Implementing Tools and Projects for Authentic, Inquiry-Based Science Education
By: Steve Decker

Inquiry-based hands-on learning is an extremely effective method of instilling a deep, authentic understanding of scientific concepts in students. Inquiry-based lessons develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and with the advent of sensors, probes, meters, and monitors suitable for the science classroom, it is easier than ever to incorporate inquiry-based activities into the science curriculum. Science educators have access to a wide spectrum of tools designed for physics, chemistry, electrical engineering, and electronics classes.

Instead of spending an hour or more repeating an experiment, writing down the independent and controlled variables and then manually creating a graph via a four-function calculator or an Excel program, students now can link technology-enabled measuring tools to a class computer and have software generate the graph in minutes. Learning occurs during the analysis of data points and graphs, and with technological tools, students and teachers can get to the heart of the inquiry much more quickly.

Range of Possibilities
There are certain probe tools that are integral for a wide-variety of experiments.

A temperature probe is perfect for several uses, from elementary students testing out theories on water temperature to chemistry experiments on acid-based titrations.

A motion detector is ideal for anyone starting to teach physical science, as this sensor puts students on the path to learning the basic concepts in physical science, physics, and chemistry. More advanced students start to learn the concept of position vs. time. Young students can walk or wave in front of the sensor and graph the data.  A more complex experiment that ties in math and science would be throwing a ball and capturing its motion data.

With a light sensor, students of all ages can compare the differences in our everyday sources of light, including natural and fluorescent. A great experiment for younger students is comparing LED holiday lights to traditional holiday lights.

With a voltage probe, students are well-equipped to measure the potential in direct-current or alternating-current circuits with a voltage probe. Even younger students can use this probe to create batteries out of lemons.

A dual-range force sensor is used to measure force and how different weights can affect motion, friction, and impact, as well as measuring collisions, providing a variety of experiments for both younger and older students.

These instruments should have easy-to-use interfaces for students so that they can quickly and easily handle data collection, equipment calibration, and project set-up processes. Equipment should be sophisticated enough to replicate scientific data collection.

In addition to purchasing lab tools, science teachers can incorporate equipment created for previous experiments into their curriculum. For example, if a past class built a wind tunnel, the science teacher might keep that apparatus so that current students can use it to test wind drag on different types of model cars.

From Simple to Inventive
In the middle grades, students’ experiments should be cut and dried, but as they grow older, their projects should become more challenging and provide opportunities for them to work and make discoveries on their own.

At the advanced level, it is important for students to be able to think up and propose their own experiments. Independent research can prove to be too much work if students are not engaged; on the other hand, when they are, they become totally absorbed in the task and teachers may actually have to chase them out of the lab.

When educators present problems that do not have a single answer, they usually discover that their students have powerful imaginations. Of course, teachers should review student proposals for projects in order to approve the experiment’s cost, safety, and feasibility and suggest any necessary adjustments. Educators should also mentor students conducting projects that require careful measurement.

As part of their independent research, students should be shown that sometimes data is imperfect, even when technologically sophisticated tools are part of the experiment. In fact, it is an excellent idea to intentionally set up experiments where data is imperfect in order to teach this lesson.

An example of deliberately collecting imperfect data can be found in the following activity. Retrieve an aerial photo of a school from Google Earth. The science teacher then sends students out with a tape measure, yard stick, or meter stick to measure some object in the environs of the school and asks them to determine the scale. Students will find a difference between the results from the measuring sticks and tape measure. This finding will enable the class to have a conversation about how accurate or inaccurate measurement can be and the sources of error, which, in turn, can help take away their fear of doing experiments.

Another excellent way to boost student creativity with data collection tools is through science competitions, from local or regional science fairs to national or international events. In these cases, students usually select projects centered on topics that interest them and sometimes explore that topic over a number of years.

Whether the project is independent research or guided inquiry, the worst thing that a science teacher can do is hand students equipment without making them aware of the limitations of the tools. Teachers should spend an appropriate amount of time explaining how the lab equipment works. That extra time will pay off in less time spent troubleshooting and more time spent on authentic learning.

Steve Decker is test engineer and teacher consultant for Vernier Software & Technology, www.vernier.com.


Sidebar
Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate
    
In this particular order, these words make up what’s known as The Five Es of Learning. The words describe specific phases in the ideal learning process. These words, along with a call to pray every day, are inscribed on the wall right outside St. Anthony Catholic Elementary School’s new state-of-the-art science lab in Madison, Mississippi.
   
Curiously, the same words can also be found in one of the company brochures for Sheldon Laboratory Systems in nearby Crystal Springs, one of the nation’s leading suppliers of laboratory equipment and furnishings.
   
It sounds like a match made in Heaven—and perhaps it is. The two were introduced through church.

“I ran into (St. Anthony’s science teacher) Vickie Moorehead after chapel one day and we got to talking,” said Sheldon President Eddie Adkins.

The conversation led to a meeting with St. Anthony Principal, Angela Brunini, and planning for the new school’s science lab quickly progressed.

Sheldon provided their initial consultation services to St. Anthony free of charge, just as the company does for all of its customers and dealers. The next thing they brought to the table was…well, tables.
   
Eighteen of them to be exact—each one with a durable dry-erase tabletop imprinted with a ruler, protractor and various charts for recording data. Lift up the tabletops and you’ll find everything you need to turn each table into a complete lab station. The tabletops also tilt to mimic drafting tables for art class.
   
“Our goal is to make everything in the classroom as versatile as possible to accentuate the curriculum and engage students,” said Adkins.
   
Sheldon made each table, including the teacher’s desk, height adjustable to accommodate students from K-4 through sixth grade, sitting or standing—and they didn’t stop there.
   
A large adjustable mirror hangs over the teacher’s desk to give students a bird’s eye view of scientific demonstrations. Cubby holes house individual microscopes, aprons, and protective goggles for each student, and custom-built cabinets showcase everything from 3D representations of human vital organs to a full-scale reproduction of a human skeleton. Other cabinets store an assortment of gadgets designed to illustrate electricity, magnetism, and other scientific concepts. The room also includes a custom-built computer station and several sinks of varying sizes and heights.
   
“Every single thing in this room has a real and applicable reason for being here,” said Adkins. “And it’s all about facilitating those 5 Es of Learning.”
     
“The kids love their science lab, and some of our other teachers are actually a little jealous of it,” Brunini said. “Sheldon is currently helping us design dry-erase tabletops for use in our math and geometry classes, as well.”

Sheldon Laboratory Systems supplies laboratory design services, equipment and furnishings to schools and colleges across the United States, www.sheldonlabs.com.