Proposes a new model for teaching inquiry and critical thinking in the middle school science classroom. This model will assist students in learning the evidence for evolution for themselves, as well as assisting them in developing skills in critical thinking and inquiry. The objective of this model is to create a more scientifically literate student body who can go on to pursue an even greater understanding of the nature of science.

This study investigated the implementability of the French La main à la pâte (LAMAP) inquiry-based science education (IBSE) programme in the South African context. An interpretative, qualitative multiple-case study design was utilised to elicit the voices of both young children-as-scientists engaged in scientific inquiry and student teachers who facilitated science education following the LAMAP approach. The conceptual framework integrated contemporary perspectives on childhood, theory theory and constructivist theory concepts and IBSE. Three conveniently sampled schools in an urban setting were purposively selected as cases, with 70 Grade 1 to Grade 3 children and three student teachers as participants. The findings of the study indicate that the children engaged in IBSE as natural scientists, displaying the cognitive capacity to think, act and learn like real scientists in the context of their classrooms. Engaging in science within a community of scientists, and being physically and mentally active in the knowledge construction process furthermore shaped children’s sense of agency and identity as scientists. The findings furthermore indicate that implementing IBSE contributed to shaping student teachers’ professional identity as science teachers for young children. As young scientists-in-waiting children are, however, dependent on researchers, higher education institutions concerned with teacher training, decision-makers and the broader education community to mobilise and sustain their potential for being and becoming scientists. The findings of the study resulted in a framework proposing guidelines on multi-levels for IBSE implementation in the South African Foundation Phase classroom context. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / The National Research Foundation Sabbatical Grant for Doctoral Studies / The University of Pretoria Vice-Chancellor's Academic Grant Programme / Educational Psychology / PhD / Unrestricted

JUHASOVÁ, P., Invertebrate Lectures And Their Use In Leisure Lessons. Master thesis. Praha: Charles univerzsity in Prague, Faculty of Education, 2016. 94 s. In this diploma thesis, practical tasks focused on invertebrate biology are presented. They are targeted for science hobby groups. Detailed instructions for experiments and observations as well as for capturing invertebrates can be found in this diploma thesis. There are described also long-term projects in the form of inquiry-based teaching tasks, construction of man-made outdoor insect nests (so-called "insect hostels") and also the indoor invertebrate keepings. The vast majority of tasks were tested in practice in two science hobby groups, attended by a total of 30 participants. The aim of these tasks is to increase the attractiveness and accessibility of natural science to a wider audience and improving its presentation, but also to arouse positive attitude to nature and all living creatures. Inspiration will be found there not only by leaders of natural science clubs, but also by teachers, who want to incorporate practical work with animals into teaching. Key words: invertebrates, experiment, observation, breeding, inquiry-based edusdion, IBE

Making the transition from calculus to advanced calculus/real analysis can be challenging for undergraduate students. Part of this challenge lies in the shift in the focus of student activity, from a focus on algorithms and computational techniques to activities focused around definitions, theorems, and proofs. The goal of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) is to support students in making this transition by building on and formalizing their informal knowledge. There are a growing number of projects in this vein at the undergraduate level, in the areas of abstract algebra (TAAFU: Larsen, 2013; Larsen & Lockwood, 2013), differential equations (IO-DE: Rasmussen & Kwon, 2007), geometry (Zandieh & Rasmussen, 2010), and linear algebra (IOLA: Wawro, et al., 2012). This project represents the first steps in a similar RME-based, inquiry-oriented instructional design project aimed at advanced calculus. The results of this project are presented as three journal articles. In the first article I describe the development of a local instructional theory (LIT) for supporting the reinvention of formal conceptions of sequence convergence, the completeness property of the real numbers, and continuity of real functions. This LIT was inspired by Cauchy's proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem, and has been developed and refined using the instructional design heuristics of RME through the course of two teaching experiments. I found that a proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem was a powerful context for supporting the reinvention of a number of the core concepts of advanced calculus. The second article reports on two students' reinventions of formal conceptions of sequence convergence and the completeness property of the real numbers in the context of developing a proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem (IVT). Over the course of ten, hour-long sessions I worked with two students in a clinical setting, as these students collaborated on a sequence of tasks designed to support them in producing a proof of the IVT. Along the way, these students conjectured and developed a proof of the Monotone Convergence Theorem. Through this development I found that student conceptions of completeness were based on the geometric representation of the real numbers as a number line, and that the development of formal conceptions of sequence convergence and completeness were inextricably intertwined and supported one another in powerful ways. The third and final article takes the findings from the two aforementioned papers and translates them for use in an advanced calculus classroom. Specifically, Cauchy's proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem is used as an inspiration and touchstone for developing some of the core concepts of advanced calculus/real analysis: namely, sequence convergence, the completeness property of the real numbers, and continuous functions. These are presented as a succession of student investigations, within the context of students developing their own formal proof of the Intermediate Value Theorem.

O presente trabalho foi elaborado com o intuito de mapear quais ações tomadas por um professor promovem a argumentação dos estudantes. Para isso levamos em conta o contexto do ensino por investigação e a importância dessa abordagem didática para a promoção da Alfabetização Científica. Caracterizamos o que é o ensino por investigação e explicitamos qual é o espaço da argumentação em um ambiente de ensino pautado em seus pressupostos. Com base na revisão da literatura, discutimos especificidades em torno do que vem a ser argumentação em sala de aula e qual a sua importância para a construção de entendimento pelos estudantes sobre conteúdos científicos, bem como seu espaço na implementação de abordagens investigativas. À luz dessas conjecturas, estruturamos um grupo de categorias denominadas propósitos epistêmicos para promoção da argumentação que, em conjunto com os indicadores de alfabetização científica propostos por Sasseron (2008) e com os tipos de perguntas realizadas pelo um professor propostas por Machado (2012), nos permitiu construir um instrumento analítico para estudo de uma situação empírica de sala de aula. Nossa fonte de dados consistiu nos registros oriundos da implementação de uma Sequência de Ensino Investigativa que abordou o tema dualidade onda-partícula da luz. Por meio da análise das transcrições das falas de alunos e professor referentes às duas aulas finais desta sequência de ensino foi possível encontrar diferentes tipos de argumentos construídos pelos alunos e estabelecer como estes foram favorecidos. Concluímos, entre outras coisas, que o professor exerce papel importante para a promoção e o desenvolvimento de situações argumentativas, uma vez que nossa interpretação dos dados evidenciou aspectos, como, por exemplo, a necessidade da retomada de informações, da problematização de situações de investigação e exploração de distintos pontos de vistas para a construção de argumentos e entendimento pelos alunos sobre o objeto que estava sendo investigado coletivamente. / This research was performed aiming to map out which teacher\'s actions can promote argumentation by students. Therefore, we considered the context of inquiry-based teaching and the importance of this didactic approach to promote Scientific Literacy. We characterized the inquiry-based teaching and explained what is the place occupied of argumentation in an educational environment based on their assumptions. Based on the literature review, we discussed what is argumentation and its relevance to building up understandings by students about scientific contents. In light of these conjectures, we have structured a category group called epistemic purposes to promote argumentation that, together with the scientific literacy indicators proposed by Sasseron (2008) and the types of questions asked by a teacher proposed by Machado (2012), allowed us to design an analytical tool to study classroom empirical situation. Our data source consisted of records arising from the implementation of an Inquiry-based Teaching Sequence that addressed the subject wave-particle duality of light. Analyzing the transcripts of the speeches of students and teachers concerning to the final two classes of this teaching sequence was possible to find different types of arguments built by students. We concluded, among other things, the importance of the role of the teacher to promote the development of argumentation situations, since our interpretation of the data indicated aspects, as, for example, the need for resumption information, the questioning of situations and exploration of different points of views to construct arguments and understanding by students about the object that was being investigated collectively.

My research measured completion and retention of procedural learning tasks, and declarative and procedural components of engagement in indoor and outdoor settings. Instructor-assisted Self-Directed Learning and Non-instructor-assisted Self-Directed Learning were implemented in the context of an Experiential Learning approach. Experimental covariates included student-specific variables such as background and experience, and environment-specific variables such as temperature, and humidity. AIC model averaging was used to identify the best-fitting mixed GLM models. Neither location, nor pedagogic method, proved to be a significant predictor of the probability that a student would complete the most complex of the procedural learning tasks, and the percent of students completing this task was not significantly higher in outdoor groups than in indoor groups. Neither location nor pedagogic method was a significant predictor of retention of procedural knowledge or engagement with learning materials. The level of voluntary collaboration was higher in outdoor groups than in indoor groups. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2014. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

O ensino de ciências por investigação representa um importante caminho para a promoção da alfabetização científica. A argumentação é uma das principais habilidades que podem ser desenvolvidas por meio dessa abordagem de ensino, e também aproximar os estudantes do processo da construção do conhecimento científico. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de investigar relações entre diferentes graus de abertura de atividades investigativas e a qualidade de argumentos desenvolvidos ao longo desse processo. Ele foi realizado no contexto de Iniciação Científica Júnior, com estudantes do ensino fundamental II. Foram propostas duas aplicações das atividades investigativas: uma chamada de sequencial, respeitando a ordem sequencial proposta na literatura, dos graus 1 ao 3 de abertura; e outra, chamada de invertida, em que as atividades foram propostas dos graus 3 ao 1. As análises foram conduzidas com base em duas ferramentas: uma fundamentada no padrão argumentativo de Toulmin (TAP), proposta por Osborne, Erduran e Simon (2004), que caracteriza a qualidade estrutural dos argumentos, e outra, que avalia a qualidade do conhecimento científico utilizado para embasá-los, adaptada do trabalho de Zohar e Nemet (2002). As análises apontaram que os estudantes são capazes de desenvolver argumentos ao se envolverem em atividades investigativas. Porém, alguns fatores influenciaram na qualidade desses argumentos, como o grau de abertura das atividades e os comandos presentes em seus enunciados. Os argumentos construídos envolveram pelo menos dois componentes do TAP, principalmente nas atividades de maior grau de abertura. Porém, identificou-se a dificuldade de os estudantes introduzirem os seguintes elementos: qualificador e refutação. Nas duas formas de aplicação, tanto em relação à qualidade estrutural quanto à do conhecimento científico, os argumentos de mais qualidade foram identificados nas atividades de graus 2 e 3 de abertura, as quais fomentavam maior protagonismo dos estudantes. Logo, as atividades investigativas não proporcionam uma maior qualidade dos argumentos quando propostas de maneira gradual. Os resultados evidenciam a importância das atividades investigativas, em seus diferentes graus de abertura, como propostas que fomentam e qualificam a argumentação no ensino de ciências. / The inquiry-based science education represents an important way for the scientific literacy. Argumentation is one of the main skills that can be developed through this teaching approach, and also bring students closer to the process of building scientific knowledge. This study has the objective of investigating relations between different levels of inquiry activities and the quality of arguments developed throughout this process. It was carried out in the context of Scientific Initiation, with middle school students. Two methods of the investigative activities were proposed: one called \"sequential\", respecting the sequential order proposed in the literature, from levels 1 to 3; and the other, called \"reversed\", in which the activities were proposed from levels 3 to 1. The analyzes were conducted on the basis of two tools: one based on the Toulmin argumentative pattern (TAP), proposed by Osborne, Erduran and Simon (2004), that characterizes the structural quality of the arguments, and another, that evaluates the quality of the scientific knowledge used to support them, adapted from the work of Zohar and Nemet (2002). The analyzes pointed out that students are able to develop arguments by engaging in inquiry activities. However, some factors influenced the quality of these arguments, like the levels of inquiry and the commands present in their statements. The arguments developed by students involved at least two components of the TAP, mainly in the more open levels. However, we identified that it was difficult for students to introduce the elements qualifier and rebuttal. In both forms of application, in terms of structural quality and scientific knowledge, the highest quality arguments were identified in the levels 2 and 3 of inquiry, which provided more autonomy for the students. Therefore, inquiry activities do not provide a higher quality of arguments when proposed in a gradual manner. The results show the importance of inquiry based activities, in their different levels, to foment and qualify the argumentation in science education.

This essay presents an ecocritical reading of water imagery in selected poems by Carol AnnDuffy, with focus on Duffy’s personified water-voices, how water illuminates history, andDuffy’s metaphor of language as water. After a consideration of the problematics of teachingpoetry in the EFL classroom, the essay concludes that Duffy’s poetry holds potential forstudents to develop environmental literacy, both in content and in form.

The aim of this diploma thesis was to summarize the issue of different types of seed / fruit propagation and to propose teaching material containing elements of inquiry based education. In the presented research proposal, pupils focused on finding out how to spread the seeds / fruits through their own process. The pupils worked with the worksheet, a description of the selected plants and the presented tools. The research task was carried out in four schools. The pre-test was conducted with seven grade students and final testing with seventh-grade students. Even though selected pupils met for the first time with this type of learning, they were able to build their own practice and discuss each other's findings.

Current educational leaders call for students to build his or her own mathematical understanding from experiences, coupled with feedback from peers, teachers, and themselves and gain a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Researchers agree that inquiry in the elementary mathematics classroom can help increase conceptual understanding. This case study focused on how elementary teachers define inquiry-based mathematics and implement it in their classrooms. Interviews, observations and lesson analysis were used to investigate what identities, relationships and activities look like in an elementary classroom that uses inquiry. All of the participants felt "problem solving" and "working collaboratively" were essential for inquiry but each teacher defined them differently. Questioning was also an important feature of inquiry according to the teachers. Professional development seemed to have a strong impact on why these teachers use inquiry in their classrooms. As far as the relationships necessary to teach using inquiry, teachers did not indicate that administrators’ nor peers’ support were necessary to continue using this type of pedagogy in their classrooms. The participants believed that including inquiry in mathematics was a best practice and continued to incorporate inquiry because they felt it allowed their students to gain a deeper understanding of mathematics. The local field of each teacher influenced the planning they did before the lesson and the activities they included in their inquiry instruction. The written plans of each participant differed greatly. The requirements of the district had an effect on how much detail the participants included in their planning documents. Also, whether they were planning for their entire grade level or just themselves influenced how much detail was included. Another aspect of the mathematics classroom that was influenced by the local field was including a software program, which is expected to be a part of students’ daily mathematics instruction. The various ways inquiry is carried out and how the local field influences this is important for educators at all levels to understand. This study has implications for teachers, administrators and teacher educators. Inquiry means a variety of things to elementary teachers within this study. If mathematics educator leaders, teachers and administrators want to infuse more inquiry into the classroom, the many ways it is carried out needs to be understood.