What is Inquiry Based Science Education?

Dr. Eilish McLoughlin, Prof. Tina Jarvis, Dr. Margaret Farren, Dr. Anders Jönsson, Dr. Kara McGann

1. Overview of Inquiry Based Science Education

2. Specific features from four FP7 projects –

• ESTABLISH - Eilish McLoughlin

• Fibonacci - Tina Jarvis

• Pathway - Margaret Farren

• SAILS - Anders Jonsson

3. Stakeholders viewpoint – IBEC - Kara McGann

4. Round table discussions to identify key questions/concerns.

5. Questions posed to panellists.

Symposium Overview

Europe needs scientists (1)

By 2020 there will be 20 million high-skilled and 30 million medium-skilled jobs using STEM in Europe.

EUN

Europe needs scientists (2)

The key point is equipping every citizen with the skills needed to live and work in the knowledge society by giving the opportunity to develop critical thinking and scientific reasoning that will enable them to make informed choices.

Science Education Now! The Rocard report for the European Commission,

2007

Skills supply and demand in Europe to 2020

... a considerable shift in labour demand towards skilled workers, implying that future jobs will become moreknowledge and skills intensive .

Technicians and associate professionals ….. have the highest potential for job creation in the next decade (around 4.5 million)

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, 2010

curriculum

assessmentpedagogy

The basic elements of science education

Inquiry-based science education: what does it mean?

1. A curriculum that includes scientific processes as well as content.

2. Pedagogy that takes a practical, hands-on approach

3. Assessment that encourages 1 and 2.

Dr. Eilish McLoughlin, Dublin City University

ESTABLISHEuropean Science and Technology in Action: Building Links with Industry, Schools and Home2010-2013 -Funded under the Seventh Framework Programme for Science in Society.

The objective of ESTABLISH is the

dissemination and use of an inquiry-based teaching method for science with

second level students (age 12-18 years) on a large

scale in Europe by creating authentic

learning environments, involving all stakeholders

to drive change in the classroom.

ESTABLISH CONSORTIUM

ESTABLISH Kick off Meeting, January 2010, DCU, Ireland

The ESTABLISH consortium is made up of science education researchers and teacher educators working with local teachers and students to develop and implement IBSE materials and workshops that are culturally adapted for each country.

Coordinators:Dr. Eilish McLoughlin, Dr. Odilla Finlayson, Dr. Sarah Brady, Dr. Deirdre McCabeCentre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Teaching andLearning (CASTeL), Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

Diagnosing problems

Critiquing experiments

Distinguishing alternatives

Planning investigations

researching conjectures

searching for information

debating with peers

forming coherent

arguments

Inquiry is…

Definition of Inquiry from: Linn, Davis and

Bell, 2004

What is Inquiry?

Science

Education

Researchers

Teacher Educators

Policy Makers

Parents

Scientific & Industrial

Communities

TEACHERS

STUDENTS

ESTABLISH Model for Inquiry

“creating authentic learning environments for science”

“bringing together … stakeholders..”

Innovation in science classroom practice - achieved through the development and provision of:

ESTABLISH FOCUS

Appropriate teaching and learning IBSE units (informed by scientific and industrial communities)

Appropriate supports for both in-service and pre-service teachers

Prof. Tina Jarvis, University of Leicester

The Fibonacci consortium includes an initial 25 members from 21 countries. Coordinated by the Ecole Normale Supérieure (France) with Bayreuth University (Germany). http://www.fibonacci-project.eu

Extend innovation in primary science and mathematics in primary & secondary schools by working with approximately 25 teachers (Leicester focused on mathematics and science within IBSE.)

‘Training’ for organisations in other EU countries: • Links to two ‘twinned’ centres – Dublin & Belfast • New TC3 – eg University of Almeria Spain. • Field visits – for educators and teachers• Conference ‘Bridging the gap between scientific education research and

practice’

International Cross-Cutting topic groups : on-line & hard copy materials • Scientific inquiry in maths• Scientific inquiry in natural sciences• Implementing and expanding a reference centre• Integrating inquiry across curricular• Using the external environment of the school

Integrating maths in IBSE – ‘big ideas’• Instruments and measuring• Averages and sample size• Active graphing• Looking for patterns• Classifying and exploring the significance

of shape• Area and Perimeter, • Volume and surface area • Ratio and Proportion

At all stages the aim has been to focus on both mathematics and science concepts and skills.

Dr. Margaret Farren, Dublin City University

Pathway is a project funded by the European Commission under FP7-Capacities to promote the effective widespread use of inquiry and problem based science teaching techniques (Inquiry Based Science Education - IBSE) in primary and secondary schools in Europe and beyond.

Specifics Aims:

- Identifying the best of existing classroom practice, often arising from previous EU initiatives.

- Disseminating those practices through innovative programs of teacher professional development (including competitions).

- Develop guidelines to help future IBSE practices develop and also be disseminated to teachers across Europe.

Inquiry Types for IBSE • Structured: Strongly teacher-directed. • Guided: More loosely scaffolded.

• Open: Strongly student-directed. • Coupled: A combination of two types of inquiry.

Work to date• Visionary workshops.• Good practice template for educational activities;

– schools based activities.– science centre and museum activities.– school-research centre activities.– CPD activities.

• Implementation of workshops in IBSE in countries around Europe.

• Practice Reflection workshops. • Competition.

Dr. Anders Jönsson, Malmö University

Project aim The aim of SAILS is to support teachers in adopting

an inquiry based science education (IBSE) approach at second level across Europe.

SAILS aims to prepare science teachers, not only to be able to teach science through inquiry, but also to be confident and competent in the assessment of their

students’ learning through inquiry.

WP 3 Pilot &

Evaluation

WP 2 Inquiry

Approaches to

Assessment

WP 1 Review & Mapping

WP 6 Dissemination

& Project

Promotion

WP 7 Project

Management

WP 4 Teacher Professional Development

in IBSE

WP 5 Development of a Community of

Practice

SAILS Work programme WP1: Critically map key skills and

competencies with those promoted through IBSE

WP2: Devise models for assessment instruments to “measure” specific

skills/competences in IBSE

Assessment strategiesComprehensive: Including the full range of skills in IBSE Not only paper-and-pencil tests

Performance: Assessment of hands-on scientific workNot only indirect psychometric testing of latent variables

Formative:Transparency, feedback, and student involvement integral parts of the assessment Not only summative, marks-oriented assessment (and definitely not norm-referenced)

Dr. Kara McGann, Irish Business and employers confederation (IBEC)

IBEC Budget Submission – November 2010

• IBEC believes that radical reform of ……..teaching methods and curriculum content could have a profound impact on education outcomes including the development of critical thinking and moving away from the dominance of rote learning..… Therefore it should be regarded as a priority area for policy attention and investment.

Change in employment (%) 2008-2015

FAS/ESRI Manpower Forecasting Studies, Feb 2010

So why is inquiry based science education of importance to industry?

• Demand for it to be a core subject• This does not mean devaluing arts

and social sciences• Science is related to personal and societal

issues• Essential for global citizens of the 21st century• Talent pool inadequate

STEM Graduates

Decline of interest in science throughout*

1990-2010 LC Physics decline from 20% to 12%

Biology only science in the top 10 in 2010, chemistry 13th, physics 15th

Under 17% of LC students sat at least 2 core subjects in 2010

Skills challenges and talent pool shortages

Higher value-addHigh-tech

manufacturingHealthcare

Green agenda

BiologistsMicrobiologists

ChemistsR&D project

managers

Expert Group Future Skills Needs 2012

IBEC Education & Skills Survey 2010

Inquiry based education

• System is being called on to innovate• Inquiry based education – key to success• Develops core skills of investigation &

problem solving• Positive impacts on student content, learning &

retention – conceptual learning• Link between enjoyment of learning science & science

achievement• Business – education interaction essential

ESTABLISH - www.establish-fp7.eu/

Fibonacci - http://www.fibonacci-project.eu/

Pathway - http://www.pathway-project.eu/

SAILS - http://sails-project.eu/

IBEC - http://www.ibec.ie/

Thank you for your attention

For further information, please visit: