What do scientists use scientific inquiry for

For over 20 years, she has researched the effects of cooperative learning on students' learning in science, mathematics, and social science content areas at the elementary and secondary levels. She has researched inquiry-based science in the classroom and has published her findings in many international journals, including the International Journal of Educational Research, Pedagogies: An International Journal, and Teaching Education.

The extent of Dr. Gillies work in education is far reaching; she is the author of over 80 journal articles, two books, and nearly 20 book chapters. Gillies graciously agreed. Thank you, Dr. First, can you explain your interest in education and in inquiry-based science, specifically? For about 20 years I have been researching the effects of cooperative learning on students' learning in science, mathematics, and social science content areas in elementary and secondary schools, and the majority of the findings have indicated that cooperative learning where students work together to investigate a problem or solve a dilemma can be used successfully to promote student engagement, socialization, and learning.

Parallel to this research has been my interest in science and my concerns that teachers often seem reluctant to teach it in a way that is problem-based where student have opportunities to work together to investigate a topic.

In a sense, I've realized that cooperative learning with its emphasis on group cooperation and investigation can be used as a tool to help teachers teach science in a way that taps into students' natural curiosity to explore their world. Inquiry-based science adopts an investigative approach to teaching and learning where students are provided with opportunities to investigate a problem, search for possible solutions, make observations, ask questions, test out ideas, and think creatively and use their intuition.

In this sense, inquiry-based science involves students doing science where they have opportunities to explore possible solutions, develop explanations for the phenomena under investigation, elaborate on concepts and processes, and evaluate or assess their understandings in the light of available evidence. This approach to teaching relies on teachers recognizing the importance of presenting problems to students that will challenge their current conceptual understandings so they are forced to reconcile anomalous thinking and construct new understandings.

Inquiry-based science challenges students' thinking by engaging them in investigating scientifically orientated questions where they learn to give priority to evidence, evaluate explanations in the light of alternative explanations and learn to communicate and justify their decisions. These are dispositions needed to promote and justify their decisions. In short, "Scientific inquiry requires the use of evidence, logic, and imagination in developing explanations about the natural world" Newman et al.

Professional scientists do almost exactly the same thing by publishing their final report in a scientific journal or by presenting their results on a poster or during a talk at a scientific meeting. In a science fair, judges are interested in your findings regardless of whether or not they support your original hypothesis. Menu Science Projects. Project Guides. View Site Map. Science Projects. Grade Levels. Physical Science. Earth and Environmental Science.

Behavioral and Social Science. What is the Scientific Method? The Scientific Method: Steps and Examples. Teacher Tool Box. For detailed help with this step, use these resources: Your Question Laboratory Notebook. Do Background Research Rather than starting from scratch in putting together a plan for answering your question, you want to be a savvy scientist using library and Internet research to help you find the best way to do things and ensure that you don't repeat mistakes from the past.

Construct a Hypothesis A hypothesis is an educated guess about how things work. For detailed help with this step, use these resources: Variables Variables for Beginners Hypothesis. If it is not supported, propose some alternative hypotheses. In practice, the scientific method is not as rigid and structured as it might at first appear.

Sometimes an experiment leads to conclusions that favor a change in approach; often, an experiment brings entirely new scientific questions to the puzzle. Many times, science does not operate in a linear fashion; instead, scientists continually draw inferences and make generalizations, finding patterns as their research proceeds.

Scientific reasoning is more complex than the scientific method alone suggests. Improve this page Learn More. Skip to main content. Module 1: Introduction to Biology. Search for:. Scientific Inquiry Learning Outcomes Compare inductive reasoning with deductive reasoning Describe the process of scientific inquiry.

Practice Question Your friend sees this image of a circle of mushrooms and excitedly tells you it was caused by fairies dancing in a circle on the grass the night before. Show Answer In theory, you might try to observe the fairies. But fairies are magical or supernatural beings. We have never observed them using any verifiable method, so scientists agree that they cannot be studied using scientific tools.

The core area is clear of mushrooms because the soil nutrients have been partly depleted there. This idea can be evaluated with repeated observations over time using chemical soil tests and other verifiable measurements.

Practice Question Figure 2. The original hypothesis is not supported, as the coffee maker works when plugged into the outlet. Try It. Did you have an idea for improving this content?

They found that the school custodian turned on a lawn sprinkler system three times a week. He left it running longer than necessary, and the excess water ran off the lawn and collected at the base of the trees. Since the ground was sloped, most of the water collected at one end of the tree-growing area. Together with the other groups, they reported their results to the rest of the class. As different groups gave their reports, the class learned that some observations and information — such as those from the group investigating whether the trees were different — did not explain the observations.

The results of other investigations, such as the idea that the trees could have a disease, partly supported the observations. But the explanation that seemed most reasonable to the students, that fit all the observations and conformed with what they had.

After their three weeks of work, the class was satisfied that together they had found a reasonable answer to their question. At Mrs. The custodian came to class and thanked them. He said he would change his watering procedure and he did. Graham then asked the students how they could find out if their explanation was correct.

After some discussion they decided that they would have to wait until next year and see if all the trees got healthy again. The following year, during the same month that they had observed the discrepancy, all three trees were fully clothed with green leaves.

One is struck by the parallels between Mrs. The geologist began his investigation with a question about an unusual and intriguing observation of nature. So did Mrs. The scientist then undertook a closer examination of the environment — asked new and more focused questions — and proposed an explanation for what he observed, applying his knowledge of plate tectonics.

The children applied their knowledge to formulate several explanations and new questions before undertaking further investigations. The scientist, knowing of investigations by other scientists, used their findings to confirm the validity of his original explanation. In Mrs. The geologist published his findings. Inquiry in the classroom can take many forms. Investigations can be highly structured by the teacher so that students proceed toward known outcomes, such as discovering regularities in the movement of pendulums as noted in the Foreword and in the classroom vignette on pages of the National Science Education Standards.

Or investigations can be free-ranging explorations of unexplained phenomena, like the tree leaf discrepancies in Mrs. The form that inquiry. The chapters that follow explore the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry across a broad range of ages and scientific topics. The intention is to improve the quality of student learning by enabling them to acquire the abilities of inquiry, develop knowledge of scientific ideas, and understand the work of scientists.

Humans, especially children, are naturally curious. Yet, people often balk at the thought of learning science—the "eyes glazed over" syndrome. Teachers may find teaching science a major challenge in an era when science ranges from the hardly imaginable quark to the distant, blazing quasar.

Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards is the book that educators have been waiting for—a practical guide to teaching inquiry and teaching through inquiry, as recommended by the National Science Education Standards.

This will be an important resource for educators who must help school boards, parents, and teachers understand "why we can't teach the way we used to. This book explains and illustrates how inquiry helps students learn science content, master how to do science, and understand the nature of science.

This book explores the dimensions of teaching and learning science as inquiry for K students across a range of science topics. Detailed examples help clarify when teachers should use the inquiry-based approach and how much structure, guidance, and coaching they should provide.

The book dispels myths that may have discouraged educators from the inquiry-based approach and illuminates the subtle interplay between concepts, processes, and science as it is experienced in the classroom. Inquiry and the National Science Education Standards shows how to bring the standards to life, with features such as classroom vignettes exploring different kinds of inquiries for elementary, middle, and high school and Frequently Asked Questions for teachers, responding to common concerns such as obtaining teaching supplies.

Turning to assessment, the committee discusses why assessment is important, looks at existing schemes and formats, and addresses how to involve students in assessing their own learning achievements. In addition, this book discusses administrative assistance, communication with parents, appropriate teacher evaluation, and other avenues to promoting and supporting this new teaching paradigm.

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