Inquiry in Biology for Secondary Schools

Evelyn Teo

31 May – 2 June 2010

Content Overview

1) Requirements of Secondary Science Curriculum2) What is Science Inquiry?3) Approaches to Science Inquiry4) BSCS 5E Instructional Model5) Strategies for Inquiry-based Learning and Teaching6) Frequently Asked Questions about Inquiry7) Classroom Case Studies

What is inquiry-based learning?“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve

me and I understand” - Joe Exline

What is inquiry-based learning?• Inquiry- Seeking for truth, information or knowledge- Seeking information by questioning

• Process of inquiring begins with gathering information through the human senses

Requirements of the Secondary Science Curriculum

SCIENCE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

The Science Curriculum Framework is derived from thePolicy Framework for the Teaching and Learning of Science.It encapsulates the thrust of science education in Singaporeto prepare our students to be sufficiently adept as effectivecitizens, able to function in and contribute to an increasinglytechnologically-driven world.

Central to the curriculum framework is the inculcation of thespirit of scientific inquiry. The conduct of inquiry is founded onthree integral domains of (a) Knowledge, Understanding andApplication, (b) Skills and Processes and (c) Ethics andAttitudes. These domains are essential to the practice ofscience. The curriculum design seeks to enable students toview the pursuit of science as meaningful and useful. Inquiryis thus grounded in knowledge, issues and questions thatrelate to the roles played by science in daily life, society andthe environment.

The spirit of Scientific Inquiry

Requirements of Secondary Science Syllabus

Scientific inquiry is defined as

“…the activities and processes which scientists and students engage in to study the natural and physical world around us.” (MOE, 2008, p.12)

Scientific inquiry consists of 2 critical processes:1) What (Content)2) How (Process)

Requirements of Secondary Science Syllabus

Your students are expected to…

1. ask questions w.r.t. daily life, society & environment 2. collect and use evidences 3. formulate and communicate explanations

Scientific inquiry consists of 2 critical processes:

Requirements of the Secondary Science Curriculum

MOE, 2008, p 12-13

Use all or several of the essential features of science as inquiry in your lessons…

Structure your approach towards the left of the table…GRADUALLY (to meet the needs of your students)

Requirements of the Secondary Science Curriculum

Inquiry lessons are to involve…

1.hands-on learning, from concrete to abstract2.situate learning in realistic (authentic) contexts

… so design learning activities that require active engagements of students to DO something that relates to their REAL LIFE experiences…

What is Science Inquiry?

Is science inquiry really that difficult & scary??

List your concerns here: How we can overcome:

Objectives of this session

Now that you are aware of the MOE’s requirements… let’s look at what else we can do…

1. Is science inquiry really that difficult & scary??

2. What are the known approaches of science inquiry?

3. The 5E Learning model…one possible approach.

4. What others have done using the 5E model…

Approaches to Science Inquiry

Three possible approaches…

1.The generative learning model (Osbourne & Freyberg, 1985)

2.The interactive model (Faire & Cosgrove, 1988)

3.The BSCS 5E model

Dawson, V. & Venville, G. (2007). The art of teaching primary science. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Approaches to Science Inquiry

1. The generative learning model (Osbourne & Freyberg, 1985)

Approaches to Science Inquiry

2. The interactive model (Faire & Cosgrove, 1988)

Approaches to Science Inquiry

3. The 5E model

Origins of BSCS 5E Instructional Model• BSCS = Biological Science Curriculum Study• Traced back to early 20th century• Begins with the works of Johann Herbart on philosophy and

psychology• Learning can be synthesized into an instructional model based

on students’ current knowledge and their new ideas- connections between prior knowledge and new knowledge form ideas

• Teacher explains ideas that students did not discover• Teacher provides opportunities for students to demonstrate their

understanding

The BSCS 5E Learning Model (Bybee, 2002)

Components of The 5E Model

1) Engage• Probe prior knowledge and concepts / misconceptions• Generate a question to be investigated

- ask a question about objects, organisms or events in the environment

• Teacher to provide guidance in forming questions that can be investigated scientifically

• Activity should (1) make connections between past and present learning experiences, (2) anticipate activities and focus students’ thinking on the learning outcomes of current activities.

Components of The 5E Model

2) Explore• Plan and conduct simple investigations, explore

environment or manipulate materials.• Use appropriate tools and techniques to collect relevant

data.• Provides students with experiences within which they

identify and develop current concepts, processes, and skills.

I Notice I Wonder Write down observations

and discoveries Write down questions that

come to their mind

I Notice / I Wonder Chart

Components of The 5E Model

3) Explain• Provides opportunities for students to verbalize their

conceptual understanding, or demonstrate their skills or behaviours.

• Use data and scientific knowledge to generate explanations.- describe, reflect and give theories on observational data

• Provides opportunities for teachers to introduce a formal label or definition for a concept, process, skill, or behaviour.

Components of The 5E Model

4) Elaborate• Extends students’ conceptual understanding and

allows further opportunity for students to practice desired skills and behaviours.

• Extend strategies, concepts, principles and explanations to new problem / question.- apply knowledge and skills in new situations

• Learners are presented with new learning tasks and called on to use their developing knowledge to negotiate new task.

• Through new experiences, the students develop deeper and broader understanding, more information, and adequate skills.

Components of The 5E Model

5) Evaluate• Demonstrate knowledge, understanding and ability to

use inquiry strategies through formative and summative assessments.- communicate investigations, data and explanations to others

• Provides a basis for decisions on how to improve learning and teaching.

• Encourages students to assess their understanding and abilities

• Provides opportunities for teachers to evaluate student progress towards achieving educational objectives.

• Brainstorming- generate creative ideas and solutions

• Case Study- Develop critical skills (analysing, inferring, communicating)

• Concept Mapping- present meaningful relationships among concepts- organise and link concepts / ideas

• Demonstration- each students assumes certain responsibilities and contributes to completion of tasks- in working with others, students are exposed to different views and solutions to accomplish a common goal

• Field Trip- students explore, discover and experience science in everyday life

Strategies for Inquiry-based Learning and Teaching

• Games- simulate learning of concepts or skills- help students to visualise or illustrate objects / processes in real world

• Investigation- students mirror how scientists think, what they do in decision making process (ask questions, plan / design investigations

• Learning Centres- activities may be designed to accommodate a variety of learning styles and challenge multiple intelligences

• Mindmapping- branches connect related concepts / ideas to central image- visual presentation of related information enhances understanding

Strategies for Inquiry-based Learning and Teaching

• Model Building- design and construct a representation of a concept / object

• Problem Solving- engages students in finding solutions to problems by applying scientific knowledge and skills

• Projects- require students to find out about an object, event, process / phenomenon over time

• Questioning- useful tools in scientific inquiry process

• Role Play, Drama, Dance and Movement- allows students to express understanding of scientific concepts and processes in a creative way

Strategies for Inquiry-based Learning and Teaching

• Strategies for Active and Independent Learning (SAIL) - emphasises learning as a formative and developmental process- instruction and assessment point the way for students to continuously learn and improve- learning expectations and rubrics are used

Strategies for Inquiry-based Learning and Teaching

Features of an Inquiry Classroom

Traditional InquiryStudents often work alone Students often work in groups

Emphasis on mastery of facts Emphasis on understanding of key concepts

Follows a fixed curriculum closely Allows for pursuit of student questions

Activities rely mainly on workbook and textbook materials

Activities rely on primary sources

Students are viewed as ‘blank states’ Students are viewed as thinkers with their own theories about the world

Teachers tend to disseminate information to students

Teachers facilitate an interactive learning environment

Teachers tend to seek correct answers Teachers seek to understand students’ learning

Assessment tends to be separate from teaching

Assessment is interwoven with teaching

Frequently Asked Questions About Inquiry

In inquiry-based teaching, is it okay to tell students the answers to their questions?

Is in more important for students to learn the abilities of scientific inquiry or scientific concepts and principles?

How can teachers cover everything in the curriculum if they use inquiry-oriented materials and teaching methods?

Frequently Asked Questions About Inquiry

What can teachers do who are provided only traditional instructional materials?

Where can teachers get the equipment, materials and supplies they need to teach thorough inquiry?

What barriers are encountered when implementing inquiry-oriented approaches?

How can teachers improve their use of inquiry in science teaching?

Inquiry in the Classroom• Turn to classroom case studies and read the six

scenarios.• Review the summary of observations and answer the

questions.