Science as Inquiry

     The notion of a Learning Cycle in science education is not really new. References can be found in the literature dating back to the 1920’s. The Learning Cycle took on new importance beginning in the early 1960’s when Robert Karplus, et al at the University of California-Berkeley, developed one of the early ‘alphabet’ elementary science programs, the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS). The SCIS program was developed with the cognitive psychology of Jean Piaget in mind (and was therefore a constructivist program) and made use of a learning cycle in its instructional design. The SCIS learning cycle included the following steps:

EXPLORATION
INVENTION
DISCOVERY
   
     Since its development, there have been various labels and formats given to the learning cycle, including Explore, Develop, and Apply; and Focus, Teach, and Apply. The BSCS program uses a five step learning cycle consisting of engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation.

     The labels are less important than actually changing the way material are presented, the way teachers use textbooks, and the kind of instruction in which students are engaged. 

     Why a ‘constructivist’ approach to science education? Most children in schools using textbooks essentially just read them. There are several reasons for this. One, the texts are written in such a way that it is easy for teachers to have students read them. It is easy for teachers to skip the guided discovery activities. This results in students learning a compendium of vocabulary definitions. Two, this is the kind of approach most teachers feel most comfortable with because it is the way that they were taught science. Most teachers are not comfortable with science because they don’t understand the concepts very well themselves beyond the definition stage. For this reason, they are more comfortable teaching definition science with an occasional hands-on activity (as opposed to any real inquiry). It is also for this reason that simple but fun activities such as those found in the AIMS program are so popular with many teachers. 

     What is at the heart of a constructivist approach? Basically, children do not learn concepts by reading a text. They also do not learn concepts by memorizing vocabulary, nor by simply taking part in ‘activities’. Learners construct their own understandings of their environment. They also must construct their own understandings of new concepts. When students begin the study of a new concept, teachers usually assume that the students know nothing about that concept. This is clearly not the case. From their past experiences, the students are likely to have constructed some knowledge about that topic. However, everything the student ‘knows’about the concept may not, in fact, be true. This is what some educators refer to as a misconception. Take, for example, magnetism. When we present this material to first or second graders we assume that they do not know very much at all about it. But if you take the time to discuss the concept with them you will find that most already ‘know’ (incorrectly) that magnets attract all metallic objects! 

     What is important in the learning cycle model is that students have a chance to explore phenomena and attempt to find answers to questions. The students need to have some ownership in the formulation of (at least some of) the questions. The questions should also stem, whenever possible, from real-life experiences. From these explorations, conceptual understandings can begin to be developed. To reinforce these understandings, students need opportunities to apply what they have learned. These opportunities should involve correlations to other curriculum areas when appropriate. They must also relate to what was learned in the previous lesson as well as to what will be learned in the next lesson. Another very important aspect of the application phase of the lesson is the application to the real world. Whenever possible a lesson should begin and end with the real world of the learner. This not only provides ‘relevance’ to the lesson but also accounts for relating the new to what is already ‘known.' 

     In a constructivist approach, lessons must be developed around the explorations. The development of the concept should be done around investigations and be less definition oriented. The Project 2061 notion of less is more is appropriate in this case. 

[ I ² @ UMD Home | Project Profile | Course Descriptions | Science as Inquiry | Inquiry Lesson Plans ]

[ Science Education Portfolios | Team Members |  Advisory Board | Links | Contact Us ]