Student-Generated Scientific Inquiry
Developed by: Leslie Atkins
Level
middle schoolhigh schoolintro collegeinter-mediateupper levelgrad school other
conceptual
middle schoolhigh schoolintro collegeinter-mediateupper levelgrad school other
conceptual
Topics
Setting
Overview
What? A curriculum for pre-service teachers. Students craft and investigate their own scientific questions about a range of scientific topics. The course is modeled on a research lab, with students working on projects in small groups and sharing findings during whole-class "research-group" meetings.
Student skills developed
Designed for:
- Making real-world connections
- Using multiple representations
- Designing experiments
Can be adapted for:
- Conceptual understanding
Instructor effort required
- High
Resources required
- Advanced lab equipment
Resources
Developer's website: Student-Generated Scientific Inquiry
Intro Article: I. Salter and L. Atkins Elliott, Student-Generated Scientific Inquiry for Elementary Education Undergraduates: Course Development, Outcomes and Implications, J. Sci. Teach. Educ. 24 (1), 157 (2013).
Research
RESEARCH VALIDATION
Bronze ValidationThis is the third highest level of research validation, corresponding to:
- at least 1 of the "based on" categories
- at least 1 of the "demonstrated to improve" categories
- at least 1 of the "studied using" categories
Research Validation Summary
Based on Research Into:
- theories of how students learn
- student ideas about specific topics
Demonstrated to Improve:
- conceptual understanding
- problem-solving skills
- lab skills
- beliefs and attitudes
- attendance
- retention of students
- success of underrepresented groups
- performance in subsequent classes
Studied using:
- cycle of research and redevelopment
- student interviews
- classroom observations
- analysis of written work
- research at multiple institutions
- research by multiple groups
- peer-reviewed publication
References
- L. Atkins Elliott and I. Salter, Constructing Definitions as a Goal of Inquiry, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010.
- L. Atkins Elliott and I. Salter, Using Scientists' Notebooks to Foster Authentic Scientific Practices, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
- I. Salter and L. Atkins Elliott, Surveys fail to measure grasp of scientific practice, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
- I. Salter and L. Atkins Elliott, Student-Generated Scientific Inquiry for Elementary Education Undergraduates: Course Development, Outcomes and Implications, J. Sci. Teach. Educ. 24 (1), 157 (2013).
