Inquiry Learning in
SCI 230 (Biology)
By Kelly Bohrer and M.E. Dillon
University of Dayton
Background Work
 OHEN Workshops
 Chautauqua (May 5-7,2005)“ Evolution Education: A
Delicate Balance Between Pedagogy, Content &
Controversy”
 Chautauqua: (June 6 -8, 2005) “Inquiry based Instruction:
Enhance the Way You Teach and Your Students Learn”
 Observations:


WSU: BIO (J. Tomlin and )
Belmont Middle School:
Goals
Short Term:
 To substantially modify 1 - 2 lecture sections of
SCI 230 to model best teaching practices
 To modify selected SCI 230L activities in order
to better reflect inquiry-based pedagogy
 To correlate one class section of SCI 230
lecture, reserved for education majors only, with
one class section of SCI 230L, also reserved for
education majors only
Goals
Long Term:
 To share the activities/presentations developed
for this grant with all of INSS biology faculty, to
allow incorporation of some of these activities
into all sections of SCI 230 lecture
 To share key ideas and most successful
teaching strategies with entire INSS faculty.
 To produce future science teachers who are
better prepared in both science content and
best practices in pedagogy
Bybee “5E” Learning Cycle
(Review!)
 Engage!
(Those lost stories!/demos/etc!)
 Explore
(Traditionally in lab?)
 Explain
 Elaborate
 Evaluate
Greatly Modified Lecture Units:
 Nature of Science/Scientific Method
 Organic Molecules
 Evolution
Also: Joint Lecture Lab Field Trip to
Aullwood Nature Center/MEEC
Nature of Science
Nature of Science
 Engage: Survey Environment for “germs”
 Explore: Learn info about
microorganisms
 Explain: Instructor explains which
organisms are bacteria & fungi
 Elaborate:


Apply to cell theory
ED majors: Use tool for further
investigation
 Evaluate: Quiz & Formal Report (Ed majors)
Nature of Science
Organic Molecules = FOOD!
 Engage: South Beach Diet Article
 Explore: What information do I need to
understand this article/diet?
Finding information
 Explain:

Small Group  Large Group
 Elaborate:


MED
SCI 230L: Food Investigations
 Evaluate – Quiz!
Aullwood FieldTrip
Pre-Trip:
 Read “Nature and Young Children: A
Natural Connection” by Ruth A. Wilson
 Highlight
major points
 5 ideas you could use in your classroom
 3 questions/goals for Aullwood
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Aullwood FieldTrip
Student Comments:
 Loved the Aullwood fieldtrip!!
 “I found the SCI 230 course to be one of
the most interesting of all my Education
courses. I wish there were more Biology
courses to take for IS majors.”
 “I learned more about teaching methods
in this class than from all of my
education classes and observations put
together.”
Questions?