In this article, the author talks about an inquiry-based activity involving yeast, wherein students learned about cell size. The activity allows students to employ math connections and to learn experimental techniques while practicing microscope skills. The activity can be adapted for students at all levels of biology. The author presents details…

It is important for educators to address the diverse learning styles that exist within the students found in their courses and to try new ideas. Different people have different ways of telling other people what they know. The authors of this article contend that it is vital to incorporate lesson plans/activities that address students who have…

This paper represents a conversation between a high school science teacher and a university researcher as they found common ground in the theory and experiences of designing powerful learning experiences. The teacher describes an instructional unit in which students designed a complex, interactive display showing what life may have been like…

Inquiry learning requires the ability to understand that theory and evidence have to be distinguished and co-ordinated. Moreover, learners have to be able to control two or more independent variables when formulating hypotheses, designing experiments and interpreting outcomes. Can sixth-grade (9-10 years) children be trained to acquire these…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to empirically explore the behavioural patterns involved in entrepreneurial learning through a conceptualization of entrepreneurial learning as a "competency". Design/methodology/approach: Semi-structured interviews to 12 entrepreneurs were conducted with a focus on the critical incidents in which…

The purpose of this study is to investigate how sixth graders develop inquiry skills to construct explanations in an inquiry-based learning environment. We designed a series of inquiry-based learning activities and identified four inquiry skills that are relevant to students' construction of explanation. These skills include skills to identify…

Research on epistemological beliefs has clearly increased in the last decade. Even though the construct is clearer and relevant data are being collected, there are important theoretical and methodological issues that need further clarification. One of them is the debate about the domain generality-specificity of epistemological beliefs. I argue…

The environmental and interdisciplinary nature of environmental education presents extraordinary challenges to individuals' abilities as a field to clearly conceptualize, theorize and communicate findings about what they have learned about practice, research and theory in environmental learning (Disinger, 2001). Unfortunately, these factors also…

In this article, the author describes a project in which Collaborative Inquiry, or CI (Bray et al. 2000), was used by a small inquiry group consisting of a high school science teacher and two university educators, Marie Cashion and the author herself, Karen Goodnough, to explore Problem-Based Learning (PBL). In CI groups, co-learners work through…

In this extended biology, ecology, and earth science activity, students construct hands-on models of natural wastewater treatment and wastewater treatment facilities to achieve an understanding of wastewater treatment process in nature and wastewater treatment facilities. During this simulation activity, students have opportunities to learn…

The purpose of this case study was to examine a teacher's guidance of an inquiry learning project in an ordinary elementary-school classroom. The participants in the study were 21 Finnish, grade 4 students (10 years old), from which four students were selected for intensive observation. The technical infrastructure of the study was Computer…

The paper reports findings from research into the extent to which an on-line course, "Try Science", achieved its objectives compared with a face-to-face course with the same content and objectives. "Try Science" has the dual aims of developing participants' understanding of science content and of teaching science through enquiry. Whilst the…

Promoting discussion and argumentation of mathematical ideas among students are aspects of the vision for communication in recent school mathematics reform efforts. Having rich mathematical discussions, however, can present a variety of classroom challenges. Many factors influence classroom discussions and need to be addressed in ways that will…

Investigates the effects of interactive computer-based simulations presented prior to inquiry-based laboratory experiments on students' conceptual understanding of mechanics, waves/optics, and thermal physics. Uses conceptual tests to assess conceptual understandings of each topic. Indicates that the use of the simulations improved students'…

Investigated the impact of a collaborative inquiry involving diverse teams of teachers, administrators, school board members, and parents. The teams collected and analyzed local data to make data-based decisions about improving teaching and learning. The collaboration helped teachers engage in a continuous improvement process that allowed them to…