Inquiry Tasks Research Articles

중학교 「역사」 교과서 세계사 영역의 공통 탐구 과제에 포함된 사서교사의 교육정보서비스 요소 분석

본 연구의 목적은 중학교 『역사』 교과서에 포함된 공통 탐구 과제를 분석하고, 사서교사의 교육정보서비스에 주는 시사점을 알아보는 것이다. 16종의 중학교 『역사』 교과서에 포함된 세계사 영역의 탐구 과제를 조사한 결과 84개의 공통 탐구 과제가 발견되었다. 이를 탐구 절차에 해당하는 정보활용과정을 기준으로 분석한 결과, 대부분의 탐구 과제는 학생들이 개별적으로 교과서에 수록된 사진 자료와 도서(읽기) 자료를 조사한 후에 그 결과를 말하기 형태로 표현하도록 구성되어 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이러한 특징을 중학교 『도서관과 정보생활』 교육과정에서 지도하는 정보활용과정과 비교하면, 1단계(정보과제 정하기와 정보 요구 파악하기)와 3단계(정보 종합과 표현)의 정보 표현하기를 충족하는 것이다. 따라서 사서교사가 역사 교사의 수업 부담을 줄여주고, 역사 수업에서 학생들의 탐구 활동을 촉진하는데 기여하기 위해서는 정보 해석과 분석하기, 정보 종합 및 조직하기 그리고 정보 활동 평가하기에 대한 교육정보서비스를 제공할 수 있다.

ACQUISITION OF STUDENT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY SKILLS: CENTRALISED EXAMINATION RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY

From 2011, the new educational standard in Latvia in the framework of the educational reform on the centralised examination (CE) in chemistry stipulates students to demonstrate the inquiry skills they have mastered. The purpose of this study is to find out the students’ inquiry skills by analysing the CE results in chemistry. This study addresses the following research questions: (a) To what extent are the centralised examination inquiry skills measured according to the standard outcomes? (b) What information on how students have mastered the inquiry skills in chemistry is available from the CE results for the period of 2011-2015? (c) Does measuring the inquiry skills using inquiry-based laboratory work and inquiry tasks demonstrate similar achievements? The results of the study show that the CE inquiry tasks allow examining only several inquiry skills, that students have difficulties in hypothesizing and planning the procedure. The results of the examination inquiry task (the 'hidden' part) and inquiry-based laboratory work (the part prepared by the school) differ considerably. These findings show a contradiction. On the one hand, when carrying out a inquiry-based laboratory work at school students demonstrate good inquiry skills. On the other hand, they lack the skills when solving an inquiry task during the centralised examination. This proves the insufficient skills of the teachers in organising real student scientific inquiry during lessons and failure in using the inquiry-based laboratory work record as an objective measuring tool in evaluating the student inquiry skills in the examination, which is our case.

Student Learning Through Participation in Inquiry Activities: Two Case Studies in Teacher and Computer Engineering Education

The two case studies reported in this article contribute to a better understanding of how inquiry tasks and activities are employed as resourceful means for learning in higher professional education. An observation-based approach was used to explore characteristics of and challenges in students’ participation in collaborative inquiry activities in two first-year introductory courses in teacher and computer engineering education. The findings highlight that the students’ activities varied with regard to focus and structure and were shaped by the types of inquiry tasks, i.e. case analysis and project-based work, by how the inquiry process was guided and supported and the way the domain-specific knowledge resources and practices were introduced. An exploratory strategy and rather confined use of resources characterised the teacher education students’ inquiry, while collaborative programming, a trial-and-error approach and extensive use of external resources that of the engineering education students’. For the teacher students, the main challenge was to construct meaning of conceptual knowledge and to integrate different forms of knowledge as a lens for analysing practice. The computer engineering students experienced challenges with unpacking the underlying principles and knowledge black-boxed in the widely available resources. The article suggests that future research and curriculum designs should depart from a more refined understanding of inquiry as a learning means, by connecting inquiry activities to the specific knowledge domains, the type of tasks most suited to explore each of this domains and the challenges that may arise for students.

Convergence Inquiry to Improve the Structure of Robot - Arm based on Biomimicry of Avian Beak - Using 3D Modeling and Printing -

This study was a convergence inquiry task which utilizes 3D modeling and printing to improve the structure of robot-arm based on biomimicry of avian beak in biology education. The process of study was performed as through understanding and training of 3D modeling and printing, task selection of problem solving, identifying of the problem situation with target setting, biomimicry based solution searching and designing, 3D modeling and 3D printing, and testing process of the printed product. Three high school students were participated in the study to perform the inquiry through the biomimicry based convergence thinking process. Results were as followed: First, students explored and generated biological knowledge about avian beak and engineering knowledge in which the biological knowledge on avian beak was applied. With applying the biological and engineering knowledge, students designed 3 kinds of new robot-arms which were improved in the structure. Three products through 3D modeling and 3D printing were produced using the improved design. The products were tested whether they could solve effectively the problem of previous robot-arm. The result was shown that there was some differences among the improved products of robot-arm. This study suggests that high school students can utilize 3D modeling and 3D printing to perform convergence inquiry in biology education.

Ability-related differences in performance of an inquiry task: The added value of prompts

This study investigated how children of different ability levels approached inquiry tasks, whether prompting improved their inquiry process, and whether their inquiry process led to domain knowledge gain. Fifth and sixth graders (n=478) of three different ability levels worked individually with a simulation, either with or without included prompts. Prompts appeared to affect children's inquiry process at all three ability levels. This inquiry process, in turn, was related to their learning outcomes. High ability children, who engaged in more active and effective inquiry than children of lower ability, used the prompts when available. Average and low ability children rarely used the prompts. High and average ability children gained knowledge from pretest to posttest but not from posttest to retention test; low ability children only gained knowledge from posttest to retention test. The results of this study point to a need to find effective ways to support low and average children in inquiry.

An inquiry-based approach of traditional ‘step-by-step’ experiments

This is the start of a road map for the effective introduction of inquiry-based learning in chemistry. Advantages of inquiry-based approaches to the development of scientific literacy are widely discussed in the literature. However, unless chemistry educators take account of teachers' reservations and identified disadvantages such approaches will never have the place they deserve in the everyday teaching of chemistry. If circumstances do not allow for complicated and open-ended inquiry tasks, simpler and more structured inquiry-based tasks may be used. As a first step, teachers could be asked to modify and adapt established ‘step-by-step’ instructions to practical activities which require some stages to be designed by the students. If this happens only a few times in a school year the question arises about its effectiveness to develop experimental design skills and to reinforce knowledge and ideas taught in chemistry lessons. The present study describes the results of an empirical research project aimed to finding the answer. Modification of step-by-step practical activities as described requires limited time and effort, yet the results suggest that many students benefit from this approach.

온라인 영재교육 프로그램에서 중학생의 튜터 역할에 대한 인식이 심층학습, 학업성취, 수업평가에 미치는 영향

본 연구는 중학생 대상의 수학, 과학 온라인 영재교육 프로그램에서 튜터의 역할별 수행 수준을 측정하고, 그것이 학습자의 심층학습과 학업성취 수준 및 수업평가에 어떤 영향을 미치는지 알아보고자 수행되었다. 이를 위해 과학, 수학 온라인 수업을 수강한 중학생 249명을 대상으로 튜터 역할 수행 수준에 대한 설문을 실시하여 심층학습, 학업성취, 수업평가와의 관계를 살펴보았다. 분석 결과 심층학습의 하위변인인 종합적 학습, 반성적 학습에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 변인은 공통적으로 학습내용 및 평가 전문가로서의 튜터의 역할인 반면, 고차적 학습에 영향을 미치는 튜터의 역할은 없는 것으로 나타났다. 다음으로 튜터 역할의 하위 변인 중 학습자의 탐구학습 점수와 전체 점수에 영향을 미치는 변인은 학습과정 및 방법 안내자로서의 역할이었으며, 튜터 역할과 개념학습 점수는 유의미한 관련이 없는 것으로 나타났다. 반면 온라인학습에 대한 전반적인 만족도, 참여도, 이해도에 유의미한 영향을 미치는 튜터 역할은 없는 것으로 나타났다. This study investigated the relationships among middle school students' perceptions on the roles of online tutor, their deep learning, achievement, and overall evaluation of learning experiences in the context of inquiry based online gifted mathematics and science learning. For this purpose, 249 middle school students who took online course were surveyed about their perceptions on the degree to which their tutor performed the roles as an online tutor. The students were also asked about the activities which indicate deep learning approaches and overall course experiences such as the level of satisfaction, understanding and engagement in the course. The regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships of students' perceptions on the roles of online tutor, deep learning, achievement, and overall course experiences. The results first showed that the roles of online tutor which affects students' deep learning approach such as high-order learning, integrative learning, reflective learning were the role as a subject matter and evaluation expert. Among the sub variables of deep learning approach the variable that was related to students' overall achievement was the use of high-order learning strategy. Second, the achievement in inquiry task was related to the role of tutor as a guide of learning process and method. Third, students' overall course evaluations such as the level of satisfaction, understanding and engagement were not related to any role of tutor.

Investigating Situational Interest in Primary Science Lessons

Pupils’ interest has been one of the major concerns in science education research because it can be seen as a gateway to more personalised forms of interest and motivation. However, methods to investigate situational interest in science teaching and learning are not broadly examined. This study compares the pupils’ observed situational interest and their expressed situational interest. One class of Finnish fourth-graders (N = 22, age 9–10 years) participated in a heat transfer lesson. The lesson encompassed an interactive demonstration with a thermal camera, teacher-led discussions and the conduct and presentation of a collaborative inquiry task. Pupils expressed their interest levels (scale: 1 = very boring, 5 = very interesting) by using an electronic response system called a ‘clicker’. The measurement took place 15 times during the lesson, with 1 measurement being just a rehearsal. The lesson was video recorded, and visible aspects of interest at the measurement time points were analysed. Reported and observational data were compared. In most cases, the observations did not yield data compatible with the pupils’ own evaluations, indicating that most pupils’ expressed interest is not easily interpreted through observation of their facial expressions and behaviour. In general, the interest of the group as a whole seems to diminish during the lesson. We argue that in order to maintain and increase pupils’ interest, their evaluations should be taken into account in lesson planning. Video-based research might also be further enriched and validated by employing the participants’ own expressions. The clicker is a suitable means of collecting primary pupils’ experiences concerning their interest levels.

Cognitively Based Assessment of Research and Inquiry Skills: Defining a Key Practice in the English Language Arts

Current educational standards call for students to engage in the skills of research and inquiry, with a focus on gathering evidence from multiple information sources, evaluating the credibility of those sources, and writing an integrated synthesis that cites evidence from those sources. Opportunities to build strong research skills are critical, yet empirical research demonstrates that students from Grades K–16 struggle with inquiry tasks, particularly in online environments. There is a need to create models that will support teachers in developing students' research skills and can be used to develop reliable and valid assessments of such skills while aligning with standards. Under theCBAL™ research initiative, we have developed a model of conducting research and inquiry as a key literacy practice in the English language arts (ELA). In this paper, we draw on literature from the cognitive and learning sciences—including work in discourse processing, science education, educational technology, and information literacy—to provide the theoretical background for this key practice. We identify a set of activities and skills that are critical for participating in research; each skill is accompanied by a set of provisional learning progressions, which outlines tentative predictions about the qualitative changes in a skill that develop over time with appropriate instruction. These learning progressions and their relation to the key practice can be leveraged in the design of cognitively based assessments of research and inquiry that are sensitive to students' developmental level. We conclude, with an example design for such an assessment to illustrate how key practices and learning progressions can be integrated to support measurement of research and inquiry skills.

Enhancing skill in constructing scientific explanations using a structured argumentation scaffold in scientific inquiry

Constructing scientific explanations is necessary for students to engage in scientific inquiry. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of using a structured argumentation scaffold to enhance skill in constructing scientific explanations in the process of scientific inquiry. The proposed approach is designed to scaffold the following aspects of argumentation: the argumentation process, the explanation structuring, explanation construction, and explanation evaluation. A quasi-experiment was conducted to examine the effectiveness of the structured argumentation scaffold in developing skill in constructing scientific explanations and engaging in electronic dialogues. A web-based collaborative synchronous inquiry system, ASIS (Argumentative Scientific Inquiry System), was utilized to support students as they worked in groups to carry out inquiry tasks. Two intact sixth grade classes (n = 50) participated in the study. The data show that the ASIS with the structured argumentation scaffold helped students significantly improve their skills in constructing scientific explanations, make more dialogue moves for explanation and query, and use more of all four argument components. In addition, the use of warrants, one of the components of an argument, was found to be a critical variable in predicting students' competence with regard to constructing scientific explanations. The results provide references for further research and system development with regard to facilitating students' construction of scientific argumentation and explanations.

중학교 「사회」 교과서의 공통 탐구 과제에 포함된 정보활용과정 요소 분석

The purpose of this study is to analyze inquiry tasks of textbooks in middle schools social studies under the information literacy process and find out teacher librarians` educational information service on the side of information literacy education. Results of the analysis show that middle school students who carry out the inquiry tasks of social studies should select sources, seek its` related information and create their products through writing reports or presentation. Compared with information literacy process of the Library and Information Skills, the First step of task definition and figuring out information needs and the Third step of representation of information are being implemented. For this reason, teacher librarian could reduce social studies teachers` burden of class and promote students` inquiry activities by teaching skills of suitable materials seeking strategies for solving their task, understanding and synthesizing the information and evaluating their process and result. Therefore, it is necessary to activate collaborative teaching between the teacher librarian and the social studies teacher based on the information literacy.

Empirical population and public health ethics: A review and critical analysis to advance robust empirical-normative inquiry.

The field of population and public health ethics (PPHE) has yet to fully embrace the generation of evidence as an important project. This article reviews the philosophical debates related to the 'empirical turn' in clinical bioethics, and critically analyses how PPHE has and can engage with the philosophical implications of generating empirical data within the task of normative inquiry. A set of five conceptual and theoretical issues pertaining to population health that are unresolved and could potentially benefit from empirical PPHE approaches to normative inquiry are discussed. Each issue differs from traditional empirical bioethical approaches, in that they emphasize (1) concerns related to the population, (2) 'upstream' policy-relevant health interventions - within and outside of the health care system and (3) the prevention of illness and disease. Within each theoretical issue, a conceptual example from population and public health approaches to HIV prevention and health promotion is interrogated. Based on the review and critical analysis, this article concludes that empirical-normative approaches to population and public health ethics would be most usefully pursued as an iterative project (rather than as a linear project), in which the normative informs the empirical questions to be asked and new empirical evidence constantly directs conceptualizations of what constitutes morally robust public health practices. Finally, a conceptualization of an empirical population and public health ethics is advanced in order to open up new interdisciplinary 'spaces', in which empirical and normative approaches to ethical inquiry are transparently (and ethically) integrated.

Desafíos planteados por las actividades abiertas de indagación en el laboratorio: articulación de conocimientos teóricos y prácticos en las prácticas científicas

Se analizan las prácticas de contextualización de tres pequeños grupos de alumnado de máster durante la realización de una indagación en el laboratorio que supone la participación en prácticas científicas. El objetivo es examinar los desafíos planteados por una actividad abierta, a través del análisis del proceso de contextualización, es decir de conexión del conocimiento teórico relevante al contexto (cómo evitar el oscurecimiento en las manzanas cortadas), transformándolo en decisiones y acciones prácticas. Los resultados indican las dificultades de los participantes para movilizar los conocimientos teóricos relevantes y articularlos con los conocimientos prácticos. Se discuten implicaciones para el diseño de actividades abiertas que pretendan la inmersión en prácticas científicas, y para planificar el andamiaje.

Inquiry learning for gifted children

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of support on knowledge acquisition of gifted learners and their flow and mood during inquiry learning. Sixty-four gifted primary school children were randomly assigned to one of three conditions differing in support given in an inquiry task. Results showed that learners who were allowed to experiment themselves learned more, experienced more flow, and felt more positive toward the task than those who were not given this opportunity, but only when they were guided through the inquiry cycle by prompts to generate hypotheses, perform experiments, and draw conclusions. The overall conclusion is that gifted children benefit more from open, complex tasks when their learning process is externally regulated.

Industry Collaboration in the Development of Relevant Inquiry Tasks for Chemistry Education

This is an introduction to a educational design research study, with a goal of creating contextual and meaningful inquiry tasks for chemistry education. The problem analysis included the evaluation of the inquiry tasks described in the textbooks as well as the relevance of a university run chemistry learning environment ChemistryLab Gadolin. The inquiry tasks were designed at the Unit of Chemistry Teacher Education together with industry partners of the aforementioned teaching laboratory environment. The tasks are being further developed based on the relevancy theories.

Teaching towards historical expertise. Developing a pedagogy for fostering causal reasoning in history

The present study seeks to develop a pedagogy aimed at fostering a student’s ability to reason causally about history. The Model of Domain Learning was used as a framework to align domain-specific content with pedagogical principles. Developing causal historical reasoning was conceptualized as a multidimensional process, in which knowledge of first- and second-order concepts, strategies, epistemological beliefs and interest play a role. Five pedagogical principles (inquiry tasks, social interaction, situational interest, explicit teaching of domain-specific strategies and concepts, and epistemological reflection) were established and operationalized for causal historical reasoning. The effectiveness of the principles was explored in a lesson-unit concerning the outbreak of the First World War. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test study was conducted with two conditions in three 11th grade pre-university classrooms. Students in the implicit condition worked in triads on the inquiry task. Students in the explicit condition worked on the same task, but with explicit attention given to strategies, concepts and epistemological underpinnings. The results showed that first-order knowledge increased in both conditions, but students in the explicit condition acquired significantly more knowledge of second-order concepts and causal strategies. However, no differences were found in students’ written explanations. Several possible reasons for this are discussed.

Advancing Scientific Reasoning in Upper Elementary Classrooms: Direct Instruction Versus Task Structuring

Several studies found that direct instruction and task structuring can effectively promote children’s ability to design unconfounded experiments. The present study examined whether the impact of these interventions extends to other scientific reasoning skills by comparing the inquiry activities of 55 fifth-graders randomly assigned to one of three conditions. Children in the control condition investigated a four-variable inquiry task without additional support. Performance of this task in the direct instruction condition was preceded by a short training in experimental design, whereas children in the task structuring condition, who did not receive the introductory training, were given a version of the task that addressed the four variables one at a time. Analysis of children’s experimentation behavior confirmed that direct instruction and task structuring are equally effective and superior to unguided inquiry. Both interventions also evoked more determinate predictions and valid inferences. These findings demonstrate that the effect of short-term interventions designed to promote unconfounded experimentation extends beyond the control of variables

Understanding how pre-service English teachers adopt stance toward academic teaching inquiry tasks

While teacher education literature views teachers’ stances toward teaching inquiry as important to teachers’ commitment to classroom improvement, little research has analyzed teachers’ use of stance markers. This project builds on Biber's (2006) framework to study stances taken by three high school English pre-service teachers (PSTs) in oral teaching-inquiry presentations completed during preparation coursework. This study considers: How do English PSTs enrolled in a teacher education program reveal stances through completion of oral presentations of teaching inquiry projects? The study employs methodology combining grammatical analysis with analysis of observational data from an in-depth study of PSTs’ experiences in their preparation. Findings reveal PSTs take varied, nuanced stances toward inquiry presentations, focal students, and project findings. Implications include that (1) studying how teachers formally discuss teaching activities can provide unique perspectives on teachers’ stance and (2) linguists can gain depth of understanding about participants’ stance by combining grammatical and observational analysis.

Spanning information behaviour across the stages of a learning task

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of personality (intellectual curiosity, conscientiousness and negative emotionality) and approach to studying (deep, strategic and surface) on students’ learning-related information behaviour in inquiry tasks. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 219 senior high school students with the use of three questionnaires. Findings – The findings showed that students’ individual traits influenced different aspects of their learning-related information behaviour from information need to information use. Research limitations/implications – The results were based on survey data. Reliability issues with the scales are discussed. In future research qualitative data would enrich the understanding of the phenomena. Practical implications – The results are informative for teachers and librarians who guide students in inquiry tasks. Originality/value – The study spanned learning-related information behaviour across the whole inquiry process: from task construction through task performance to task completion. The findings showed that individual traits were particularly influential at the task completion stage, that is on information use.

A Comparison of Students’ Approaches to Inquiry, Conceptual Learning, and Attitudes in Simulation-Based and Microcomputer-Based Laboratories

The purpose of this project was to investigate the effects of virtual versus physical manipulation using a simulation-based laboratory activity (SBL) and a microcomputer-based laboratory activity (MBL). Both the SBL and the MBL used computers to collect, graph, and analyze data. A major difference was that the MBL allowed the students to manipulate physical materials, whereas in the SBL activity they manipulated virtual materials. In this quasi-experimental design, two 11th-grade classes (N = 68) at an urban public high school in Taipei were assigned to the SBL and MBL settings. The participants conducted the Boyle's law experiment without having done any relevant prior experiment. Their science concepts, performance of inquiry tasks, and attitudes toward the SBL/MBL were examined by pre- and postconceptual tests, an inquiry-based lab manual, and postlaboratory interviews. The results showed that both groups performed equally well and had remarkable gains in their pre- to posttest learning achievement. Nevertheless, physical manipulation may have contributed to inquiry practices such as creating practical ideas for conducting and improving the experiment and interpreting the data and may have increased the enjoyment of the laboratory. This study concludes that virtual manipulation is as effective as physical manipulation in learning physics concepts, but that the former gives learners some naive expectations and induces certain learning strategies that seem to lead to mindless planning and conducting of experiments and hinders them from generating ideas to improve experiments.