Q: Is it okay
to tell the student the answers to their questions when teaching through inquiry?
A: Yes. It
is important to remember that investigations as suppose to lead to deeper understanding and greater transfer of knowledge.
Therefore, if a question does not or will not serve that purpose, that question should be answered by the teacher. In addition,
understanding requires knowledge. Some questions need to be answered in order to give the students they knowledge that is
required to acquire deeper understanding.
Q: Should a
teacher ever say “no” to an investigation that the students suggest?
A: Yes. There
are times when the goals the teacher has for the student will be supported by student suggested investigations and times when
it will not. If the suggested investigation will not support the teacher’s goals, the investigations should be allowed.
Q: Is it more
important for students to learn inquiry abilities or scientific concepts and principles?
A: Neither
is more important than the other. In many teaching and learning sequences, students employ inquiry abilities to develop understanding
of scientific concepts and principles.
Q: How can students do science
investigations without first learning the vocabulary words needed to describe the results?
A: Knowing
vocabulary doesn’t necessarily help develop understanding. Sometimes, the vocabulary is daunting to students and takes
away from the innate response to inquire. In fact, the steps of investigation as outlined in the scientific method provide
the basis of understanding, which can be later, linked with vocabulary.
Q: Should
the teacher use inquiry in every lesson?
A: No. Teachers
should use a variety of different strategies. It is the job of the teacher to decide which lessons warrant learning through
inquiry and which ones do not. “Conducting hands-on science activities does not guarantee inquiry, nor is reading about
science incompatible with inquiry” (National Research Council, 1996, p.23). Inquiry lessons are long and take a lot
of time.
