This study explored the effectiveness of an inquiry-based cellulase laboratory unit in promoting inquiry in undergraduate students in biotechnology. The following tools were used to assess the students’ achievements and attitude: conceptual understanding test, concept mapping, students’ documents, CLES questionnaire, students’ self reflection, and interviews. Judging from their conceptual under...

Scientific method has been considered by many to lie at the core of scientific inquiry. In this paper, we look closely at teacher and student discourse in a typical high school science classroom to investigate what the teaching and learning of scientific method looks like and to consider the impacts an emphasis on method has on students’ inquiry performance. Through a lens of activity theory, o...

The inquiry-based Family Maths professional development programme, offered by the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, attempts not only to support the transformative education practices targeted by the South African National Department of Education, but also to extend them beyond the school walls to the community at large. This study investigates the extent to which this programme develops ...

The purpose of this study is to discuss major issues in designing inquiries on the web. Instructional designers face a lot of difficulties and challenges to deal with in the course of designing inquiry experiences for learners in the online environment, a complex and ill-structured learning environment. Facilitating inquiry or using an inquiry-based learning approach on the web has both advanta...

Co-operative inquiry is a radically participative form of inquiry in which all those involved are both co-researchers and co-subjects. The methodology of co-operative inquiry is set out in a ‘Layperson’s Guide’ which might be used to introduce the method to a new group. This is followed by a reflection on the learning process of an inquiry group, particularly the process of research cycling, th...

We explore in this paper if automated scaffolding delivered via a pedagogical agent within a simulation can help students acquire data collection inquiry skills. Our initial analyses revealed that such scaffolding was effective for helping students who initially did not know two specific skills, designing controlled experiments and testing stated hypotheses, acquire those skills. These results ...

This paper presents a process-oriented case study of successes and failures in collaborative inquiry. The interactions of pairs were recorded and transcribed while they were engaged in learning activities, mediated by agent-based NetLogo electricity models. Transcripts of learner interactions were coded for engagements in science inquiry. The purpose of this paper is to articulate the dynamics ...

I contrast two approaches to the interpretation of generics such as ‘ravens are black:’ majority-based views, on which they are about what is the case most of the time, and inquiry-based views, on which they are about a feature we focus on in inquiry—an inductive target. I argue that while majority-based views are preferable based on the most basic data about generics, only inquiry-based views ...