Inquiry as a Natural Part of Outdoor Teaching: Insight From Motivated Educators Using Online Course and Resources in the Czech Republic

Scientific literacy is decreasing in the Czech Republic and inquiry-based science education (IBSE), believed to enhance it, is used rarely. Meanwhile, outdoor teaching is on the rise, but it is unclear if it could help promote inquiry. This study examines the frequencies of outdoor teaching and IBSE and their relationship in self-reported practice among motivated educators. Two questionnaires were filled out by educators who downloaded teaching resources in 2019 (N = 796) and those who enrolled in an online course in 2020 (N = 745). A high proportion of educators used some form of IBSE. Many of them unexpectedly often involved students in research design as part of IBSE. The frequency of student-designed investigation was correlated with the frequency of outdoor teaching in both samples. Both frequencies increased after the online course. This indicates that involving students in research design can be supported indirectly and that new professional development courses could use the attractiveness of outdoor education. Two groups of active teachers were identified, one focused on inquiry in their own class and the other motivating colleagues to teach outdoors. As they were represented more among primary school teachers, establishing learning communities consisting of both primary and lower-secondary science teachers could bring change to science education. Keywords: inquiry-based science education, online course, outdoor education, professional development