PATHWAYS – A Case of Large-Scale Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice in Scientific Inquiry-Based Science Education

Abstract

The fundamental pioneering ideas about student-centered, inquiry-based learning initiatives are differing in Europe and the US. The latter had initiated various top-down schemes that have led to well-defined standards, while in Europe, with its some 50 independent educational systems, a wide variety of approaches has been evolved. In this present paper, we portray a European bottom-up initiative, "PATHWAY to Inquiry Based Science Education", to define a basis for learning initiatives and to meet current challenges to access learning, to share knowledge and establish competences in learning communities. Our approach was designed to act as bottom-up catalyst by mobilizing teacher communities to (further) foster inquiry. Of a sample of 10.053 science teachers from 15 European countries (incl. Russia), about 5060 provided empirical support for our teachers' professional development initiative. The response pattern portrayed teachers' preferences and pointed to potential needs in professional development (PD) efforts. On average, our sample reported an altogether 11 years' period of teaching practice in general but just 2-3 years of experience in inquiry-teaching. In the view of that, consequences for professional development (PD) initiatives are discussed.

Inquiry-based learning and E-learning: how to serve high and low achievers

“…To remain within the set timeframe of school lessons, scientific visualization technologies increasingly support inquiry learning in order to enable high-level differentiated learning without being time consuming. Thus, digital tools and resources offer an effective way to decrease time consumption and to increase the adoption of inquiry processes in everyday lessons (Sotiriou, Bybee, & Bogner, 2017). Organizing and deploying digital resources as part of a normal school lesson is demanding for teachers and the reason why many refrain from following such an approach (Coiro, Castek, & Quinn, 2016;Langheinrich & Bogner, 2016).…”

How Creativity in STEAM Modules Intervenes with Self-Efficacy and Motivation

“…We selected five of the Creations modules for the analysis, which used the standard test design and had a sufficiently large number of participants. The selected five best practices implemented the Creations design [46], introducing creative elements based on the 5E Instructional Model proposing five phases: engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation [47,48]. Creativity was integrated into the classroom environment as students were able to imagine, explore, experiment, test, manipulate, take risks, and speculate as well as to make mistakes [49].…”

Science practical work and its impact on students' science achievement

“…The goals of practical work are to improve students' understanding, develop their skills in solving problems and understanding the nature of science, by replicating the actions of scientists. Sotiriou, Bybee and Bogner (2017) state that: "While solving a scientific problem, students should act like a scientist and follow scientific processes." According to Hodson (1990), practical work can motivate students, stimulate their interest in teaching and learning, enhance the learning of scientific knowledge, give them experience in using scientific knowledge and widen their way of thinking.…”