Good practices
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 Working Group:Early InquiryCountry:Czech RepublicLanguages:Czech, EnglishAge of students (target group/s):6-12, 13-14, 15-18Links, resources:http://badatele.cz/czContact person information:Bara Semerakova This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Explorers Project started in 2011. It was developed in cooperation with experienced teachers and education experts. They all helped to prepare the first teacher’s guide of IBSE for Czech schools. Within the project a methodology called The Teacher’s Guide was created. It is the first methodology focused on IBSE in the Czech Republic. The Teacher’s Guide was created in close cooperation with teachers. It contains introduction to the methodology, information about the students’ and teacher’s roles in IBSE and about skills developed by IBSE. Furthermore, The Teacher’s Guide explains in detail all inquiry steps. Description of each of them contains tips for their successful implementation and short training activities. It also contains recommendations for creating an inquiry lesson and for evaluation of students. The guide is accompanied by two compilations of science lessons for students aged 9 - 11 and 12 - 15. All the science lessons have been piloted in the classrooms. The last stage of the project aims at dissemination of the method. The TEREZA Association organises workshops for teachers all over the country, distributes teaching materials and connects teachers’ experience with IBSE beginners. As a part of the project, an evaluation has been carried out. The results showed that IBSE method increases student skills to pose questions, plan a research and interpret results. It also confirmed that it is effective to start with IBSE at young age. The youngest students (9 - 11) were easily drawn into the role of a “real scientist”. Older students were more motivated, if they solved problems that they could relate to. How does IBSE work? At first, a teacher motivates students to pose questions, e.g. by showing a picture or by telling a story. All questions are relevant; important is that students get interested in the topic. Afterwards, the class selects one question (a research question) that serves as a basis for hypothesis formulation. Having the hypothesis formulated, students examine it, e.g. by an experiment. After that, students declare if the hypothesis was proved or rejected. Students work in teams, each of them is responsible for a certain task and all of them learn responsibility for the outcomes of their research. After they make a conclusion, students present the outcomes. Teams share what they have learned and exchange ideas about further investigation of researched area. New questions are generated, which stimulates students to continue in learning. Student comments Before this lesson, I had no idea that biology could actually be so much fun! (student of a primary school)Strong points and opportunities:• Students enjoy science lessons with inquiry-based methods (84% teachers say so); some of them say that students are more active in IBSE lessons than in other lessons. • The Teacher’s Guide, the compilation of lessons (15% of teachers lack such materials) and materials for students (30% of teachers call for it) have been developed in the project. The project website provides room for teachers to share their success or learn from others. There is also a database of lessons to which any teacher can contribute. (15% of teachers would like to have a chance to share their experience with IBSE.) • Lessons do not require any special equipment and tools. Students mostly work with simple tools that are widely available (e.g. plastic bottles, plants, ink). There are also lessons that focus on finding information and resources to verify the hypothesis theoretically. • Students remember the knowledge better because the content often refers to their daily life and because they are actively involved in finding answers. • The method allows training of scientific skills (to pose a question, analyze data...) step by step. There is a set of training activities that could be incorporated into any regular science lesson. • Inquiry-based instruction has a positive impact on the classroom community. The spirit of collaboration is present thanks to teamwork; everyone can find the role that suits him/her. Teachers say that teamwork generally increases the attractiveness of the learned content.Limitations:• The preparation for lessons can be time-consuming, also the classroom activities take more time then the frontal instruction (50% teachers see this as a barrier). However, the teachers who already gained certain experience in inquiry-based instruction describe that the longer they use this approach, the less time-consuming it is, as both teacher and students get used to it. • The concept of hypothesis was somewhat difficult for the young kids (9-11). It needs to be greatly simplified for them to understand and learn the skill to predict. • Some teachers rely on pre-prepared lessons as they do not feel confident to create their own lessons. • There is still a strong belief among many of the teachers that IBSE requires costly instruments and equipment that the school cannot afford. • Teachers often find it difficult to teach inquiry methods in the classes with more students (around 30). They prefer to apply IBSE only in subjects when the class is split into smaller groups.Added value with regards to the 3 topics of the MASS project:• The inquiry-based instruction was often mentioned as an effective strategy to motivate students to science. The frontal instruction based on memorizing facts is still prevalently used in science classes in the Czech Republic. There is almost no focus on application of the knowledge in daily life, which is the main reason for students to dislike science. In contrast, inquiry allows students to realize how things they learn relate to their life. They can also choose (to some extent) what in particular they will learn about the given topic, thus they become responsible for the learning process. Hands-on activities are very common in IBSE, which is another benefit for students as they can learn by doing and build up on their experience. • As a follow up to the project, some teachers applied inquiry in early school age, even with 6-7 years old. The experience shows that kids of this age are very keen learners, as inquiry method corresponds to their natural curiosity. The necessary precondition is that the scientific skills are simplified for them.Any prerequisites needed:• Teacher should be confident in scientific skills and process. They should also trust that children are capable to learn the skills themselves by experience. Teacher plays the role of an assistant who guides students in science lessons when the students experiment independently. • Training of the skills is the first necessary step for students to master the whole research by themselves in a later stage. | ||
