We have developed a guided-inquiry laboratory exercise in which students perform viscosity measurements to infer the structure of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) in aqueous solution. The activity combines both experiments and modeling. In the experimental portion of the exercise, students measure the viscosity of several solutions of PVA with differing…

Since the advent of the postdigital era, technologies have been dramatically transforming human lives, shifting the ways humans communicate, learn, and create. This article aims to envision how entanglements with nonhuman intelligences can unsettle and reshape pedagogical approaches in the field of art education. I argue for the need to…

Common over-the-counter medicines can be an exciting entry point for introducing students to the interesting chemistries that they encounter in their daily lives. In this inquiry-based activity, students are tasked with using a list of given supplies and information about four medications (Aspirin, Tums, Pepto-Bismol, and Tylenol) to design three…

This study investigates the influence of inquiry-based laboratory activities on the understanding of heat concepts and the self-efficacy beliefs of pre-service primary teachers. Recognizing that both scientific literacy and teaching efficacy are critical for effective science education, this research aims to determine how inquiry-based laboratory…

Many teachers have a level of discomfort with planning inquiry-based science lessons for students with complex needs. Science instruction typically includes teaching discrete skills with a focus on vocabulary acquisition (Knight et al., 2020). Because science is universal and thus important for all learners, many states have adopted the Next…

This study scrutinizes the influence of project-based learning (PBL) and inquiry-based learning (IBL) on fourth graders' teamwork skills and critical thinking in math classes. A historical review reveals that while they have positive effects in multiple fields, their sole use in elementary math teaching is yet to be explored. 55 fourth-grade…

This manuscript examines multimodal storytelling as community inquiry for an urban high school class of 30 first- and second-generation bi/multilingual immigrant students, most of whom maintained transnational connections. We share how these students, in an A.P. Research class, engaged in community-based inquiry and utilized various multimodal…

In primary science education, inquiry-based science instruction stands out as an optimal learning environment for fostering domain-specific content and procedural knowledge. Recognizing the effectiveness of different forms of teacher guidance, there is an ongoing debate about the planning of high (structured inquiry) and low (guided inquiry)…

Inquiry is the essence of social studies, and inquiry "looping" in social studies curricula means offering students opportunities to engage in inquiry in regular intervals and in a coherent fashion within and across grade levels. This can benefit the youngest students since they are filled with hope and want to make a difference in the…

How can we prepare students for a world where data-driven decision-making shapes nearly every aspect of life? "Data Minds: How Today's Teachers Can Prepare Students for Tomorrow's World" helps K-8 educators infuse data literacy into everyday lessons across disciplines, without overwhelming existing curricula. Data literacy is an ability…

Despite a proliferation of research on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and its applications in higher education (HE), our understanding of the transformative processes where students create productive and ethically grounded uses of GenAI and how AI mediates students' sensemaking is still limited. Based on an empirical investigation of…

Tasks used in the Biology Olympiad (BiO) appear to be promising alternatives to traditional teaching tasks in biology education, as they frequently incorporate inquiry-based elements. This makes them a valuable resource for increasing students' exposure to inquiry activities during classroom instruction. However, for teachers to effectively…

Since the release of ChatGPT, concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and its capabilities and impact on education at all levels have been voiced by instructors in disciplines ranging from computer science to composition to history. This article explores two specific examples from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) that provide…

Natural science is often overlooked in preschool education, despite its crucial role in developing young children's inquiry and exploration skills. This study aimed to explain the impact of inquiry-based science teaching activities on the science teaching efficacy of preservice preschool teachers. Participants included 23 pre-service teachers…

This article critically assesses the impact of neoliberal imperatives on academic research, questioning the emphasis on economic benefits over intellectual richness and the ethical implications of such a skewed focus. Drawing on Sara Delamont's metaphor of "the great gates," which conceptualizes distinct research trajectories, a…