Developing an inquiry-based laboratory curriculum to engage students in planning investigations and argumentation

ABSTRACT

Reform efforts in Taiwan have added a mandatory ‘Scientific Inquiry and Practice’ curriculum for all high school students, emphasising ‘inquiry-based learning content’ including observing and questioning, planning and carrying out an investigation, argumentation and modelling, and expression and sharing. The purpose of this study was to develop an inquiry-based laboratory curriculum and to explore students’ performance by emphasising ‘expression and sharing’ during the planning of their investigations and argumentation. This ‘Scientific Inquiry and Practice’ curriculum lasted 60 h with 17 10^th graders. We employed Science Writing Heuristics to help students integrate inquiry, argumentation, and writing practice into laboratory contexts. Data collected via a Multimedia-based Assessment of Scientific Inquiry Abilities, an Achievement Test, students’ writing in their Argumentation Writing Journal, and semi-structured interviews showed that some of the students’ scientific inquiry abilities, argumentation abilities, and content learning were improved after participating. Moreover, engaging students in the practice of ‘expression and sharing’ provided them with opportunities to develop competency in designing and evaluating the scientific inquiry, and scientifically interpreting data and evidence. Various interpretations of these results are discussed, and the implications of this study can provide a template for the development of an inquiry-based laboratory curriculum in education and research.

KEYWORDS:

• Inquiry-based laboratory
• planning investigations
• argumentation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical statement

All procedures met the requirements of the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association (APA). All participants took part voluntarily in this study. The participating students and their parents were informed that their performances, including the writing and interview results, in the courses would be used for academic purposes only dependent on their informed consent. They also had the right to withdraw from the course at any time. Our presented data from the students’ presentations were anonymous to avoid tracing the individual participants. The authors ensured that this inquiry-based laboratory course was not harmful for the participants.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are grateful for funding from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (Project 107-2511-H-018 -002 -MY3).