Varying the Level of Inquiry in Science Lab Activities

Unit 1

Understanding what Inquiry Based Learning Is

Learners will be able to have an understanding of what inquiry based learning is and begin to investigate why it is beneficial

Unit 2

Identifying the Components of Inquiry in laboratory activities

Learners will be able to identify the main components of inquiry learning in lab activities and how the level of inquiry can be varied based on the need of students and activity

Unit 3

Designing an Inquiry Based Lab with varying levels of inquiry

Learners will be able to integrate different levels of inquiry activities into their current lesson plans and also future lesson plans

Introduction

The National Science Education Standards state that "all science teachers are urged to use inquiry in their teaching" (NRC 1996). Incorporating varying levels of inquiry into your lab activities can be beneficial to both teacher and student. We will explore and cultivate the concept of varying the level of inquiry in lab activities, what it means for students' learning experience, and also teacher planning practices.

Unit 4

Reflection and Evaluation

Learners will be able to reflect back upon the implementation of the varied level of inquiry activities and see strengths and weaknesses