What is inquiry-based science?
The second session was purely lecture based
and introduced the theoretical background of inquiry based science. Students learned what inquiry-based
science was, its characteristics, and its development.
They were told that inquiry-based science is an open
student centered teaching technique. The different
types of inquiry-based science; open, guided or
structured, were also discussed. To reinforce the
ideas taught in this session students had to design a simple inquiry-based experimental lesson for
homework.
Designing a simple experimental lesson
A good way to find out if students
understand what inquiry-based science teaching
involves is to ask them to plan an inquiry-based
lesson. Groups of students were given a set title and
had to use this to develop a suitable inquiry lesson.
The lesson plans had to include some kind of
practical experiment or investigation, which the
schoolchildren themselves design or plan. The
themes which the students are given included;
dandelion growth, microscopy of human hairs,
housefly anatomy, woodlice behavior, and nettle
stinging.
Each group presented their ideas to the class
in the third session after having a week of preparation
time. Ideas were varied. For example, the group
tasked with designing a lesson about dandelion
growth developed a lesson in which schoolchildren
would compare dandelion growth in sunny and shady
areas. The group given the title ‘woodlice’ planned a
lesson that contained an experiment where
schoolchildren would study whether woodlice
preferred diet or regular cola. The housefly group
planned a lesson in which schoolchildren would
study and draw houseflies with hand lenses and look
for differences and similarities.
Each group’s ideas were commented on in a
class discussion. This proved useful in evaluating and
assessing the ideas given. When, for example, one
group presented a lesson plan that included no
inquiry-based or experimental element, but instead
research on the Internet to answer some teacher
decided question, the other students were quick to
point out that this was not inquiry-based science.