Science teachers can find lesson ideas almost anywhere. For example, during a recent visit to a local dollar store, the author stumbled upon a flower vase filled with water pearls, also known as water beads and jelly beans. She bought several of the bags (search the web to find numerous online sources), and soon began experimenting. Water pearls…

A recipe is a great way to learn about the procedure and the variables (or "ingredients") involved. Cookbooks are comforting and valuable: They're easy to follow, and people know what they'll get. The problem is that cookbook labs end just when things get interesting. The excitement of science is in understanding the discovery and pursuing the…

This paper shows how to teach a mathematics for liberal arts class in an inquiry-based way using ideas from music to launch the mathematical activities. No musical knowledge is required to understand and teach the material. The main activity is analyzing the differences between two kinds of rhythmic palindromes. The content is mathematically…

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a kind of computer software that allows people to work with digital maps in a fast and flexible way. In the past decade, more and more geography teachers have become interested in the possibilities of using GIS in secondary education. However, teaching with GIS is complex, and little is known about how to do…

Service-learning scholars contend that engaging students in systematic reflection during community service promotes one, if not all, of the following student outcomes: (1) academic learning; (2) personal growth; and (3) civic engagement. For communication instructors in particular, Applegate and Morreale (1999) proposed that service-learning both…

Like many other history departments nationally, Ed Podesta and his colleagues face a daunting practical challenge: redesigning three years' historical learning so that it can fit into a compressed two-year Key Stage 3, whilst enhancing, rather than compromising, the quality of students' historical learning. Podesta's article reports the beginning…

Dewey's conception of scientific explanation, which has been neglected by both philosophers of science and philosophers of education, facilitates overcoming the seeming divide between teaching a highly technical and specialized subject matter and encouraging students to successfully engage in the experience of being philosopher-scientists. By…

Allowing students to create their own investigations and experiments to test hypotheses and answer essential questions is crucial to actively involving students in learning. It also provides them with opportunities to develop critical thinking and process skills. In this article, the authors explore a process called "BIDDI" ("Brainstorm,…

At a large, urban community college located in the Northeastern United States, a group of faculty interested in helping students assume agency in their own learning used the methodology of Collaborative Inquiry (CI) as a way to examine the factors that help or hinder this process. Unexpected was the epistemological shift they underwent as a result…

This paper takes a multimodal approach to analysing embodied interaction and discourses of scientific investigation using an interactive tangible tabletop. It argues that embodied forms of interaction are central to science inquiry. More specifically, the paper examines the role of hand actions in the development of descriptions and explanations…

One of the most memorable achievements of adolescence is the independence gained from obtaining a driver's license. Students are highly motivated to study the rules of the road, hone their skills behind the wheel, and meet all the state requirements to reach their goal. They are invested in the process because they value the outcome. The Driver's…

To be recognized and adopted, the promise and potential of national standards must validate the instructional role of the school librarian and build formative knowledge through authentic process and products. Inquiry is a direct link to those dimensions. Standards that are rigorous and relevant optimize the developing brain's affinity for building…

Sometimes a student's unexpected solution turns a routine classroom task into a real problem, one that the teacher cannot resolve right away. Although not knowing the answer can be uncomfortable for a teacher, these moments of uncertainty are also an opportunity to model authentic problem solving. This article describes such a moment in Zahner's…

Discovery-based learning designs incorporating active exploration are common within instructional software. However, researchers have highlighted empirical evidence showing that "pure" discovery learning is of limited value and strategies which reduce complexity and provide guidance to learners are important if potential learning…

Objective: It is useful to examine workplace factors influencing employment outcomes of individuals with disabilities and the interplay of disability, employment-related, and employer characteristics to inform rehabilitation practice. Design: A number of large national survey and administrative data sets provide information on employers and can…