Scientific expertise and outcomes often give rise to controversy. An educational response that equips students to take part in socioscientific discussions is the teaching of Socially Acute Questions (SAQs). Students engaging with SAQs need to engage with socio scientific reasoning, which involves reasoning with evidence from a variety of fields…

We set out to understand how different instantiations of inquiry emerged in two different years of one elementary teacher's classroom. Longitudinal observations from Mrs. Charles' 5th grade science classroom forced us to carefully and deliberately consider who exactly was responsible for the change in the class activities and norms. We provide…

A model constructed by combining nine theories relating wait-time, teacher expectations, equity and fate control to inquiry behaviors is described. Results indicate implusive students can be converted to reflective pupils by providing them with time to think and by allowing alternative answers. (BR)

Presents a position strongly advocating inquiry training in science for students at all levels, but particularly at the elementary level. (SL)

Determined the effects of questions on the learning of 55 undergraduate education majors from case exhibits associated with a "walk-through" museum exhibit. The case exhibits contained diagrams, some specimens, a large amount of written material, but no questions. Also compared the effects of experimenter generated questions versus…

Determined relative effects of rhetorical, factual, valuing, and hypothesizing question types when these questions were interspersed throughout the reading passage in textual materials for students (N=383) in introductory biology. Reported results are based on a 20-item test given immediately after reading the passage, 2 weeks later, and 9 weeks…

Two postlaboratory discussion strategies (Probing and Nonprobing) were tested for effectiveness on learning science concepts by sixth graders. Similar laboratory experiences were provided to all, but discussion strategies differed. Analysis indicated significantly higher mean gain scores for the Nonprobing strategy group. (PS)

Investigated effects of varied wait-time durations and cognitive questioning levels on student achievement. Analyses of achievement results (using 30 preservice elementary teachers and 129 students) indicated significant differences attributable to teacher wait-time and cognitive questioning level. (JN)

Elementary school teachers exposed to a workshop preparing them to use Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) increased the number of higher level (analysis) questions asked in the classroom, although no specific instruction in questioning techniques was given. The older teachers tended to ask lower level (recall) questions. (AL)

Examines the generalizability of selective-attention and academic-studying hypotheses to a modified science chart medium. Describes the questions designed to selectively focus students' attention on specific columns in a modified science chart, with the goal of improving student achievement on a test measuring learning of content contained in…

Reports a qualitative analysis of classroom discourse in which use of questions by science teachers is assessed in terms of arguments to establish scientific knowledge claims. Questions are analyzed not for form/frequency but for their function in developing arguments that establish claims rationally. (Author/JN)

Evaluated the comparative efficacy of the three most popular classification systems in terms of preservice elementary school teachers' ability to classify questions and their attitudes toward questioning. The classification schemes used were those of Aschner, Bloom, and Sanders. Advantages of the Aschner-based system are discussed. (CS)

Investigated the effects of variation in teacher wait-time on science achievement for students (N=733) in 11 Australian middle schools. Conclusions provide evidence that the extension of teacher wait-time produces desirable changes in achievement. (CS)

Elementary school science students taught by preservice teachers trained to ask observation and classification questions were administered an attitude measure. Results showed a significant difference only on a frustration measure, with the experimental group exhibiting more frustration than a control group. (MLH)