Collaborative Inquiry Learning Among Four Elementary Schools in China: A Case Study

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine students’ learning attitudes toward science, interaction patterns, knowledge advancement, and group products in collaborative inquiry learning. The 196 participants were taken from Grade 4 in four elementary schools in China. They were randomly assigned into 48 groups by their teachers. For each school, there were 12 groups who conducted collaborative inquiry learning face-to-face and online for 3 months. By the end of the collaborative inquiry learning, all of the participants shared and presented their experiences, artifacts, and outcomes. The results indicated that learning attitudes toward science improved after collaborative inquiry learning. In terms of interaction patterns, two teachers were positioned at center of the network and played very crucial roles in collaborative inquiry learning. With respect to the level of knowledge advancement, the discourse was scientific but superficial. Most learners could not explain the reasons, relationships, or mechanisms about tools in daily life. The implications for educators and practitioners as well as suggestions for future studies are also discussed.