Personal Inquiry

Designing for Evidence-based Inquiry Learning across Formal and Informal

Settings

Prof Blundell says: “the Telegraph article was a complete distortion of the

facts of our investigation, which showed that exercise is very effective

for weight loss. They completely reversed the outcome of our study.”

Prof Blundell says: “the Telegraph article was a complete distortion of the

facts of our investigation, which showed that exercise is very effective

for weight loss. They completely reversed the outcome of our study.”

How can we help people to think, talk, and act like good scientists?

Personal Inquiry project

• Three year project• University of Nottingham/ Open

University• Aim:

– To help children to engage in effective science inquiries

Inquiry learning

“Inquiry-based learning involves learners asking questions about the natural or material world, collecting data to answer those questions, making discoveries and testing those discoveries rigorously”(de Jong, 2006)

Why inquiry learning?

• Problem-oriented– Learning through solving real-world problems

• Relevant– Explore personally meaningful problems

• Engaging– Active involvement in carrying out

investigations

• Contextualized– An inquiry can start in the classroom and

continue in the workplace, or at home

Principles of successful inquiry learning

• Motivation of learners• Tools for data collection, discovery,

testing• Support for the inquiry process• Sequencing activities

Motivation

• Taking inquiry learning outside the classroom- school, playground,

home, outdoors• Supported by personal

technology

Tools

Low cost evidence-based inquiry toolkit

Scripted inquiry learning– ‘dynamic inquiry plans’– on a personal mobile computer

Process support

Sequencing activitiesFind my topic

Decide my inquiry question or hypothesis

Planmy methods, equipment, actions

Collectmy evidence

Analyseand represent my evidence

Respondto my question or hypothesis

Shareand discuss my inquiry

ReflectOn my progress

Sequencing activities

nQuire Inquiry Guide to provide flexible sequencing of activities

Interventions• Urban heat islands

– 3 months, geography, 2008 & 2009

• Heart rate and fitness– 2 weeks, science, 2007

• Microclimates– 4 lessons, geography, 2008

• Healthy eating– 5 weeks, 2008

• Sustainability– 11 weeks, 2009

• Noise pollution and birds– 4 weeks, 2009

Research Design (UoN)

  Pre-Test Intervention Post-Test Delayed Test

Personal Inquiry class

Science Attitudes

Domain Knowledge

Inquiry Knowledge

Personal Inquiry on Healthy Eating

Science Attitudes

Domain Knowledge

Inquiry Knowledge

Science Attitudes

Control class

Science Attitudes

Domain Knowledge

Inquiry Knowledge

Normal Classroom content on Healthy Eating

Science Attitudes

Domain Knowledge

Inquiry Knowledge

Science Attitudes

Research Design (OU)

Pre Inquires Post

Personal Inquiry

(n=max 30)

TOSRA

• Three personal inquiries on the sustainability of food production• Video recording of 2 focal groups of students and whole-club activities• Observer notes of classroom interactions• Log data of pupils’ use of Activity Guide• Students’ thought bubble posters

• TOSRA• Interviews with teachers and students• Telephone interviews with parents

Next stage: nQuire onlinewww.nquire.org.uk

• Calculator• Timer• Camera• Audio recorder• Accelerometer• Location recorder• Tilt sensor• Communicator

• Anemometer

Next stage: iPhone