K-8 Science
Using
Technology
to Promote
Science Inquiry
P
Technology
provides powerful
tools to help
teachers lead their
students through
the inquiry
process.
Elizabeth R. Hubbell
and Matt Kuhn
24
Principal n November/December 2007
IN BRIEF
rofessional education organizaThis article makes the case for
tions in every discipline agree
infusing technology into the five
that students should learn basic
stages of the science inquiry process
established by the National Science
science content in addition to being
Education Standards—engagement,
actively engaged in the inquiry proplanning, investigating, analyzing,
cess. Anne Tweed, 2004 president of
and communicating.
the National Science Teachers Association, has this to say about inquiry-based learning in science:
Inquiry-based instructional strategies lead to student investigations that can in turn lead to
greater conceptual understanding. Direct instruction alone cannot replace the in-depth experience
with science concepts that inquiry-based strategies provide. Students must create mental models that
connect their learning experiences to the science concepts. Learning cycles that allow students to
explore a concept in depth support students’ sense-making of their observations (Tweed, 2004).
Ableimages/Getty Images
explorations. Implementing the inquiry
method into classroom instruction
helps students to more closely parallel
the processes employed by researchers
and scientists (National Science Foundation, 2000).
Science as inquiry, one of eight categories of content standards outlined
by the National Science Education Standards, requires students to develop abilities necessary to understand and perform scientific inquiry within the grade
clusters K-4, 5-8, and 9-12 (National
Academy of Sciences, 2000).
Stages of the Inquiry Process
The inquiry process has five general
stages:
Infusing technology into science
education can help clarify ways to use
inquiry methods in coordination with
education standards—thereby improving the efficiency and viability of the
inquiry process.
1.Engagement. The learner, through
observation, raises scientifically oriented questions.
2.Planning. The learner uses previous
research and background knowledge
to plan an investigation.
3.Investigating. The learner performs
guided investigation, experimentation, and observations in an attempt
to answer the questions.
4.Analyzing. The learner analyzes his
or her findings, organizes the data,
and makes predictions while evalu­
ating them in light of alternative
explanations.
5.Communicating. If the conclusions
in step 4 do not require repeating
the cycle from step 2, the learner
communicates and justifies his or
her explanation.
After communicating the explanation, the learner might find that the
communication process has prompted
more questions, thus restarting the
cycle.
Science Inquiry
Science inquiry, once synonymous
with the scientific method, now subtly
differs in several ways. The scientific
method outlines a specific linear process during which students conduct
experiments, whereas science inquiry
allows for more flexibility because it is
a continual cycle of questions, studentcentered investigations, and further
www.naesp.org
Engaging the Learner
Engaging the learner is the first phase
of the inquiry process. When teachers
capture students’ attention through
demonstrations, movies, and other
activities, students begin asking questions. Teachers can use these responses
to encourage learners to consider the
course of their inquiries and to con-
template questions about scientific concepts, patterns, or phenomena.
As shown in a meta-analysis of effective instructional strategies, activating
students’ prior knowledge by the use of
cues, questions, and advance organizers
provides a powerful learning experience by scaffolding previously learned
concepts with those they are about to
learn (Marzano et al., 2001).
The authors also point out that
higher-level questions produce deeper
learning than lower-level questions, and
that questioning students can be a powerful learning tool in and of itself, prior
to a learning experience (Marzano et
al., 2001).
The teacher has the most active role
and does the most direct instruction
during the engagement stage. In subsequent steps, the teacher takes on the
role of facilitator or coach, guiding students to meaningful discoveries.
Using Technology to Plan
Planning an investigation is the second phase of the inquiry process. During this phase, the teacher and students
typically discuss what they already know,
what they want to know, and how they
plan to find it. This is also the time to
address misconceptions and prepare an
investigative plan that includes available
materials, technology, and methods.
One of the most useful features of
technology is the range of nonlinguistic
representations available to a variety of
learners. Research shows that the majority of traditional instruction is delivered
in linguistic form, either as a lecture or
as written material, leaving the learner
to create his or her own nonlinguistic
representation. Helping students to create nonlinguistic images is an effective
instructional strategy that enables learners to better understand and retain new
knowledge (Marzano et al., 2001).
Web resources and software provide
access to people, places, and simulations that otherwise would be impossible to implement in the classroom.
Access to professional knowledge,
whether by e-mail or videoconferencing, or on a Web site, provides authentic
information for students.
Principal n November/December 2007
25
Another benefit to using technology
in science instruction is the accessibility
of resources to help students practice
what they have learned. Research shows
that students need an average of 24
practice sessions in order to master
80 percent competency in a new skill
(Marzano et al., 2001). Before students
can effectively conduct an inquiry, they
need some level of background information and basic understanding of a
concept.
Exemplary Web sites and software can
help students learn the vocabulary and
basic concepts of their inquiry topic.
For example, students who are about to
conduct experiments using certain
chemicals must make certain that they
know the chemicals’ elements and basic
reactions. They may visit sites such as
the WebElements Periodic Table (www.
webelements.com), a rich resource that
has information, pictures, movies, and
possible reactions for each element.
Younger students might use the
planetarium application, Stellarium,
to see how the moon’s rising and setting times change as it goes through
its phases. Another excellent resource
during this phase of the inquiry process is ExploreLearning’s Gizmos
(www.explorelearning.com). Gizmos
are small, interactive applications that
help students to better understand
science concepts.
Using Technology to Analyze
During the data collection phase of
the inquiry process, teachers and students typically discuss effort and performance rubrics for inquiry outcomes.
The teacher facilitates the implementation of the learners’ investigative plans
and guides them in organizing their
data and observations.
Using data collection software in
this phase enables students to focus on
higher-level activities rather than on
tedious, low-level data collection activities in which mistakes are often made.
For example, in many elementary classrooms students are required to use an
analog thermometer to gauge the daily
temperature and plot the information
onto a graph. When the focus of the les-
26
Principal n November/December 2007
A Science
Inquiry
Workshop
To facilitate the inquiry process, teachers can participate in
a science inquiry and technology
workshop like that offered by
the Mid-continent Research for
Education and Learning (McREL).
The McREL workshop instructs
teachers on how to use software,
Web resources, and data collection tools to promote the science
inquiry process in their classrooms, even with traditionally
difficult topics like astronomy.
During the McREL workshop,
teachers are introduced to multimedia resources directed toward
engaging learners, such as BrainPOP, UnitedStreaming, Bill Nye,
and video clips available on the
Web. For example, to engage
learners prior to investigating bridges, the teacher might
show a video clip of “Galloping
Gertie,” the Tacoma Narrows
Bridge that collapsed in 1940.
Teachers also are shown how
to use popular organizing and
brainstorming applications, like
Kidspiration and Inspiration, and
to gather questions posed by students after watching a movie or
demonstration.
son is to make predictions based on this
data, it is imperative that it be accurate
and timely.
During the data collection phase of
the inquiry process, learners scrutinize
and summarize data and observations,
and determine which are relevant by
identifying patterns, empirical relationships, and verifiable evidence. Based
on their findings, they formulate
explanations that may also incorporate
scientific laws, theories, and concepts
from their earlier research. If necessary,
the learners may refocus their research
question based on insights gained from
new evidence.
There are innumerable methods
for students to analyze evidence, form
explanations, and make predictions,
but the use of graphing software
enables them to synthesize a large
amount of data into nonlinguistic
form. For example, a group of students
who are investigating how a location’s
latitude will affect the length of day
during different seasons could use
Microsoft Excel to analyze their data.
By putting their data into nonlinguistic
form, students can begin to answer
such questions as: How will the graph
look in December? Why is Quito’s
length of day unaffected by the change
in seasons? Why are the icons representing Buenos Aires and Melbourne
nearly superimposed? Is there a date
when all cities will generally be on the
same line? If so, which line? Which
date? When will this reoccur?
Using Technology to Communicate
A fundamental principle of scientific
inquiry is to defend and share one’s
findings. During the last phase of the
inquiry process, learners prepare to
report their questions, predictions,
research, investigations, and findings.
Ideally, they have an opportunity to
defend their findings to an audience of
their peers, teachers, parents, or community. In this way, the inquiry process
continues as others read the findings
and are compelled to further investigate, dispute, or revise the findings.
Traditionally, students have been limited to communicating their findings in
schoolwide science fairs. Now, they also
are able to post their findings online
in a variety of ways. For example, they
can create documentaries, post their
data on Web sites and blogs, or create
multimedia presentations to share findings and gather feedback from global
audiences.
Technology can provide powerful
tools for science inquiry by helping students to ask questions, investigate, and
share their findings. When teachers use
these tools in science classrooms, they
provide optimal learning environments
for their 21st century students. P
Elizabeth R. Hubbell is a senior
consultant of educational technology at
Mid-continent Research for Education
and Learning (McREL). Her e-mail
address is ehubbell@mcrel.org.
www.naesp.org
Matt Kuhn is a senior consultant of
educational technology at McREL. His
e-mail address is mkuhn@mcrel.org.
References
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP
Principal (ISSN 0271-6062) (Act of August 12, 1970; Section 3685,
Title 39 United State Code.) Date of filing: 30 September 2007.
Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock,
J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction
Frequency of issue, 5 issues per year. Annual subscription price
that works: Research-based strategies for
$195 with membership. Publication and general business offices,
increasing student achievement. Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and
1615 Duke Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3483. Editor, Raven
Curriculum Development.
National Academy of Sciences. (2000).
Padgett. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security
Inquiry and the National Science Education
Standards: A guide for teaching and
holders, none. The purpose, function, and non-profit status of
learning. Washington, DC: National
the National Association of Elementary School Principals and its
Academy Press.
National Science Foundation. (2000).
HOW TO TEACH MATH
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the average number of copies printed for each issue was 33,854;
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Retrieved April 11, 2007, from
the average number of copies distributed, 35,506. The figures for
www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf99148/
start.htm.
September/October 2007: 57,768 copies printed; 57,768 total paid
Tweed, A. (2004). Direct instruction: Is
circulation; 810 copies for free distribution; total number of copies
it the most effective science teaching
strategy? NSTA WebNews Digest. Retrieved
distributed, 58,578.
September 13, 2005, from
www3.nsta.org/main/news/stories/
education_story.php?news_story_
ID=50045.
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For additional information regarding
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www.nsta.org.
You may also wish to read Inquiry and
the National Science Education Standards: A
Guide for Teaching and Learning from the
National Academy of Sciences.
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