What+is+Classroom+Inquiry

=What is Scientific Inquiry? //" S CIENCE SHOULD // **BE** // LAB. SCIENCE SHOULD BE A VERB AS OPPOSED TO A NOUN." // =

 Scientific Inquiry can be defined as a student-driven exploration of phenomena which utilizes critical thinking and scientific processing skills to further develop knowledge and understanding on how the world works. Fueled by curiosity , students assume the role of scientists by making observations, questioning the phenomena, selecting a statement to test, designing an experiment, collecting data, and communicating their findings.

How have others defined Scientific Inquiry?

 * Teaching High School Science Through Inquiry An inquiry model combined with a bulleted list detailing what an inquiry classroom looks like including the roles of both the teacher and student during an investigation. The information can prove to be a useful tool for creating lesson plans.
 * National Science Education Standards The NRC's definition of inquiry combined with a chart to show inquiry can exist on a continuum
 * Science for All Americans A brief overview providing features of inquiry.
 * Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry The Exploratorium offers an alternative inquiry model with characteristics that are quite similar to existing inquiry models which focuses on exploring a phenomena, questioning, designing experiments, collecting data and interpreting the data.
 * A Scientist's Model of Inquiry Another version of inquiry suggested by an actual scientist/professor which takes classroom inquiry one step further by emphasizing the amount of time spent on investigation and incorporating time for trial & error.
 * The Northwest Regional Education Laboratory Science Inquiry Model Illustrates the role of the teacher and student in an inquiry-driven classroom.
 * Inquiring into Inquiry Learning And Teaching in Science, AAAS Project 2061 A free publication offered by the AAAS. An in depth composition from scientists, educators, researchers and advocates suggesting models, definitions, theories and opinion of inquiry-learning.

How is Inquiry Represented (and Assessed) in Rhode Island?
The New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) includes inquiry as an area of assessment on the NECAP science tests at each grade level. All of the released inquiry items are linked to this page. These items represent inquiry by focusing on twelve inquiry constructs that fall in four categories consistent with the descriptions of inquiry summarized in the list above. These constructs and categories are shown below:

include component="page" page="NECAP Assessment of Inquiry" editable="1"

Assuming that the released inquiry items are representative of the test as a whole, an analysis of these items reveals which constructs are most important to address if students are to do well on the NECAP. A detailed breakdown of these items summarized here.