Shares some ideas about facilitating inquiry-based learning in the classroom, in independent studies, in libraries, museums, communities, and all the arenas of life in which people attempt to make sense of experience and grow. Notes that the "Web-linked Inquiry Units" provide a tangible form of a community of inquiry as well as insights for future…

This document reports the findings of a project that focused on three main activities: (1) taking inventory and annotating existing data collections related to an understanding of the application and implications of information technologies (IT) in the home; (2) developing an annotated bibliography of articles, books, and reports that present…

Examines the implementation of Web-based Inquiry Science Environment (WISE), which can incorporate modeling tools and hand-held devices. Describes WISE design team practices, features of the WISE learning environment, and patterns of feature use in WISE library projects. (SOE)

Investigates the depth and accuracy of 6th grade students' content understandings as well as the use of search-and-assess strategies when using on-line resources. Uses scaffolded curriculum materials while completing on-line inquiry units. Concludes that students develop accurate and in-depth understandings if they use search-and-assess strategies…

Despite recent science education reform efforts, researchers continue to report the under-representation of females in science professions and coursework. As concerned educators, organizations, and institutions consider ways to facilitate female participation in science, it is important to examine what serves as door-openers and gate-keepers to…

This study addresses the need to develop research-based criteria for science teacher educators to use in preparing teachers to critically evaluate and select web-based resources for their students' use. The study focuses on the cognitive load imposed on the learner for tasks required in using text, illustrations, and other features of multi-…

Learning science in today's classroom does not have to be restricted to text-based curricular resources. Web sites present learners with a wide range of science activities in various formats ranging from text-only information to providing authentic real-time data sets and interactive simulations. This paper discusses reasons for using the Internet…

Offers a description of WebQuests, defining it as an activity that primarily uses Internet resources. Explains that WebQuests consist of five parts (Introduction, Task, Process, Evaluation, and Conclusion). Presents a WebQuest example used with elementary students studying ancient Egypt. Includes a list of Web sites and an example rubric. (CMK)

Research on student use of digital resources identifies the challenges associated with utilizing the World Wide Web (WWW) while involved in on-line inquiry activities in the science classroom. On-line materials alone do not suffice in providing the guidance students require to effectively ask questions, plan searches, and analyze the results of…

Describes how high school biology teachers can use the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program protocols and data in their classrooms. Includes background information on plant phenology, an overview of GLOBE phenology protocols and materials, and implications for protocols with both deciduous trees and grasses…

This study was designed to determine how students' engagement in a learning and debate activity on a current scientific controversy influences their understanding of the nature of science and, in turn, informs their decision-making on the issue. Two high school science classrooms, totaling 38 students from 9th through 12th grade, participated in…

The recent introduction of the Internet into classrooms provides an opportunity for learners to access a wide range of digital resources on the World Wide Web. The development of on-line learning materials can support inquiry-based activities for students as they pursue questions of interest, plan searches, and analyze their findings. This paper…

Describes a website designed to allow students to publish their own accounts of school science investigations they have carried out. Makes suggestions for initiating computer-mediated student discussions of the nature of science based on information contained in the website. (WRM)

Presents an excerpt from "Network Science, A Decade Later: The Internet and Classroom Learning", a publication based on four years of research that examines the role of technology in fostering inquiry-based approaches to learning. (Author/NB)

Network Science projects are endeavors in which a number of classrooms conduct the same scientific experiment and pool their data using World Wide Web technology. This paper reviews selected findings from research on these projects and describes the recent Web applications that were developed in response to these findings. Findings indicated that…