The Implementation of Inquiry-based Teaching
"The Implementation of Inquiry-based Teaching" - [2.7Mb]
IND's studenterserie nr. 70. Specialerapport. Geografi.
Jakob Holm, 2019.
Vejledere: Robert Harry Evans og Lene Møller Madsen
Abstract
Throughout the past decades, inquiry-based teaching has been subject to much research that has documented its effectiveness. In spite of this, the teaching method remains largely unused in Danish science classrooms, as many teachers haven’t been properly educated in, how to apply it in their teaching practice and perceive it as time-consuming, and difficult to control, as a result of its open and student centred nature.
In order to understand, if this also applies to newly educated science teachers, who have been properly introduced to the teaching method at the course ‘Advanced Methods of Teaching Science’ at the University of Copenhagen, I have studied how six newly educated science teachers understand and perceive IBSE, and in addition observed how they employ it into their teaching practice.
I have collected data in classroom observations and interviews, and I have, among others, found that the participating teachers generally have extensive knowledge of IBSE, which they perceive as a valuable pedagogical tool that they frequently employ in their teaching. The way it is implemented varies, based on factors such as the academic level of the students, the classroom chemistry and the individual teaching style of the teacher, but in general, the participating teachers always design their inquiry-based lessons with the 6F-model as an underlying template.
However, In spite of the extensive understanding and positive attitudes to inquiry-based teaching, the teachers involved in this study, often experience challenges related to, especially the time-consuming nature of IBSE, and how to provide feedback to their students, why I conclude that more attention must be given to address these issues at the ‘Advanced Methods of Teaching Science’ course.