Project INSPIRE: Investigations in Science for Pre-service Teachers: Promoting and Producing Inquiry-based Relevant Exercises

Keene State College, Keene NH

Investigators

Abstract

Interdisciplinary (99) In the Fall of 2001 the Division of Sciences and the Division of Education at Keene State College instituted a new degree program. This degree program, called the General Science Degree, provides approved New Hampshire certification in Elementary or Middle School Science. Three capstone courses were created for this degree: The Web of Science I, The Web of Science II, and Phenomenal Science. The objectives of this project are to expose K-8 pre-service teachers to the discovery and inquiry approach of teaching science to elementary and middle school children. The objectives are achieved by adapting exemplary materials to the capstone courses. Designing Inquiry Based Courses in Mathematics and Physics developed by Aubretch and McEnnis at The Ohio State University and the Kites Project developed by Knisely and Kowalczky are adapted in the Phenomenal Science. Furthermore, Full Option Science Systems (FOSS) developed by Lowery at UC Berkley, NSRC/STC developed by Worth and Sandler, and Insights developed at the Educational Development Center are adapted in the Web of Science I and II. It is not uncommon for elementary teachers to avoid teaching science, a goal of the project is to help break this pattern and to free them from relying solely on textbooks for instruction. In addition to science content, these courses provide pre-service teachers with hands-on experience with discovery and inquiry based activities where students interact as "scientists" in cooperative groups. The pre-service teachers, and consequently their students, learn to question, share ideas, experiment, observe, predict, keep records, and explain ideas with evidence. Students learn that science is not just a collection of facts and new vocabulary, but also a process of inquiry and discovery. They develop productive scientific attitudes and scientific thinking with skills that spill over into other aspects of the curriculum, including reading and mathematics. After the pre-service teachers have internalized both the content and the pedagogy of discovery and inquiry based activities, they then take these adapted and modified lessons to local schools. The project directly addresses the themes of enhanced student learning, faculty development and integration of technology into education. After completing these three courses, pre-service teachers are able to plan effective inquiry based lessons.