Inquiry Based Learning
Kiernan, D., & Lotter, C. (2019).
The American Biology Teacher, 81, 479 - 484.
https://doi.org/10.1525/abt.2019.81.7.479.
Abstract
Science departments in higher education have been adjusting their curricula to include more inquiry-based instruction, and research on inquiry-based teaching at the collegiate level has been increasing. However, more data are needed regarding the effectiveness of inquiry-based pedagogy in improving students' conceptual understanding and attitudes toward science. The investigation described here was focused on nontraditional students taking non-science-major science courses. The goal was to compare students' attitudes toward science before and after taking an inquiry-based or a traditional science course. The hypothesis that the inquiry-based course would significantly generate a more positive attitude toward science was supported. Nontraditional students' perceptions of an effective science curriculum were also explored. Students' perceptions were very positive regarding inquiry-based learning; however, those who had not been previously taught through inquiry-based methods had reserved perceptions of this teaching approach. Regardless of the course they were enrolled in, students agreed overall that an effective science curriculum includes three common themes: connection, interaction, and application.
Franklin, B., Xiang, L., Collett, J., Rhoads, M., & Osborn, J. (2015).
The FASEB Journal, 29. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.541.22.
Abstract
Inquiry-based teaching (IBT) pedagogy has been theorized to be a more effective method of conveying deeper understanding of scientific concepts compared to traditional lecture-style instruction. This study compared 2 levels of IBT (guided-problem based inquiry, GPBL; and open ended-problem based learning, OPBL) with traditional lecture style instruction (LI) in an upper level, undergraduate animal physiology (AP) course. Students enrolled in AP were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: LI, GPBL or OPBL. Student grade point averages were not different between groups at the onset of instruction (p>0.05). Student assessments included multiple choice (MC) and short answer (SA) questions at 3 time points across the semester. Students in the OPBL group scored higher on both MC (56.48±6.92pts) and SA (55.38±8.78pts) compared to the LI group (MC: 53.52±8.64pts; SA: 50.95±12.7pts; p<0.05). Conversely, the GPBL group showed no difference in either MC scores (53.54±7.27pts) or SA scores (50.28±11.75pts). These results indicate that students with OPBL instruction, who have been challenged to think about conceptual problems and work with their peers to find a solution, gain a better understanding of concepts compared to LI students. Future studies will assess the writing sample performances of each test group in the same experimental design.