Exploring Pre-Service Science Teacher Methods and Strategies for The Driving Questions in Research Inquiry: From Consulting an Instructor to Group Discussion

Abstract

An important stage in any research inquiry is the development of research questions that need to be answered. The strategies to develop research questions should be defined and described, but few studies have considered this process in greater detail. This study explores pre-service science teachers’ research questions and the strategies they can engage in during inquiry. A total of 59 pre-service science teachers who attended an undergraduate Fieldwork Course participated in the study. A single, holistic case study design was used along with an open-ended questionnaire and documents for data collection. The questionnaire was conducted at the end of the course, and documented inquiry reports were analyzed. The results indicate there are 11 methods for defining driving questions. These range from consulting an instructor to group discussion; 21 different strategies can be produced using these methods. These research question defining methods and strategies should be applied as a coding scheme for future studies and expanded. Any research question defining strategies unfamiliar to pre-service science teachers, such as field trips, brainstorming, and concept maps, should then be taught.