A Backward Approach to Inquiry

Autor/in	Hendrickson, Sher
Titel	A Backward Approach to Inquiry
Quelle	In: Science Scope, 29 (2006) 4, S.30-33 (4 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0887-2376
Schlagwörter	Teaching Methods; Science Teachers; Class Activities; Student Evaluation; Inquiry; Science Education; Academic Standards; Middle School Students; Secondary School Science; Curriculum Development; School Districts; Case Studies; Science Laboratories; Science Activities; Science Process Skills; Comprehension; Evaluation Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Science; Teacher; Teachers; Science teacher; Wissenschaft; Lehrer; Lehrerin; Lehrende; Schulnote; Studentische Bewertung; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Curriculum; Development; Curriculumentwicklung; Lehrplan; Entwicklung; School district; Schulbezirk; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Verstehen; Verständnis
Abstract	To confront some of the challenges faced by teachers beginning to implement Standards-based inquiry activities in their middle school classrooms, learning coordinators and teachers selected an inquiry-based set of courses and created a District Science Curricula Scope and Sequence, which overviewed the major units and showed teachers and parents where the curriculum provides opportunities for students to learn the Wisconsin Model Academic Standards (State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction 1998) by the end of eighth grade. Many schools were in the early stages of establishing their own unique inquiry-based case studies; and these projects needed to be assimilated into the curriculum such that they also met district learning goals. Therefore, not only did teachers undergo the chaos associated with any new curriculum, but for many teachers, the inquiry-based approach was a recent paradigm shift in science teaching. The authors describe an approach called backwards design that was employed to help teachers facilitate Standards-based inquiry in their classrooms more effectively. Backwards design implies that design of curriculum and learning experiences should be "a means to an end" (Wiggins and McTighe 1998, p. 13); teachers begin by identifying specific learning objectives--for example, the Standards--then all activities, teaching methods, and assessments that support these goals. Backwards design is not only a way to assure that the curriculum achieves learning goals by the end of each grade level; it is also a way to approach daily class activities, classroom discussions, and assessment of student understanding. With this approach, instead of moving linearly through a series of labs and activities, conscious effort is made to emphasize particular skills and knowledge needed to meet specific learning goals, and throughout, teachers monitor student understanding and revise their lesson plan accordingly. This article also discusses methods of assessment for effective Standards-based inquiry as well as the types of assessment that are typically being used by teachers. (Contains 2 figures.) (ERIC).
Anmerkungen	National Science Teachers Association. 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3000. Tel: 800-722-6782; Fax: 703-243-3924; e-mail: membership@nsta.org; Web site: http://www.nsta.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10