In order to investigate more fully the reasons behind student’s general level of
dissatisfaction with the inquiry course compared to the traditional course, we conducted
anonymous interviews at the end of the semester of Fall 2006. Negative impressions of the
inquiry labs focused on frustrations, failures, and workload. Students participating in inquiry
labs often cited experiencing frustration with the process of struggling to “figure out” what
they were doing without directions when they were accustomed to being provided with
exact details. They also commented that the inquiry lab was “too much work,” especially
when compared to other lab classes they had taken. These issues combined together to
create a feeling of inadequacy and insecurity that every student in the interview group
mentioned. In particular, they mentioned that as non-science majors they had not been
trained to tackle the types of challenges they faced in the lab and indicated they lacked the
commitment to surmount these challenges since they wouldn’t be facing similar challenges
later in their coursework. Positive comments about the inquiry labs focused on relevance
and understanding. Students in the inquiry labs repeatedly mentioned their newfound
abilities as learners and their ability to apply the material to the real-world. They also
commented on how the collaborative aspects of struggling together were both rewarding
and frustrating. However, in the end, several still indicated they would choose the easier
rather than more rewarding path. One student summed it up best, stating, “I prefer it [the
traditional lab]. I prefer just going in, looking at notes, taking a quiz and then having [the]
procedure, this, this, and this. I think that’s easier. But I wouldn’t learn as much.”
Students in the traditional labs also expressed feelings of frustration, but their complaints
revealed a lack of enthusiasm (in themselves and their TA, and a lack of real learning)
rather than frustration due to struggling to learn. This was also revealed in their positive
comments that focused solely on the brevity, ease, and “cool” scientific equipment they
found in labs, as well as how lab helped reinforce the content knowledge they could use for
the lecture class rather than what they had learned for their own lives. Interestingly,
student comments from the traditional lab clearly revealed that they really didn’t
understand what they were doing and admitted that they hadn’t learned much, e.g.,
students in the traditional lab indicated they would not be able to answer practical questions
about the labs at the end of the semester. In comparison, students in the inquiry labs
answering the same question felt confident in their abilities.