Pedagogical Practices to Support Classroom Cultures of Scientific Inquiry

This article examines the pedagogical practices of two science inquiry teachers and their students using a Web-based system called Web of Inquiry (WOI). There is a need to build a collective repertoire of pedagogical practices that can assist elementary and middle school teachers as they support students to develop a complex model of inquiry based on testing alternative hypotheses. A repertoire of effective instructional practices may help students learn the language of science, develop an understanding of scientific tools and representations, and take up a scientific worldview that emphasizes the generative, social nature of science (National Research Council [NRC], 2007 National Research Council. 2007. “Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K–8. Committee on science learning, kindergarten through eighth grade”. In Board on Science Education, Center for Education. Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Edited by: Duschl, R. A., Schweingruber, H. A. and Shouse, A. W. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. [Google Scholar]). The Web of Inquiry (WOI) (http://www.webofinquiry.org) is a dynamic website where students carry out scientific inquiry projects to develop and test their theories; learn scientific language, tools, and practices of investigation; engage in self assessment; and provide feedback to peers. Two teachers and their classes participated in this study using a variety of science content. We examine and discuss the teachers’ use of instructional strategies to support students to develop a coherent and theoretically driven model of scientific inquiry using the WOI. Implications of this work are addressed with respect to student and teacher learning and preservice teacher education.