This diploma thesis briefly introduces the concept of inquiry based teaching mathematics. In inquiry based teaching, emphasis is placed primarily on the active activity of the pupil, the aim of which is to discover a certain reality. This activity mainly involves solving problems and finding the right paths to achieve the right goal. We can call this path to a goal as a research. The inquiry process involves observing, formulating questions, identifying information, designing possible processes, and verifying them. In this educational method, the role of the teacher is not to pass the facts to the pupils, but to target them and to supervise the correctness of their practices. We can understand the teacher here as a guide, adviser or assistant on the path to the goal (discovery). In the thesis a few examples of mathematics of elementary and secondary schools are given, in which the inquiry based approach is applied. Mathematics in the given examples is not complicated, emphasis is put on the practical use. In the examples interdisciplinary relationships are developed as well, which is an important part of the inquiry based teaching. In each example, additional questions are provided.

This thesis brings a set of tasks dealing with ecological problematics. These tasks that are addressed to students of secondary schools were conditioned for field teaching and learning with using of inquiry based education. Six key themes were chosen for development of mentioned tasks: ant communities and their role in ecosystems, interspecific relationships between organisms, food relationships within organisms, adaptation of animals to their environment, adaptation to different feeding niches, and circulation of water in nature.

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.

Amidst calls to incorporate inquiry meaningfully into the practice of laboratory work in secondary school chemistry and calls to investigate how teachers negotiate their professional identities under widespread reforms in education, this study sought to explore the interface of teacher professional identity and how teachers facilitate inquiry for learners during practical activities. Utilising a social constructivist lens and a qualitative case study approach, the study focused on three inquiry actions; namely, question posing, experiment procedure design and articulation of solutions through a teacher identity lens. Data capture comprised a mix of semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews, observations, field notes and a research journal. Data was analysed utilising the content analysis method. Findings were fourfold. First, teachers displayed four identity positions in Inquiry-based Laboratory work, which was interwoven with their professional training, personal school experiences, beliefs and attitudes and sense of agency. Second, teachers’ professional identity influenced how they engaged learners in question posing, experiment design procedure and giving solutions as inquiry actions. Third, teachers held strong beliefs in chemistry as a two-pronged subject and utilised laboratory work to consolidate and develop learner understanding of scientific concepts and theories. And fourth the manner in which teachers facilitated inquiry in the chemistry laboratory manifested as an interface between teacher professional identity and the principles of IBLW. / Thesis (PhD--University of Pretoria, 2015. / Science, Mathematics and Technology Education / Unrestricted

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.

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Skolans uppdrag kan ses som tudelat. Dels ska elevens behov tillgodoses men samtidigt ska samhällets behov tillgodoses då morgondagens samhällsmedborgare formas. En omfattande studie visar att elevers intresse för de naturvetenskapliga ämnena sjunker efter tredje klass och vidare upp mot högstadiet. En annan studie visar att allt färre elever väljer att söka till naturprogrammen på gymnasiet och att ingenjörsutbildningar har allt svårare att rekrytera unga studenter. Då mellanstadieelever själva uttrycker vad som är roligast och mest intressant med NO är svaret oftast undersökningar eller laborationer. Däremot visar det sig att undersökande arbete fortfarande är undantaget i svensk skola, trots läroplaners upprepade försök att styra undervisningen mot en mer undersökande karaktär. Med detta som bakgrund ämnar denna kvalitativa forskningsöversikt belysa huruvida mellanstadielärare idag har möjlighet att tillgodose både elevers behov och samhällets behov, detta genom att tillämpa ett undersökande arbetssätt. Forskningen som analyserats har tyngdpunkt i Sverige men även internationella studier har granskats. I resultatdelen redovisas hur undersökande arbetssätt har potential att intressera och engagera alla elever, samtidigt som viktiga förmågor har möjlighet att utvecklas. Bland dessa förmågor återfinns exempelvis att kritiskt kunna värdera källor, som av Skolverket poängteras särskilt viktigt i en tid av stora informationsflöden genom kanaler som intenödvändigtvis har för avsikt att opartiskt dela påstådda fakta och information. I resultatdelen presenteras också det etablerade skolutvecklingsprogrammet Naturvetenskap och Teknik för Alla (NTA), som många verksamma lärare använder sig av då de tillämpar undersökande arbetssätt. Resultatet visar att både elever och lärare generellt har en positiv bild av NTA, men att läraren har en krävande roll. Ett annat alternativ till undersökande arbetssätt som presenteras i resultatet är Kolstøs konsensusprojekt. Projektet erbjuder eleverna att ta rollen som experter då de arbetar kring en aktuell samhällsfråga med naturvetenskaplig anknytning. Denna form av undersökande arbetssätt utvecklar elevers förmåga att granska information, tränar dem i att fatta informerade beslut samt ger en inblick i den naturvetenskapliga arbetsgången. Dessa förmågor kan ses som särskilt viktiga efter Skolverkets beskrivning av ett samhälle med stora informationsflöden, samt då egna erfarenheter säger att elever idag har allt svårare att skilja åsikt från fakta. Slutligen diskuteras bland annat hur forskare uttryckt en oro för NO-undervisningens framtid då erfarna lärare går i pension samtidigt som den svenska skolan ser en ökande andel outbildade NO-lärare. Vidare diskuteras hur forskningen visat att lärarens roll då undersökande arbetssätt tillämpas är mycket krävande. Läraren ska ha djup ämneskunskap, didaktisk fingertoppskänsla samt vara trygg i sitt ledarskap av gruppen. Kanske är det så att forskares uttryckta oro för framtiden har belägg med detta som grund, och att det undersökande arbetssättet på sikt är hotat, trots att dess fördelar och positiva inverkan på samhället i framtiden troligen kommer behövas minst lika mycket som nu, om inte mer.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of school libraries in supporting an inquiry based approach for teaching and learning science subjects in senior secondary schools in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The significance of this study revolves round the prominence given to science education being a mechanism for realising national advancement in Nigeria. This was emphasised in the Nigeria National Policy on Education (2013) as the Federal Government of Nigeria adopted science education as an instrument for effecting national development. This study addressed the following research questions: What is the status of secondary school libraries in Ekiti State, Nigeria? To what extent does the quality of library resources influence science curriculum implementation? To what extent do science teachers advocate using information resources beyond textbooks?

This mixed-methods study combined pragmatism, sociocultural perspectives, and systems thinking concepts to investigate students' engagement, thinking, and learning in science in an urban, K-8 arts, science, and technology magnet school. A grant-funded school-university partnership supported the implementation of an inquiry-based science curriculum, contextualized in the local environment through field experiences. The researcher worked as co-teacher of 3 sixth-grade science classes and was deeply involved in the daily routines of the school.The purposes of the study were to build a deeper understanding of the complex interactions that take place in an urban science classroom, including challenges related to implementing culturally-relevant instruction; and to offer insight into the role educational systems play in supporting teaching and learning. The central hypothesis was that connecting learning to meaningful experiences in the local environment can provide culturally accessible points of engagement from which to build science learning.Descriptive measures provided an assessment of students' engagement in science activities, as well as their levels of thinking and learning throughout the school year. Combined with analyses of students' work files and focus group responses, these findings provided strong evidence of engagement attributable to the inquiry-based curriculum. In some instances, degree of engagement was found to be affected by student "reluctance" and "resistance," terms defined but needing further examination. A confounding result showed marked increases in thinking levels coupled with stasis or decrease in learning. Congruent with past studies, data indicated the presence of tension between the diverse cultures of students and the mainstream cultures of school and science.Findings were synthesized with existing literature to generate the study's principal product, a grounded theory model representing the complex, interacting factors involved in teaching and learning. The model shows that to support learning and to overcome cultural tensions, there must be alignment among three main forces or "causal factors": students, teaching, and school climate. Conclusions emphasize system-level changes to support science learning, including individualized support for students in the form of differentiated instruction; focus on excellence in teaching, particularly through career-spanning professional support for teachers; and attention to identifying key leverage points for implementing effective change.

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