siswa pada topik hidrolisis garam. Metode dalam penelitian ini adalah kuasi eksperimen dengan desain Nonequivalen Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design. Ada dua kelompok sampel yaitu kelompok eksperimen dan kelompok kontrol yang dipilih secara purposive sampling. Kelas kontrol dengan pembelajaran langsung dan kelas eksperimen dengan pembelajaran bounded inquiry labs. Instrumen sudah divalidasi dan reliabel. Data yang terkumpul dianalisis secara deskriptif dan inferensial. Hasil penelitian yang terdiri dari penguasaan konsep dan kemampuan berpikir analisis menunjukkan terdapat kenaikan N-gain antara kelas kontrol dan kelas eksperimen. Hasil uji statistik dengan uji t-Test diperoleh signifikansi (sig.(2-tailed)) sebesar 0,019 untuk penguasaan konsep dan 0,002 untuk kemampuan berpikir analisis, yang berarti dari 0,005 menunjukkan terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan antara penguasaan konsep kelas kontrol maupun kelas eksperimen. Hasil ini diperkuat dengan tanggapan siswa yang menyatakan siswa lebih termotivasi dalam mengikuti pembelajaran BIL dan mereka terbantu dalam pencapaian nilai ulangan yang labih baik. Kata Kunci: Penguasaan Konsep, Kemampuan Berpikir Analisis, Bounded Inquiry Labs, Hidrolisis Garam
zet: Sorgulama temelli öğretim modeli fen derslerinde öğrenci merkezli bir yaklaĢım olarak kullanılmaktadır. Kısa zaman sonra öğretmenlik mesleğine baĢlayacak olan öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel sorgulama hakkındaki görüĢleri önemlidir. Bu çalıĢma fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının fen derslerinde bilimsel sorgulama hakkındaki görüĢlerinin uygulama sonrası araĢtırılması amacıyla gerçekleĢtirilmiĢtir. Bu amaca yönelik "Bilimsel Sorgulama Hakkındaki GörüĢler" (BSHG) anketi kullanılmıĢtır. Anket yedi adet açık uçlu sorudan oluĢmaktadır. ÇalıĢma Fen Bilgisi Eğitimi Anabilim Dalı 3. sınıfta öğrenim gören 40 öğretmen adayı ile 12 hafta süresince yürütülmüĢtür. Uygulama tamamlandıktan sonra öğretmen adaylarına BSHG anketi uygulanmıĢtır. Öğretmen adaylarının ankette yer alan sorulara verdiği cevaplar "bilimsel", "kısmen bilimsel", "yetersiz" ve "belirsiz" kategorileri kullanılarak analiz edilmiĢtir. Öğretmen adayları sorgulama temelli öğretim hakkında deneyimli olmalarına rağmen bilimsel sorgulamanın doğası ile ilgili verdikleri cevaplar daha çok bilimsel parça kategorisinde yer almaktadır. Bu sonuçtan yola çıkarak bilimsel sorgulamaya yönelik öğretim planlamanın öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel sorgulamanın doğasını tam olarak anlamada yeterli olmadığı belirtilebilir. Öğretmen adaylarının bilimsel sorgulamanın doğasını anlamalarına yönelik daha farklı öğretim teknikleri denenmelidir. Anahtar Sözcükler: Bilimsel sorgulama, öğretmen adayları, fen laboratuvar deneyimleri Abstract: Inquiry-based learning model is used as a student-centered approach at science courses. The preservice science teachers who will begin soon after to the teaching profession are important in their views on scientific inquiry. This study was conducted in investigating the opinion of science preservice teachers about scientific inquiry after instruction. For this purpose, "Views about Scientific Inquiry" (VASI) questionnaire consists of seven open-ended questions was used. This study was carried out science education department 40 third year preservice teachers through twelve weeks. VASI questionnaire has been applied to preservice teachers after completing the teaching application. Preservice teachers" responses were analyzed using the "informed", "mixed", "naive" and "unclear" categories. Answers about the nature of scientific inquiry are generally located in mixed category although preservice teachers are experienced on inquiry based teaching. As a result of this study, planning the education is not sufficient to understand the nature of scientific inquiry of preservice teachers. Different teaching techniques could be tried for preservice teachers understanding the nature of scientific inquiry.
The paper believes the method a teacher employed in science class for instruction makes students’ learning difficult. A literature review of some common methods of teaching in science was done. The paper highlighted the conceptual framework of the Peer Instruction Argumentative Strategy (PIAS) and discussed the importance of PIAS to science learning. The paper recommended PIAS for science education classes based on its perceived advantages over the other teaching strategies.
The discourse on science education during the current decade has continuously referred to the significance of cross-curricular twenty-first century skills such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, design and engineering skills, creativity, and ICT literacy (Craft, 2005, pp. 56–57; Webb & Rule, 2012, p. 379). The worldwide debate of educational stakeholders has highlighted the need to revive and reinforce the above-mentioned skills and competences for the next generation to complement their content-based school learning.
Bu çalışmanın amacı, fen bilgisi öğretmen adaylarının fen öğretimine yönelik zihinsel modellerini sınıf düzeyine göre tespit etmek ve fen öğretimine yönelik zihinsel modelleri ile fen öğretimine yönelik öz yeterlikleri arasında anlamlı bir ilişkinin olup olmadığını belirlemektir. Çalışmanın bir diğer amacı ise fen öğretimine yönelik zihinsel modellerin ve öğrenme yaklaşımlarının, fen öğretimine yönelik öz yeterlikleri ne düzeyde yordadığını tespit etmektir. İlişkisel tarama yönteminin kullanıldığı bu araştırmanın örneklemini Adnan Menderes Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Fen Bilgisi Eğitimi programında öğrenim gören 262 fen bilgisi öğretmen adayı oluşturmuştur. Öğretmen adaylarının 43’ü birinci, 78’i ikinci, 79’u üçüncü ve 62’si dördüncü sınıf öğrencisidir. Öğretmen adaylarının fen öğretimine yönelik öz-yeterlikleri “Fen Bilgisi Öğretimine Yönelik Öz-yeterlik İnancı Ölçeği” ile öğrenme yaklaşımları "Öğrenme Yaklaşımları Ölçeği" ile ve zihinsel modelleri "Fen Öğretmeni Çizim Testi-Kontrol Listesi" ile belirlenmiştir. Öğretmen adaylarının çizim testinden aldıkları puanların ortalamasına göre inançları öğretmen merkezli ve öğrenci merkezli öğretim modelinin arasında geçiş aşamasında belirlenmiştir. Sınıf düzeyi ilerledikçe fen öğretimiyle ilgili inançların öğretmen merkezli öğretimden, öğrenci merkezli bir öğretime doğru değiştiği görülmektedir. Hem Fen Öğretiminde Kişisel Öz-yeterlik İnancı faktörü için hem de Fen Öğretiminde Sonuç Beklentisi faktörü için, fen öğretimine yönelik öz yeterlikleri öğretmen merkezli öğretim modelinden öğrenci merkezli öğretim modeline geçtikçe artmaktadır. Öğretmen adaylarının öz-yeterlikleri, zihinsel modelleri ve öğrenme yaklaşımları arasındaki ilişki alt boyutları dikkate alınarak tartışılmış, önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
The main idea of the paper aims in the development of an Educational Network in the area of informal-interactive educational policies, concerning the use of recycling-raw materials as tools to introduce students 10 to 17 years old into the basic concept of the applied research. The concept is focused on the build, evaluation and optimization of a cost-effective educational interactive environment in typical school classes and in interactive exhibition events, where students 10 to 17 years old, working in groups, firstly will construct a ―working‖ device assembling recycled raw materials, such as plastic bottles and bawls, and then will use it as an experimental apparatus.
The " TechnoRecycle " scenario target is to build and evaluation of a cost-effective educational interactive environment in typical school classes and in interactive workshops around Greece and Cyprus, where: pupils, teachers, undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD students and parents-adults, working in groups, firstly will construct experimental devices assembling recycled raw materials, such as plastic bottles and bawls and then will use them as an experimental apparatus. In this paper will be presented the results of implementing the above scenario in teachers " s groups of primary and secondary education in Larissa city.
In this paper, the rules that guide the ―science and environmental protection contest‖ named ―TechnoRecycle contest‖ are outlined. ―TechnoRecycle contest‖ is a science thinking creativity contest motivating the participants to the experimental device construction using recycling materials. The ―TechnoRecycle contest‖ will be opened in Greece and Cyprus.
Recycling as a major contemporary issue can barely touch teamwork issues unless you follow the idea of bringing the team together with scientific discovery, described in this paper. Business executives are working in groups of 5, assembling complex experimental devices, using recyclable materials, see Fig. 1. Only help in assembling is a nearly identical device on a photo or schematic. The facilitator participates in helping members to realize behaviors and actions but also to record characteristics of group behavior, completing pre-and post-tests, tracking their characters aspects.
A novel method that captures the interest, excites the imagination, stimulates scientific thinking, releases creative thinking, raises awareness on environmental protection, demystifies science and strengthens teamwork.
Among the key business benefits could be the interdepartmental cooperation, group dynamics, best practices implementation, team effectiveness, communication, practical leadership, creativity, exploring excellence, fun & motivation, networking, out of the box thinking and uniting teams
The purpose of this study was to analyze stages of the concern on open inquiry of elementary school teachers. To achieve this purpose, this study used the instruments of CBAM, including stages of concern questionnarie. The results of this study was as follows. Firstly, most teachers were in 0 stage, which meant they had little concern on open inquiry in science instruction. Secondly, the teachers who had teaching career of less than or 10 years were no more interested in open inquiry than teachers who had teaching career of 11-20 years. Thirdly, the training experience and teaching experience of open inquiry didn't show a statistically significant difference. Based on these results, this study suggested that we need educational programs and supporting strategies to heighten concerns and enthusiasm of teachers and pre-service teachers on open inquiry in science instruction.
The cognitive revolution has greatly altered our way of thinking aboutteaching, and the methods of conducting teacher education and profes-sional development. No longer do we focus entirely on classroom behaviors, skills, and activities. Instead, teacher education has become highly cognitive in focus. The research related to this vision addresses descriptions of and methods for determining teacher cognitions, the relationship between cognitions and classroom actions, and ways of affecting changes in both.
This chapter focuses on a particular form of cognition—beliefs—in preservice teacher education students (referred to in this chapter as teacher candidates)
PRESERVICE TEACHERS' BELIEFS. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322631663_PRESERVICE_TEACHERS'_BELIEFS/overview [accessed Feb 25 2018].
The purpose of this study is to explore pre-service chemistry teachers' images of science teaching in their future classrooms. Also, association between instructional style, gender, and desire to be a teacher was explored. Sixty six pre-service chemistry teachers from three public universities participated in the data collection for this study. A modified version of Draw a Science Teacher Test Checklist (DASTT-C) was used as a data collection instrument. The results of study showed that pre-service chemistry teachers' perspective of science teaching style is 37,9 % student-centered, 22.7% teacher-centered, and 39.4% reflect the characteristics of both student-centered and teacher-centered approaches. A significant association was found between gender and instructional style. Female pre-service teachers are more willing to use student centered approaches rather than male pre-service teachers.
We describe a case study of an in-service professional development project with four experienced biology teachers in two upper secondary schools. The objective was to better understand the role of laboratory work (labwork) in science education with a special emphasis on assessment. Research questions include the following: 1. What does the teacher want to achieve with the labwork and how do the students perceive it? 2. How do biology teachers assess labwork? 3. How did the in-service project motivate teachers to change their assessment methods? 4. Are the assessment criteria in the Swedish national syllabus applicable to labwork? Data were collected during a semester-long in-service project. Laboratory instruction sheets were collected and analysed both with respect to intended learning outcome and assessment skills. Questionnaires to teachers and students about the intended learning outcome were carried out after different experiments. Finally, teachers were interviewed concerning the role of labwork and their assessment methods and also their reflections on the results of the in-service project. The teachers realised that their assessment methods require more transparency to become effective. The interpretation of intended learning outcomes of experimental work differs between students and teachers.
This article examines the function of documents as a data source in qualitative research and discusses document analysis procedure in the context of actual research experiences. Targeted to research novices, the article takes a nuts-and-bolts approach to document analysis. It describes the nature and forms of documents, outlines the advantages and limitations of document analysis, and offers specific examples of the use of documents in the research process. The application of document analysis to a grounded theory study is illustrated.
The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of the Iowa Chautauqua Professional Development Program in terms of changes in concept mastery, use of process skills, application of science concept and skills, student attitudes toward science, student creativity, and student perceptions regarding their science classrooms. Participants were 12 teachers who agreed to participate in an experimental study where an inquiry approach was utilized with one section and traditional strategies in another section. A total of 24 sections of students were enrolled in inquiry sections (365 students) and traditional sections (359 students). The data collected were analyzed using quantitative methods. The results are tabulated and contrasted for students enrolled in the two sections for each teacher. The results indicate that student use and understanding of science skills and concepts in the inquiry sections increased significantly more than they did for students enrolled in typical sections in terms of process skills, creativity skills, ability to apply science concepts, and the development of more positive attitudes.
As part of a larger project aimed at promoting science and literacy for culturally and linguistically diverse elementary students, this study has two objectives: (a) to describe teachers' initial beliefs and practices about inquiry-based science and (b) to examine the impact of the professional development intervention (primarily through instructional units and teacher workshops) on teachers' beliefs and practices related to inquiry-based science. The research involved 53 third- and fourth-grade teachers at six elementary schools in a large urban school district. At the end of the school year, teachers reported enhanced knowledge of science content and stronger beliefs about the importance of science instruction with diverse student groups, although their actual practices did not change significantly. Based on the results of this first year of implementation as part of a 3-year longitudinal design, implications for professional development and further research are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 1021–1043, 2004
A major trend in science education reform is an emphasis toward inquiry-based learning over transmission-based instruction. The effort to reform science teaching is not a simple effort however. Teacher beliefs have been demonstrated to have a strong influence on teacher prac-tice. Current methods to describe teacher beliefs are often interpretative. We describe the development of an instrument that captures qualitative and quantitative information regard-ing teachers' beliefs inquiry teaching. The instrument provides data that can be tracked over time to measure changing beliefs, a necessary precondition for changing practice. Change in belief can be monitored for individuals or for groups of subjects. We discuss several types of studies that can be accomplished using the Inquiry Teaching Belief (ITB) instrument. We also discuss several ways to analyze the data from this instrument. The instrument may be combined with observation protocols to elucidate barriers to changing practice.
This study examines the effectiveness of a new constructivist curriculum model (Powerful Ideas in Physical Science) in improving prospective teachers' understanding of science concepts, in foster-ing a learning environment supporting conceptual understanding, and in promoting positive attitudes toward learning and teaching science and chemistry in particular. A non-equivalent pretest–post-test control-group design was employed. Analysis of covariance and repeated-measures analyses of variance were performed to analyze the scores on concept tests and attitude surveys. Data from videotaped observations of laboratory sessions and interviews of prospective teachers were analyzed by employing a naturalistic inquiry method to provide insights into the process of science learning and teaching for the teacher trainees. The interpretations were made based on the findings that could be corroborated by both methodologies. Conclusions and limita-tions of the present study as well as recommendations for future implementation of constructivist science curriculum in general are also included.
Dynamic inquiry learning emphasizes aspects of change, intellectual flexibility, and critical thinking. Dynamic inquiry learning is characterized by the following criteria: learning as a process, changes during the inquiry, procedural understanding, and affective points of view. This study compared the influence of open versus guided inquiry learning approaches on dynamic inquiry performances among high-school biology students. We hypothesized that open inquiry students who engage in the inquiry process from its initial stage, participating in the decision making process of asking inquiry questions and planning all aspects of the inquiry, will outperform students who experienced guided inquiry, in terms of developing dynamic inquiry performances. Students were divided into two groups: guided and open inquiry learning approaches. Both groups were followed throughout their 2-year inquiry learning process. The data sources included interviews, students' inquiry summary papers, logbooks, and reflections. A quantitative content analysis of the two groups, using a dynamic inquiry performances index, revealed that open inquiry students used significantly higher levels of performances in the criteria “changes during inquiry” and “procedural understanding.” However, the study's results indicated no significant differences in the criteria “learning as a process” and “affective points of view.” The implementation of dynamic inquiry performances during inquiry learning may shed light on the procedural and epistemological scientific understanding of students conducting inquiries. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 46: 1137–1160, 2009
The laboratory has been given a central and distinctive role in science education, and science educators have suggested that rich benefits in learning accrue from using laboratory activities. Twenty years have been elapsed since we published a frequently cited, critical review of the research on the school science laboratory (Hofstein & Lunetta, Rev. Educ. Res.52(2), 201–217, 1982). Twenty years later, we are living in an era of dramatic new technology resources and new standards in science education in which learning by inquiry has been given renewed central status. Methodologies for research and assessment that have developed in the last 20 years can help researchers seeking to understand how science laboratory resources are used, how students' work in the laboratory is assessed, and how science laboratory activities can be used by teachers to enhance intended learning outcomes. In that context, we take another look at the school laboratory in the light of contemporary practices and scholarship. This analysis examines scholarship that has emerged in the past 20 years in the context of earlier scholarship, contemporary goals for science learning, current models of how students construct knowledge, and information about how teachers and students engage in science laboratory activities. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed88:28–54, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/.sce10106
Results of this study suggest that when multiple inquiry-based experiences, from guided to open inquiries, that challenge
preservice teachers’ learning in a constructivist environment are integrated into the elementary science methods course, ePSTs
not only develop an understanding of inquiry-based science instruction but also develop an appreciation for the benefits of
teaching and learning science through inquiry in a constructivist environment, indicating comfort with using inquiry-based
science teaching strategies in their own classroom practice when they become practicing teachers. Additionally, having ePSTs
concurrently involved in field experiences which reinforce inquiry-based science pedagogy taught in the elementary science
methods course helps preservice teachers conceptualize their own pedagogy in science and helps them start defining and accepting
their changing role as a facilitator as envisioned in theNSES (NRC, 1996, 2000). However, even though the majority of the ePSTs in this study indicated their intent to use inquiry-based
strategies to teach science in their classrooms and even though there is evidence in literature suggesting that a mathematics
methods courses can change preservice teachers’ beliefs and attitudes to be more consistent with the current reform movement
in mathematics (Wilkins & Brand, 2004), a follow-up study is needed to explore how many of these ePSTs actually incorporate
inquiry-based science teaching into their classes. p ]This research study was limited in that it examined the perceptions
of ePSTs regarding their understanding of scientific inquiry and inquiry-based science pedagogy after concurrently completing
a traditional eSEM course and its associated science field experience at only one large Midwestern university campus. Not
all campuses offer the eSEM course and the science field experience in the same semester. Also, this study did not examine
the effect of gender, socioeconomic factors, or ethnicity on ePSTs’ understanding of inquiry or inquiry-based pedagogy to
teach science as all of the participants were White females from upper middle class backgrounds.
A succinct summary of the key elements of what research says about reforming science teaching to yield the desired inquiry orientation must include attention to both means and ends. Teachers seeking an inquiry orientation should focus on the nature of student work, the students' role and their own role. Teachers and others in positions of leadership should focus on creating a climate of collaboration among teachers and providing a context within which teachers can reflect on their values and beliefs. The facets of the needed systemic process are many and must stay in place over a long period of time.
This study examined the impact of a recently revised science course that engaged preservice teachers in a scaffolded, student-directed
inquiry unit on local streams. Upon the completion of the inquiry project, the teacher candidates in the stream study classes
demonstrated significantly greater improvement in the personal science teaching efficacy (PSTE) beliefs than their peers did
in the non-stream study classes. Furthermore, the paper reported how the prospective elementary teachers perceived their understandings
of science and the instructional strategies related to the stream study unit. Implications and recommendations for future
studies are also discussed.
This study examined elementary preservice teachers’ beliefs about the role/image of a science teacher and science teaching
and how these beliefs change during an elementary science methods course; this examination was conducted through an analysis
of their metaphor writing. Data included personal metaphors and rationale papers for supporting them collected from 106 participants
at the start and end of the semester. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method and also quantified for statistical
analysis. Results indicate that most participants came to the course with traditional views and developed more constructivist
views during the course. However, they tended to keep their traditional views and added new constructivist perspectives into
their original belief systems. This study suggests that metaphor writing can be used as both a reflection tool for preservice
teachers to clarify and refine their beliefs about science teaching and learning and a diagnostic assessment tool for teacher
educators to understand their students for tailoring a methods course accordingly.
KeywordsTeacher beliefs about teaching and learning–Beliefs and practice–Metaphor writing–Preservice teacher education–Science teaching methods courses
It is in the introductory college science class where future teachers of science and future scientists are trained. Research has shown that self-efficacy and attitudes toward science are linked to future enrollment in science courses, selection of a college major, and even to a science career. It is important to examine the effects of these and other factors which impact the undergraduate science experience so as to decrease the attrition from the sciences and to evaluate science teaching methodologies. The purpose of this case study was to examine the effect of an inquiry-based introductory biology laboratory on students' biology self-efficacy and attitudes toward science at an urban public university. Data were gathered from one laboratory section during a fifteen-week semester through the use of participant observations, interviews, and three administrations of the Biology Self-Efficacy Scale and the Test of Science-Related Attitudes . Results showed that the inquiry experience had a positive effect on students' attitudes toward science and increased their biology self-efficacy. Moreover, peer group collaborations and student interactions with the teaching assistant were found to facilitate the inquiry process and the development of positive attitudes and self-efficacy. The findings of this study have implications for the enhancement of the undergraduate experience in college science laboratories and are significant for all college science educators with regard to ways in which to structure laboratory instruction.
This paper outlines research undertaken with first year primary pre-service teachers at Goldsmiths College, University of London, UK. The purpose of the project was to study the influence of pre-service teachers' prior educational experience and beliefs about the nature of and relationship between science and technology upon their planning for classroom activities incorporating both areas of the curriculum. The results suggest that these prior experiences and beliefs were indeed significant in specific ways in their influence upon lesson planning, but that their effects were mediated by the classroom context within which individual students worked. The findings have implications for the elicitation and restructuring of student beliefs within teacher education, and for the partnerships between colleges and schools.
This paper gives insights into the beliefs of 85 German first year chemistry student teachers about chemistry teaching and learning at the beginning of their teacher education. The study is based on student teachers’ drawings of themselves in a typical classroom situation and four open questions. The approach evaluated: (I) Beliefs about Classroom Organisation, (II) Beliefs about Teaching Objectives, and (III) Epistemological Beliefs. The tool, evaluation pattern and the results of the 85 first year chemistry student teachers evaluated by Grounded Theory are discussed and compared with similar studies from secondary biology, secondary physics, and primary science education, respectively. The results show that the first year chemistry student teachers in this sample hold heterogeneous beliefs about science teaching and learning. A minority are oriented around modern theories of learning, especially in their epistemological beliefs; the majority tend towards more traditional beliefs of chemistry teaching, not in line with modern educational theory. The latter tendencies are not as strong as they are among their physics colleagues. Beliefs of their biology colleagues – and even more so among first year primary science student teachers from our sample – are much more student-centred, oriented towards scientific literacy and constructivistic learning. Implications for teacher education are discussed.
Regards leadership as central to the success of the reform movement in science education. Defines leadership and introduces a model of leadership modified from the one developed by Edwin Locke and his associates. Provides an overview of the essential qualities of leadership occurring in science education. Discusses reforming science education and leadership. (KHR)
The purpose of this study is to describe elementary school teachers'
perceptions of science as inquiry in science instruction. A descriptive
survey research design was used to collect data regarding elementary
science teachers' knowledge and beliefs related to inquiry and its role
in science education. The written section of the survey was analyzed and
interpreted descriptively through phenomenological data and the constant
comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Lincoln & Guba,
1985). The researcher used the constant comparative method to identify
statements, perceptions, and impressions that occurred over time during
the study (Janesick, 1994). Ninety-two elementary school teachers who
teach science in a large suburban district southwest of Houston, Texas
were administered a three part Understanding Science as Inquiry Survey
(USAI) developed by the researcher. Participants communicated in writing
personal definitions of inquiry in elementary science as well as
determined to what extent inquiry was used in four elementary science
classroom scenarios. The survey items were based on the following four
components of inquiry described by Inquiry and the National Science
Education Standards (2000): (1) conceptual knowledge, (2) process
skills, (3) nature of science, and (4) affect. The study describes
elementary school teachers' perceptions about science as inquiry.
Conclusions for Part A of the USAI Survey indicate that participants
define inquiry as: mostly process skills, some conceptual knowledge, and
very little affect with no perception of the nature of science. The
Likert scale ratings for the scenarios in Part B of the USAI Survey
reveal that participants have varied perceptions regarding teaching
science as inquiry. The written section of Part B reveals participants'
perceptions to be similar to that of their Likert scale ratings except
in scenario one. The researcher concludes that the participants in this
study appear to have an incomplete understanding of teaching science as
inquiry. This study suggests that elementary teachers might benefit from
increased and sustained professional development programs centered on
inquiry teaching strategies. Professional development activities on
teaching science as inquiry create opportunities for teachers to
confront and develop ways of thinking about inquiry and ultimately
enhance inquiry-based teaching in their classrooms.
This study examined inservice elementary teachers' beliefs and practical
knowledge toward inquiry-based science instruction and the influence of
an inquiry-based elementary science course on teachers' beliefs and
practical knowledge regarding inquiry. The 14 elementary teachers
completed a three-credit elementary science methods course that
emphasizes teaching science as inquiry. Both quantitative and
qualitative data were collected using pretest and posttest surveys, and
an intensive case study. The findings showed that the teachers' beliefs
and practical knowledge about inquiry-based science instruction were
clearly influenced by the inquiry-based elementary science course. The
participant teachers constructed fairly positive beliefs and practical
knowledge that promoted inquiry-instruction throughout this course.
Moreover, they improved their knowledge and skills of conducting inquiry
in their own science lessons. The majority of teachers successfully
practiced inquiry-instruction in teaching their science lessons. Some of
the teachers in this study exhibited small or modest changes in their
practice of inquiry-instruction. To successfully translate
inquiry-instruction in the classroom, a teacher must possess strong
beliefs, knowledge, and expertise about inquiry. While the majority of
these teachers had never been previously exposed to inquiry-instruction
before this course, they expressed that they would continue to use more
inquiry-instruction in their classroom at the end of the course. The
teachers identified the following constraints that would prevent them
from promoting inquiry in the classroom: time, effort, and collaborative
support from experts. From the results of this study, it is important to
underlie that teachers' beliefs could be used to predict their use of
inquiry in their science lessons. If teachers really believe in
something, then they are more likely to act accordingly and adopt new
teaching practices as their own. It is recommended that teachers
collaborate with other experts or peer teachers to successfully
implement inquiry-based instruction in science teaching. In doing so,
appropriate inquiry-based curricula are also needed to provide rich
context of knowledge and experience in inquiry-instruction to teachers.
This study also suggests that a follow-up study is needed to assess the
participants' implementation of inquiry-instruction in their classroom,
and to examine whether the use of inquiry-instruction with their
students makes a significant difference in students' science learning.
This study examined prospective elementary teachers' learning about scientific inquiry in the context of an innovative life science course. Research questions included: (1) What do prospective elementary teachers learn about scientific inquiry within the context of the course? and (2) In what ways do their experiences engaging in science investigations and teaching inquiry-oriented science influence prospective elementary teachers' understanding of science and science learning and teaching? Eleven prospective elementary teachers participated in this qualitative, multi-participant case study. Constant comparative analysis strategies attempted to build abstractions and explanations across participants around the constructs of the study. Findings suggest that engaging in scientific inquiry supported the development more appropriate understandings of science and scientific inquiry, and that prospective teachers became more accepting of approaches to teaching science that encourage children's questions about science phenomena. Implications include careful consideration of learning experiences crafted for prospective elementary teachers to support the development of robust subject matter knowledge.
This study continues research previously conducted by a nine-university collaborative, the Salish I Research Project, by exploring science teachers' beliefs and practices with regard to inquiry-oriented instruction. In this study, we analyzed the relationship among secondary science teachers' preparation, their beliefs, and their classroom practices after completion of a course designed to provide authentic inquiry experiences. From Teacher Pedagogical Philosophy Interview data and Secondary Science Teacher Analysis Matrix observational data, we analyzed links between the teachers' conveyed beliefs and observed practice regarding the teachers' actions (TA) and students' actions (SA). Also presented is a listing of teachers' perceived influences from university preparation course work. Results indicated that 7 of the 8 teachers professed a belief in teacher-centered or conceptual style with regard to TA and SA. The observational results indicated that 7 of the 8 teachers displayed a teacher-centered or conceptual style with regard to TA and SA. Inconsistencies between interview and observational data were unexpected, as half of the teachers professed slightly greater teacher-centered styles with regard to TA than what they actually practiced in their classrooms. All teachers reported that an inquiry-based science course was valuable. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 938–962, 2006
This paper reports the synthesis of three case studies of students' engagement in inquiry-based learning activities in an upper-level undergraduate geology course. Details of how students engaged in scientific questions, gave priority to evidence, formulated explanations, evaluated explanations, and communicated and justified their findings are presented. Data for this study included classroom observations and fieldnotes of classroom practices, questionnaires, archival data (e.g., student work samples), and audiotapes and transcripts of interviews conducted with the student participants throughout the course. The findings suggest that although these students were able to successfully appropriate inquiry practices (e.g., giving priority to evidence), it was not without its challenges (e.g., perceived lack of guidance). A detailed discussion of the ways in which students were successful, and where they had challenges engaging in inquiry is presented, with the goal of helping direct practitioners and researchers to strategies whereby students' inquiry experiences can be improved. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed92:631–663, 2008
Ethnographic research methodologies were used to examine the training of elementary education majors in science in an attempt to gain insight on whether or not their training in science contributes to the apprehension elementary teachers have toward science. The field study consisted of 14 weeks of weekly observations in the elementary education majors science methods class. Interviews with the students and the instructors as well as survey instruments to assess students' preparation in science were used. Two different approaches to the study of science, one content oriented, the other process oriented, may contribute to the students' confusion, insecurity, and avoidance of science. The students' perception that science is learning content, an objective of introductory level science courses, and the science methods class's objectives of teaching science as a process sets up an “antagonistic dilemma” between the two. Such “antagonistic dilemma” may be manifest in the lack of instructional time accorded to science by elementary educators. The type of science experiences an individual encounters influences their perceptions. To offset student perceptions developed in science courses which stress principally content, the students need science experiences which truly represent science as inquiry. New strategies for the training of elementary education majors in science need to be examined.
This article describes the journeys—in the form of case studies—that three individuals took as they prepared to become elementary teachers of science. These prospective teachers were in a science teacher education program whose goal was to graduate teachers who held conceptual change beliefs of teaching science and were disposed to put them into practice. It describes these prospective teachers' conceptions of teaching science and selected portions of their knowledge base in life science, and explores how these conceptions, along with their teaching actions, developed during the course of the program. There are several conclusions. First, all three individuals started the program with views of learning in which the learners' role was to be receptive to the knowledge presented from other sources. There were considerable differences between the three individuals with respect to their initial perspectives on the nature of knowledge and of science. Second, there were changes in these prospective teachers' content knowledge, largely with respect to the quality, rather than the quantity, of what they knew. Third, all three prospective elementary teachers made progress in the direction of the goals of the program, although in different ways that were dependent on their own conceptions of knowledge, science, and learning. Fourth, all three individuals came to accept that students' views were important, but interpreted the significance of these views in different ways. Finally, there was evidence of unevenness in the relative development of their thoughts about teaching science and their actions in teaching science. This meant that there were some aspects of teaching for conceptual change that they adopted more readily than others. Focusing on students' ideas was seen as important for tracking their progress and increasing their motivation, but not as a basis for understanding their meaning-making. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Sci Ed83:323–346, 1999.
This study examined the knowledge, beliefs and efforts of five prospective teachers to enact teaching science as inquiry, over the course of a one-year high school fieldwork experience. Data sources included interviews, field notes, and artifacts, as these prospective teachers engaged in learning how to teach science. Research questions included 1) What were these prospective teachers' beliefs of teaching science? 2) To what extent did these prospective teachers articulate understandings of teaching science as inquiry? 3) In what ways, if any, did these prospective teachers endeavor to teach science as inquiry in their classrooms? 4) In what ways did the mentor teachers' views of teaching science appear to support or constrain these prospective teachers' intentions and abilities to teach science as inquiry? Despite support from a professional development school setting, the Interns' teaching strategies represented an entire spectrum of practice—from traditional, lecture-driven lessons, to innovative, open, full-inquiry projects. Evidence suggests one of the critical factors influencing a prospective teacher's intentions and abilities to teach science as inquiry, is the teacher's complex set of personal beliefs about teaching and of science. This paper explores the methodological issues in examining teachers' beliefs and knowledge in actual classroom practice. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 613–642, 2007.
This paper examines the influence of personal histories on the formation of early role identity as inquiry-oriented science teachers. Two cases selected from a multicase study of 12 secondary science student teachers are used to illustrate the development of inquiry orientation. These cases represent two extremes in a continuum ranging from didactic practice to successful use of structured inquiry. The role of learners' personal histories on their teaching identity development and implications for preparing inquiry-based science teachers are discussed. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:401–416, 2002; Published online in Wiley Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10020
Inquiry is seen as central to the reform of science teaching and learning, but few teachers have experience with scientific inquiry and thus possess very naïve conceptions of it. One promising form of professional development, research experiences for teachers (RETs), allows teachers to experience scientific inquiry in the hopes that these experiences will then translate to inquiry in the classroom. As intuitively pleasing as these programs are, scant evidence documents their effectiveness. For this study, four secondary science teachers were followed back to their classrooms following a 6-week, marine ecology RET. The research employed qualitative and quantitative data collection to answer these questions: What were the teachers' initial conceptions and enactment of classroom inquiry, and how did they change after the RET?; How did changes in the nature and use of questions highlight changes in inquiry enactment?; and How were the teachers' changes linked to the RET and are there changes that cannot be explained by the RET experience? Teachers who entered the program with more sophisticated, theory-based understanding of teaching and learning were more apt to understand inquiry as a model and to use classroom-based inquiry throughout their teaching following the program. Implications for professional development are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed93: 322–360, 2009
This study examined the long-term impact of the Summer Science Exploration Program (SSEP), a 2-week inquiry-based science camp, conducted at Hampshire College Amherst, MA from 1992 to 1994. The goal of the program was to stimulate greater interest in science and scientific careers among middle-school students. One hundred fifty-eight students were selected from a pool of applicants to attend the program using stratified random sampling procedures. In 1996, 22 participants were selected to participate in follow-up interviews using stratified random sampling procedures. Two quantitative surveys, the Science Opinion Survey and the Career Decision-Making Revised Surveys, were administered to 79 SSEP students and 35 students who applied but were not accepted (the control group). Pretest and posttest scores were analyzed for any significant change over time. Additionally, a cohort of over 500 students who were enrolled in the same grades and public schools that SSEP students attended completed the two surveys in both 1992–1994 and 1996–1997. The interviews and surveys suggested that SSEP students maintained a more positive attitude towards science and a higher interest in science careers than students who applied to the program but were not selected. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed86:693–705, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10039
For some years, there have been in-service efforts to help teachers become familiar with constructivist ideas about learning, and to apply them in their science teaching. This study is a vignette of one teacher's science teaching some time after such an in-service activity. It explores the ways in which the teacher implemented his perceptions of constructivist ideas about learning in his teaching of a topic. The extent to which the teacher used teaching principles based on constructivism was influenced by his views of science and of learning, how he usually planned his teaching, and his confidence in his own understanding of the topic. Features of the teaching which reflect a constructivist view of learning are discussed and some problems are identified. We conclude with some reflections about in-service programs within a constructivist framework. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the beliefs of six experienced high school science teachers about (1) what is successful science learning; (2) what are the purposes of laboratory in science teaching; and (3) how inquiry is implemented in the classroom. An interpretive multiple case study with an ethnographic orientation was used. The teachers' beliefs about successful science learning were substantively linked to their beliefs about laboratory and inquiry implementation. For example, two teachers who believed that successful science learning was deep conceptual understanding, used verification labs primarily to illustrate these concepts and used inquiry as a type of isolated problem-solving experience. Another teacher who believed that successful science learning was enculturation into scientific practices used inquiry-based labs extensively to teach the practices of science. Tension in competing beliefs sets and implications for reform are discussed. ? 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 41: 936-960, 2004.
In this article we assert a potential research agenda for the teaching and learning of science as inquiry as part of the JRST series on reform in science education. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of cognitive and sociocultural constructivism, cultural models of meaning, the dialogic function of language, and transformational models of teacher education, we propose that more research is needed in the areas of teachers' beliefs, knowledge, and practices of inquiry-based science, as well as, student learning. Because the efficacy of reform efforts rest largely with teachers, their voices need to be included in the design and implementation of inquiry-based curriculum. As we review the literature and pose future research questions, we propose that particular attention be paid to research on inquiry in diverse classrooms, and to modes of inquiry-based instruction that are designed by teachers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 38: 631–645, 2001
This paper set emerged from an international symposium that aimed to shed light on issues associated with the enactment of inquiry both as means (i.e., inquiry as an instructional approach) and as ends (i.e., inquiry as a learning outcome) in precollege science classrooms. The symposium contributors were charged with providing perspectives from their countries on the following major themes: (a) philosophical and practical conceptions of inquiry in the science curriculum; (b) images of the enactment of inquiry in the curriculum, curricular materials, classroom instruction, and assessment practices; and (c) factors and conditions, internal and external to the educational setting, which facilitate or impede inquiry-based science education. Another major theme that emerged from the symposium was related to the very conceptions of inquiry teaching. The individual contributions and synthesizing commentaries demonstrate that despite their situatedness and diversity, many themes and issues cut across the represented locales, and serve to show the significance and potential fruitfulness of any discourse regarding inquiry in science education that this paper set might, and we hope will, trigger in the near future. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed88:397–419, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10118
Active-learning labs for two topics in high school biology were developed through the collaboration of high school teachers and university faculty and staff and were administered to 408 high school students in six classrooms. The content of instruction and testing was guided by State of Texas science objectives. Detailed teacher records describing daily classroom activities were used to operationalize two types of instruction: active learning, which used the labs; and traditional, which used the teaching resources ordinarily available to the teacher. Teacher records indicated that they used less independent work and fewer worksheets, and more collaborative and lab-based activities, with active-learning labs compared to traditional instruction. In-class test data show that students gained significantly more content knowledge and knowledge of process skills using the labs compared to traditional instruction. Questionnaire data revealed that students perceived greater learning gains after completing the labs compared to covering the same content through traditional methods. An independent questionnaire administered to a larger sample of teachers who used the lab-based curriculum indicated that they perceived changing their behaviors as intended by the student-centered principles of the labs. The major implication of this study is that active-learning–based laboratory units designed and developed collaboratively by high school teachers and university faculty, and then used by high school teachers in their classrooms, can lead to increased use of student-centered instructional practices as well as enhanced content knowledge and process learning for students. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 960–979, 2007
This article investigates three teachers' conceptions and use of inquiry-based instructional strategies throughout a professional development program. The professional development program consisted of a 2-week summer inquiry institute and research experience in university scientists' laboratories, as well as three academic year workshops. Insights gained from an in-depth study of these three secondary teachers resulted in a model of teacher conceptions that can be used to direct future inquiry professional development. Teachers' conceptions of inquiry teaching were established through intensive case–study research that incorporated extensive classroom observations and interviews. Through their participation in the professional development experience, the teachers gained a deeper understanding of how to implement inquiry practices in their classrooms. The teachers gained confidence and practice with inquiry methods through developing and presenting their institute-developed inquiry lessons, through observing other teachers' lessons, and participating as students in the workshop inquiry activities. Data analysis revealed that a set of four core conceptions guided the teachers' use of inquiry-based practices in their classrooms. The teachers' conceptions of science, their students, effective teaching practices, and the purpose of education influenced the type and amount of inquiry instruction performed in the high school classrooms. The research findings suggest that to be successful inquiry professional development must not only teach inquiry knowledge, but it must also assess and address teachers' core teaching conceptions. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 1318–1347, 2007
This paper focuses on an early stage of developing curricular materials to support students' learning of scientific inquiry. The materials being developed and tested, called Classroom FeederWatch (CFW), aimed to support science inquiry and were developed by a collaborative team of private curriculum developers and scientists (ornithologists). Inquiry dimensions were influenced at the outset by the newly released National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996) and by prior successful experiences of ornithologists with inquiry experiences for adults. Despite hopes that CFW materials would assist middle school students to learn inquiry, evaluation findings showed little increase in students' understanding of inquiry or the ability to plan and conduct inquiry. We learned that improvements to inquiry dimensions of the curriculum required aligning activities more closely with practices that reflected the work of scientists in the discipline, integrating learning of content knowledge with learning about inquiry, and adjusting evaluation protocols to more accurately assess inquiry as represented in the Standards. Discussion highlights the influence of the Standards on development of inquiry dimensions of the materials, including the way in which initial application of the Standards to the early version of CFW materials may have restricted the engagement of both students and teachers in conducting science inquiry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed89:879–900, 2005
This paper presents results from a study aimed at helping preservice elementary and middle school teachers incorporate model-centered scientific inquiry into their science teaching practices. Specifically, the authors studied the effect of using a guided inquiry and modeling instructional framework (EIMA) and accompanying science methods instruction on preservice elementary teachers' science lesson design skills, scientific model use, and teaching orientations. Analysis of preservice teachers' pre–posttests, classroom artifacts, peer interviews, and lesson plans throughout the semester indicates that the framework successfully built on preservice teachers' prior instructional ideas, and that the majority of preservice teachers learned and used the framework in their lesson plans and teaching. Additionally, analysis of pre–posttest differences indicates an increase in posttest lesson plans that focused on engaging students in scientific inquiry using several kinds of models. Most importantly, the framework and accompanying instruction enabled two thirds of the class to move their teaching orientations away from discovery or didactic approaches toward reform-based approaches such as conceptual change, inquiry, and guided inquiry. Results from this study show that using instructional frameworks such as EIMA can enable preservice teachers to socially construct, synthesize, and apply their knowledge for enacting reform-oriented science teaching approaches such as model-centered scientific inquiry. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed91:158–186, 2007
Current standards emphasize student engagement with inquiry practices. However, implementing inquiry instruction is a formidable
challenge for teachers as they often lack models for using and adapting inquiry-based instructional materials. Teacher education
programs can provide scaffolded contexts for developing teachers’ ability to critique, adapt, and design inquiry-based materials.
We describe a qualitative study of 17 preservice teachers enrolled in two consecutive science methods courses. The study characterizes
the development of preservice teachers’ ability to critique and revise instructional materials. Our findings suggest that
teachers improved in their ability to critique lesson plans and to suggest revisions that would make them more inquiry oriented.
In particular, the teachers’ critiques and revisions increased in sophistication after engaging in instructional design activities
during the second methods course.
Teaching is a complex task shaped by many external and internal influences, including the beliefs held by individual teachers. This study sought an understanding of the impact of field experiences on the beliefs developed by preservice science teachers. The participants were students in an undergraduate science education methods course that involved observation and teaching experiences in K-12 classrooms. The data used in this qualitative study included drawings representing beliefs and in-depth interviews with selected participants. The findings indicate that beliefs focused on two key dualities: learning through experience and transmission and student-centered and teacher-centered instruction. The findings also suggest that field experiences both reinforce and challenge the beliefs held by preservice science teachers.
The purpose of this study was to examine middle childhood students'' perceptions of the learning environment in a reform-based physics course. A lecture-style, introductory physics course was modified into an inquiry-based course designed for preservice middle childhood teachers through the collaborative efforts of faculty in the Colleges of Education and Arts and Sciences. Focus group interviews were conducted to examine students'' perceptions. The results suggested that the students initially felt a level of frustration with a new constructivist experience; however, they were able to embrace the inquiry method and expressed a desire for additional specialized content courses for preservice teachers.
This study investigated how early childhood education (ECE) (PreK-3) preservice teachers’ ideas about science education change
as a result of implementing an inquiry-based curriculum within an ECE science methods course (ten-week quarter). Fifty-two
preservice teachers, including 50 females and 2 males, with 2 members of an ethnic minority group were part of the study.
The preservice teachers’ knowledge and undertanding of how to implement inquiry learning deepened over the tenweek period.
The preservice teachers seemed to gain some confidence in implementing inquiry learning. Preservice teachers need to have
focused science teaching time with primary students to strengthen and support their confidence, attitudes, and abilities to
implement inquiry learning. Also, support for inquiry learning must come from K-12 educators as well as arts and science faculty,
as this is where preservice teachers can develop substantive content knowledge within authentic science learning experiences.
This paper reports on a study of elementary preservice teachers’ inquiry-based practices, their efficacy beliefs, and the
role beliefs had on two preservice teachers’ practices in urban classrooms. Results show inquiry-based practices can be cultivated
through field-based experiences and preservice teachers’ efficacy beliefs, as it relates to practice in urban settings, are
malleable. Specifically, personal efficacy beliefs about teaching science improved or were sustained for one cohort of preservice
teachers. However, beliefs about students’ ability to learn science, that is outcome beliefs, were less stable. The results
of two case studies show that science content knowledge was a factor in preservice teachers’ inquiry-based practices. However,
why preservice teachers’ beliefs about student learning declined is less clear. More research is needed, along with follow-up
data on teacher induction, to learn how preservice teachers’ beliefs impact urban students’ science education.
KeywordsScience inquiry–Efficacy beliefs–Elementary–Preservice teachers–Urban students
Laboratory work is seen as an integral part of most science courses; however, a significant proportion of laboratory activities
remain highly prescriptive and fail to challenge many secondary science students. This study of senior high school biology,
chemistry and physics laboratory environments drew data from student responses to theScience Laboratory Environment Inventory (SLEI) and a curriculum analysis of the implemented laboratory tasks. The study involved 387 biology, chemistry and physics
students in 20 classes in Tasmania, Australia. The curriculum analysis was based on Lunetta and Tamir’sLaboratory Structure and Task Analysis Inventory and theLaboratory Task Analysis. The study found that the SLEI did differentiate between the three subject areas and that theLaboratory Structure and Task Analysis Inventory confirmed the more open-ended nature of the school physics in vestigations evident from students’ responses to the SLEI.
To promote the use of scientific inquiry methods in K-12 classrooms, departments of teacher education must provide science
teachers with experiences using such methods. To comply with state and national mandates, an apprenticeship course was designed
to afford preservice secondary science teachers opportunities to engage in an authentic, extended, open-ended inquiry. This
study describes three teachers’ apprenticeship experiences with a research scientist. Our model included placing preservice
teachers with scientists in expert/novice roles where each teacher would be actively engaged in constructing knowledge. From
triangulating interview, laboratory notebook, and reflective summary data resources, we identified common themes from re-occurring
statements. Findings indicated that participants acquired scientific skills and content knowledge; however, they expressed
limited use of these in their classrooms.
Education literature suggests that preservice teachers hold similar initial beliefs, viewing the teacher as the authority figure passing knowledge to the students. In consistency with constructivist practice, these beliefs should be challenged to enable the preservice teachers to develop alternative ideas, seeing the students capable of constructing knowledge with the help of the teacher. These beliefs are found difficult to change in the course environment. Drawing on surveys and teaching observations from four preservice teachers in an introduction methods course, the study showed that the four participants had different epistemological beliefs, some beliefs being more resistant to change than others.