TY - JOUR
T1 - Understanding the Influence of Teacher-Directed Scientific Inquiry on Students’ Primal Inquiries in Two American Science Classrooms
AU - Stone, Brian
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Childhood Education International.
PY - 2020/10/1
Y1 - 2020/10/1
N2 - Scientific inquiry is an often misunderstood concept in many elementary classrooms. On the inquiry spectrum, teacher-directed (TD) scientific inquiry is prevalent in schools. From a critical and social constructivism framework, TD inquiry programs affect students’ original/unhindered questions, called primal inquiry (PI), and processes in science as well as classroom climate factors, such as engagement, interest, and motivation. For this case study, two 4th-grade elementary science classrooms were observed for a total of 23 hours, and 22 students were interviewed. The classroom climate was described in relationship to TD inquiry and its influence on the students’ own inquiries (PI). Classroom observations, field notes, student interviews, and science journals were analyzed for any impact of TD instruction on students’ own inquiries (PI). Overall, three major effects were observed: multiple and substantial barriers to authentic student inquiry existed, students’ original questions were rarely engaged or revisited in the classroom (inelasticity), and climate factors (engagement, interest, and motivation) were negatively affected in relation to TD inquiry events.
AB - Scientific inquiry is an often misunderstood concept in many elementary classrooms. On the inquiry spectrum, teacher-directed (TD) scientific inquiry is prevalent in schools. From a critical and social constructivism framework, TD inquiry programs affect students’ original/unhindered questions, called primal inquiry (PI), and processes in science as well as classroom climate factors, such as engagement, interest, and motivation. For this case study, two 4th-grade elementary science classrooms were observed for a total of 23 hours, and 22 students were interviewed. The classroom climate was described in relationship to TD inquiry and its influence on the students’ own inquiries (PI). Classroom observations, field notes, student interviews, and science journals were analyzed for any impact of TD instruction on students’ own inquiries (PI). Overall, three major effects were observed: multiple and substantial barriers to authentic student inquiry existed, students’ original questions were rarely engaged or revisited in the classroom (inelasticity), and climate factors (engagement, interest, and motivation) were negatively affected in relation to TD inquiry events.
KW - Cast studies
KW - elementary education
KW - inquiry-based teaching
KW - science education
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U2 - 10.1080/02568543.2020.1718807
DO - 10.1080/02568543.2020.1718807
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85082485335
SN - 0256-8543
VL - 34
SP - 521
EP - 537
JO - Journal of Research in Childhood Education
JF - Journal of Research in Childhood Education
IS - 4
ER -