ERIC Number: ED571817
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2015-Mar
Pages: 7
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Guided Science Inquiry Instruction with Students with Special Education Needs. R2Ed Working Paper 2015-1
White, Andrew S.; Kunz, Gina M.; Whitham, Rebekah; Houston, Jim; Nugent, Gwen
National Center for Research on Rural Education
National and state educational mandates require students achieve proficiency in not only science content, but also "science inquiry", or those process skills associated with science (National Research Council, 2011; Next Generation Science Standards, 2013). Science inquiry instruction has been shown to improve student achievement and process skills (e.g., Llewellyn, 2002; Schroeder, Scott, Olson, Huang, & Lee, 2007; Minner, Levy, & Century, 2010). Guided scientific inquiry is a student-centered, teacher-facilitated approach to science instruction where students are guided toward, but not directly presented, scientific concepts. Students are led by the teacher to develop the concept (Trowbridge, Bybee, & Powell, 2004). Guided science inquiry has been found effective in promoting student achievement (e.g., Wilson, Taylor, Kowalski, & Carlson, 2010). However, research has not yet specifically examined the value of guided scientific inquiry among students drawn from the special education population. This study sought to answer two research questions. First, how did teachers involved in a study examining implementation of guided science inquiry qualitatively describe their experience implementing guided science inquiry among their students from special education populations? Second, did teachers find guided science inquiry effective to use with students from special education populations? This study sought to answer two research questions. First, how did teachers involved in a study examining implementation of guided science inquiry qualitatively describe their experience implementing guided science inquiry among their students from special education populations? Second, did teachers find guided science inquiry effective to use with students from special education populations? The results suggest that guided science inquiry instruction can be effectively implemented with students from the special education population. The majority of teacher responses suggested that a guided science inquiry approach provides these students with greater understanding, inclusion, and engagement with their science lessons than do traditional instructional methods. Guided science inquiry's flexibility allows for differentiated instruction. Limited concerns with the approach reported for these students included a need to adapt instruction in order to meet their needs and difficulties among students grasping its occasionally abstract structure.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Inquiry, Science Achievement, Student Centered Learning, Science Process Skills, Teaching Methods, Special Education, Special Needs Students, Coaching (Performance), Rural Areas, Randomized Controlled Trials, Mixed Methods Research, Likert Scales, Hands on Science, Inclusion, Learner Engagement, Pacing, Teachers
National Center for Research on Rural Education. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 216 Mabel Lee Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588. Tel: 402-472-2448; Web site: http://r2ed.unl.edu/
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: National Center for Research on Rural Education (R2Ed)
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305C090022
Author Affiliations: N/A