Introduction to the Special Issue on Teaching Inquiry (Part I): Illuminating Inquiry

Abstract

We provide an introduction to the special issue on Teaching Inquiry, through its motivation and themes. We focus here on Part I: Illuminating Inquiry.     

Acting Like a Mathematician: A Project to Encourage Inquiry Early in the Math Major

Abstract

Inquiry is promoted as a way to engage students so that they learn more deeply; inquiry is also an end in itself, introducing students to the research process and the behaviors of a mathematician. This article reflects on an individual exploratory project used in a sophomore-level number theory course, examining how it supported student inquiry and integrated with departmental efforts to encourage productive mathematical dispositions. Additional attention is given to the choice of topics, focus on process rather than product, and student reflections in supporting the goal of student inquiry.     

Community of Inquiry (CoI): A Framework for Social Work Distance Educators

ABSTRACT

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework, a research-based seminal work, provides a structure for integrating a collaborative constructivist approach in course design, implementation, and evaluation. The CoI framework suggests that by fostering three essential elements – social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence – a community of inquiry can be created to promote student engagement and learning. This paper will present the concepts of the CoI framework for social work educators to consider for distance education course design, implementation, and evaluation.     

Observing Inquiry-Based Learning Environments Using the Scholastic Inquiry Observation Instrument

This study provides psychometric data for the Scholastic Inquiry Observation instrument and 6 years of research data from an inquiry-based professional training program. The rating instrument provides a resource for measuring 16 inquiry-related learning activities based on level of inquiry implementation and level of active student engagement. Observational data at the item level can be useful for inquiry-based professional development programs. Four scale score options are available for inquiry summarization (Inquiry Implementation for Hypothesis Usage; Implementation of Inquiry Communication; Student Engagement in Hypothesis Usage; Student Engagement in Inquiry Communication) and two scales measuring Student Interest and Mastery of Objectives. Comparisons of the types of inquiry most commonly used and those with the highest levels of active participation by middle school students in science and math classrooms are provided.     

The impact of Geospatial Inquiry lessons on student interest in science and technology careers

Advances in online geospatial technologies (GST) have expanded access to K-12 classrooms which has implications for the support teachers require to effectively integrate GSTs to promote learning. Previous studies have shown the impact of GST-integrated lessons on student engagement, spatial thinking skills, and/or content knowledge; however, most of these studies have been small in scope and scale and frequently focus on the affordances of the technology, without addressing the context of the implementation and student characteristics for whom GST is most impactful. We attempt to address some of these gaps. Our program scaled an effective GST-focused professional learning and development program to a national audience through a facilitator development model. This paper explores the student characteristics and lesson factors that resulted in student interest in science and technology and careers in those fields. After teaching a Geospatial Inquiry lesson created during a teacher workshop, teachers (n = 82) submitted the lessons and surveys on the implementation of Geospatial Inquiry lessons. The implementation surveys and lessons were scored for alignment to the principles of high-quality Geospatial Inquiry. Students (n = 1924) completed a post-lesson retrospective survey and indicated the extent to which their perceptions and attitudes toward science and technology changed because of the lesson. Results indicate that teacher GST performance is associated with increases in student outcomes. Students with previous exposure to science activities were more likely to have increased interest and excitement in science and careers in science but decreased interest in technology careers. Students who had previous exposure to technology activities had increased interest and excitement in technology and careers in technology but decreased interest in science careers. Geospatial Inquiry lessons also had a significant impact on students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. After participating in the lessons, students who identify as female reported higher engagement and interest in science and higher interest in science careers. Students who identified as Black or Hispanic also reported higher interest and excitement in science and technology, and students who identified as Black reported marginally higher interest in science careers.     

现代汉语课程教学模式初探

“探究教学”是当今国际教育改革中的关注焦点之一。笔者从现代汉语课程出发，进行了三年的教学实践和探索，构建起本学科的三种探究教学模式：模仿一创造教学模式、学法探究教学模式、研究性学习模式。这三种探究教学模式形成了现代汉语课程的一个探究教学发展系统。     

研究性学习实施论纲

在课程改革中,研究性学习可以表现出技术性、政治性与文化性三种实施取向。我们可以从课程结构与教学实践两个层面上考虑研究性学习的实施策略。要成功地实施研究性学习,就应该加强校长的课程领导职能、建立自然合作的教师文化、发展积极的家庭与学校伙伴关系,以及改善研究性学习的资源支持。     

西方四国刑事预审制度的比较与评析

预审制度是在法院正式开庭审判前对刑事案件进行的预备性审查,以决定是否起诉或正式开庭审判的制度。法、意、英、美四国的预审制度在设置和改革中既有自身特色又各有侧重。通过对四国预审制度发展的分析比较,总结它们预审改革中相同的价值追求,即追求程序公正、诉讼效率和人权保障。     

Positive Perspectives on the Profession: Reframing through Appreciative Inquiry

Change theories and Organization Development strategies have long followed the problem-solving approach of looking at organizations, identifying the weaknesses and introducing interventions to “stop doing the wrong things.” In its simplest form, this approach has been successful in a variety of situations and has a popular following. Consultants or internal reviewers look for the problems, identify the cause of the problem, and introduce the intervention (new rule) to eliminate the opportunity for the repetition of the “problem.” Problem-solving is a popular perspective through which change is initiated in politics, academia, and in social media. Eliminate the “bad” and pay attention to what we have been doing wrong to improve. This article first reviews the problems posed in past Hanna lectures to some major themes: (a) the need to address societal concerns, (b) the need to reduce sub-disciplinary fragmentation, (c) the problems inherent on university campuses as a result of politics and the economy, (d) the need to re-examine the over-reliance on the scientific research paradigm at the cost of phenomenological understandings, and (e) the framing of problems to be solved by professionals in our field. The introduction of Appreciative Inquiry and is then provided as an alternative approach to examine current contextual setting with the primary emphasis away from “What problems are you having?” and toward “What is working around here?”. This alternative suggests that in all organizations there is some positive force that is moving the organization forward, and the identification of that force (what works) can lay the ground work for doing more of “what works.” Finally, three examples of Appreciative Inquiry opportunities in action from our discipline are offered for consideration.     

研究性学习实施课题研究的指导策略

研究性学习作为一种新学习的方式和手段,给学校的教育教学提出了前所未有的挑战。在实施和开展研究性学习课题研究的过程中,教师要充分发挥指导作用,并遵循一定的指导原则、掌握一定的指导策略,才能摆脱传统观念和方法的束缚,使研究性学习的实效得到真正的提高。     

Teachers’ beliefs about inquiry-based learning and its impact on formative assessment practice

ABSTRACT

Background

Inquiry pedagogy has been advocated as means to engage and motivate students to learn science. The development of teacher formative assessment practice in inquiry is key for a successful implementation of student-centred inquiry pedagogy in the classroom.     

基于网络的探究式学习模式及其在高职教育中的应用

将网络技术应用于探究式学习是一种创造性的尝试。基于网络的探究式学习的兴起,并依据建构主义学习理论、双主互动教学设计模式和探究式学习的特征,分析了网络对于探究式学习的支持后,提出了基于网络的探究式学习模式。并结合高职学科教学中的需要,设想了网上探究式学习室的设计架构、思路和教学目标。     

中小学科学探究学习平台的设计

从科学探究的基本理念出发,通过对国内外相关研究项目的调研,以及对科学探究支持软件的案例分析,总结它们的优缺点,构建了一个集科学探究学习活动管理与探究数据处理于一体的科学探究平台模型,并指出了该模型的应用前景。     

Deepening Students' Scientific Inquiry Skills During a Science Museum Field Trip

Field trips to science museums can provide students with educational experiences, particularly when museum programs emphasize scientific inquiry skill building over content knowledge acquisition. We describe the creation and study of 2 programs designed to significantly enhance students' inquiry skills at any interactive science museum exhibit without the need for advanced preparation by teachers or chaperones. The programs, called Inquiry Games, utilized educational principles from the learning sciences and from visitor studies of museum field trips. A randomized experimental design compared 2 versions of the games to 2 control conditions. Results indicate that the groups that learned the Inquiry Games significantly outperformed the control groups in the duration and quality of several inquiry skills when using a novel exhibit, with effect sizes ranging from 0.3σ to 0.8σ. The highest gains came from an Inquiry Game that was structured and collaborative rather than spontaneous and individualized. Students and chaperones in all conditions reported enjoying the experience. These results mirror those found in a previous study in which family groups learned the Inquiry Games.     

模拟软件促进科学课程探究学习的作用分析

科学探究学习是创新教育的重要途径和科学学习的主要途径。模拟软件在创设自主探究学习环境和有效引导探究活动两个方面促进科学探究学习,涉及探究对象动态视觉化表征的作用、类型和方式;可操纵情境和关联的表征物在科学探究中的作用;模拟环境中科学探究活动的程序,探究活动中的指导。     

以化学实验为载体的探究教学实践

探究教学是课堂教学的重要教学方式,是培养学生探究能力十分重要的途径,就"以化学实验为载体的探究教学"的涵义及模式进行阐述并进行实践,指出进行探究教学应注意的几个问题.     

小学生探究性学习实验研究

探究性学习是一种课程,更是一种学习方式。随着新课程的推广与发展,探究性学习将不断向学科课程渗透,成为各学科基本学习方式之一。在目前的实践中,探究性学习往往被狭义地理解为在教师指导下,以类似科学研究的方式去获取知识,或把探究性学习仅局限于活动课程,这样就不可能全面揭示学生尤其是小学生探究性学习的实质。研究结果表明:提问题、找答案、共分享的探究性学习及其基本操作程序,比较适合我国课堂教学的实际,不仅能有效激发学生探究性学习的兴趣,而且能提高学生探究学习的能力与学习效果,同时也是促进教师专业发展的有效途径。     

Learning Research Methods by Doing Research

Abstract

Multiculturalism on the March Illiberal Education: The Politics of Race and Sex on Campus By Dinesh D 'Souza. Reviewed by Catherine T. C. Spaeth.

Traditionalism Well Spoken Begin Here: The Forgotten Conditions of Teaching and Learning Jacques Barzun Chicago. Reviewed by William Casement.

Big Brains and Balancing Acts Open to Question: The Art of Teaching and Learning by Inquiry Walter L. Bateman. Reviewed by Roy Starling.

The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in the Classroom By Steuhen D. Brookfield. Reviewed by Roy Starling.     

Enhancing Cognitive Presence in Online Case Discussions With Questions Based on the Practical Inquiry Model

The researchers in this study examined the influence of questions designed with the Practical Inquiry Model (PIM), compared with the regular (playground) questions, on students’ levels of cognitive presence in online discussions. Students’ discussion postings were collected and categorized according to the four levels of cognitive presence: triggering events, exploration, integration, and resolution. The data were analyzed using quantitative content analysis and nonparametric statistics. Results revealed that students’ responses to questions based on the PIM resulted in higher levels of students’ cognitive presence—integration of ideas and resolution of problems—compared with the responses based on the regular (playground) questions. These results suggest that instructors can use the PIM as a guiding framework to design questions that may influence cognitive presence in online discussions.