Scientific Inquiry and Science Teaching

The aim of the research is to detect the views of the science teacher candidates about the nature of scientific inquiry before and after a history of science based teaching process. The research was made with the participation of 18 teacher candidates, who were enrolled in the primary science-teaching department of an Istanbul-based university. The qualitative data collection and analysis methods were used in the research, which was based upon the “case studies” to uncover the views in more details. Data of the research were collected by using the document analysis and interview. The data were assessed through the content and descriptive analysis methods. The results of the research represented that the teacher candidates’ views about the guidance of the scientific questions to the scientific investigations, the multiple purposes of the scientific investigations and the justification of the scientific knowledge were “weak” in the pre-test, and their views about the remaining aspects were at the level of “informed.” The teacher candidates could not express “sophisticated” views about any aspect. After the implementation process, it was seen that the teacher candidates’ views about the method diversity and the distinctions between the data and the evidence improved, but there was no difference in their views about other aspects. Key words: history of science, nature of scientific inquiry, science teacher candidate, science teaching.

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Teachers’ and Educational Administrators’ Conceptions of Inquiry: Do They Promote or Constrain Inquiry-Based Science Teaching in Junior High Schools?

Journal of Curriculum and Teaching ◽

10.5430/jct.v10n3p58 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 58

Author(s):

Salifu Maigari Mohammed ◽

Kwaku Darko Amponsah

Keyword(s):

High Schools ◽

Science Teaching ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Scientific Inquiry ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Junior High ◽

Science Instruction ◽

Junior High Schools ◽

Inquiry Teaching ◽

Educational Administrators

This study sought to examine whether teachers’ and educational administrators’ conceptions of inquiry promote or constrain inquiry-based science teaching in junior high schools. The study also explored any connections between participants’ conceptions of scientific inquiry, inquiry teaching, and inquiry learning. Multiple-case study involving semi-structured interviews was used to collect data from 18 integrated science teachers and 23 educational administrators from rural and urban areas in the Central Region of Ghana. Analysis of the qualitative data involved open coding and categorisation of participants’ responses. We found that all the teachers and educational administrators held either uninformed or partially informed conceptions of scientific inquiry and inquiry teaching and learning which, constrain inquiry-based science instruction in junior high schools. We also found that participants’ conceptions of scientific inquiry reflected in their conceptions of science teaching and learning. Again, we found that the uninformed conceptions of inquiry developed from participants’ lack of exposure and experiences with inquiry-based science instruction when they were students. We recommend regular explicit-reflective in-service trainings to promote teachers’ and educational administrators’ conceptions and teachers’ practice of inquiry-based science teaching. We also recommend reforms in preservice science education that emphasise the engagement of prospective teachers in collaborative explicit-reflective inquiry investigations and instructional practices.

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Learning by doing? Prospective elementary teachers' developing understandings of scientific inquiry and science teaching and learning

International Journal of Science Education ◽

10.1080/0950069042000230709 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 26 (13) ◽

pp. 1653-1674 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Leigh Ann Haefner ◽

Carla Zembal‐Saul

Keyword(s):

Elementary Teachers ◽

Science Teaching ◽

Scientific Inquiry ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Learning By Doing ◽

Prospective Elementary Teachers ◽

Science Teaching And Learning

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Sammenhengen mellom naturvitenskapelig produkt og prosess - En studie av dialoger fra utforskende arbeid i naturfag relatert til stoffer og stoffers endringer

Nordic Studies in Science Education ◽

10.5617/nordina.625 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 33-49

Author(s):

Anne Bergliot Øyehaug ◽

Anne Holt

Keyword(s):

Science Teaching ◽

Research Design ◽

Scientific Inquiry ◽

Scientific Method ◽

Science Learning ◽

Student Understanding ◽

The Other ◽

Science Content ◽

Wide Range ◽

Product And Process

This paper reports from a study where a teacher and researchers collaborated on designing science teaching promoting scientific inquiry (processes of science) and science content (product of science) for a group of students (age 11 – 13). A wide range of data from students’ performance in combining science product and processes were collected during a two year period. Results indicate that students combined product (matter and change of matter) and processes of science (making hypotheses, suggesting research design and evaluating evidence) and that these aspects support each other in science learning. The ability of linking product and process differed among students and varied from one scientific method to the other. To succeed in linking science content and processes of science it is important to scaffold student understanding, like providing templates and asking rich and relevant questions.

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