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Graphical Abstract
Abstract
In North Carolina, 39% of eighth-grade students report that they “never or hardly ever” design a science experiment, and another 29% of eighth grade students report doing hands-on science activities only once or twice a month (CitationNCES 2011). The norm in science education has been a focus on traditional teaching methods involving lectures, textbooks, and “cookbook” laboratory experiments, with an emphasis on memorization and recall of facts. At the same time, there has been a long-standing call for education reform that emphasizes the use of inquiry-based methods in science classrooms (CitationNRC 2012; CitationTrautmann, Shirk, and Krasny 2012). A growing body of evidence suggests that inquiry-based instruction rooted in the nature of science results in significantly higher student achievement with respect to content knowledge, reasoning, and argumentation skills (CitationAbdi 2014; CitationRiga et al. 2017).
Keywords:
Author Contributions
Suzanne Branon ([email protected]) is research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Sherry Booth Freeman ([email protected]) is a senior research scholar at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Lauren Bryant ([email protected]) is a research scholar in the College of Education at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
LaTricia Townsend ([email protected]) is a senior research scholar at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Malinda Faber ([email protected]) is a research associate at at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Notes
1 The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences is the state’s flagship science museum and the largest of its kind in the southeast, and specializes in outreach engagement with the public.
2 The Kenan Fellows Program is a year-long fellowship for exceptional teachers, in which they participate in externships in a local STEM industry, receive high-quality professional development and leadership training, and present to colleagues around the state.
3 The Science House delivers high-quality professional development and curriculum training to STEM teachers across North Carolina, empowering educators to integrate innovative STEM content, research, and technologies into their practices.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Suzanne Branon
Suzanne Branon ([email protected]) is research associate at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Sherry Booth Freeman
Sherry Booth Freeman ([email protected]) is a senior research scholar at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Lauren Bryant
Lauren Bryant ([email protected]) is a research scholar in the College of Education at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
LaTricia Townsend
LaTricia Townsend ([email protected]) is a senior research scholar at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Malinda Faber
Malinda Faber ([email protected]) is a research associate at at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina.