Teacher students’ experiences with an inquiry-based learning sequence made for primary school science education

Abstract

Inquiry-based teaching has developed as an alternative to more traditional ways of teaching science. However, teachers find it complicated to use inquiry-based teaching.  This makes giving future teachers experiences with and insight into inquiry-based teaching important. In this study we have examined a group of Norwegian teacher-students' knowledge of inquiry-based teaching and their reflections after participating as pupils for one day in an inquiry-based learning sequence. The results show that modelling by teacher educators followed by stimulated reflections have given the students insight into central concepts of inquiry-based teaching, for example that the teaching is question-driven and the students have an active role in searching for and finding answers. Furthermore, they find inquiry-based teaching engaging and educational, and express that they will use inquiry-based teaching in the future, despite the challenges they experienced. We suggest that teacher-students should get the opportunity to experience inquiry-based learning as pupils, and get the opportunity to discuss their experiences in a learning community. We argue that this can contribute in giving them an understanding about inquiry-based teaching, and more importantly, the belief that inquiry is effective, possible, and an important part of science teaching.