WhenisInquiryProblemSolvingandWhenisProblemSolvingInquiry.pptVIP

When is Inquiry Problem Solving and When is Problem Solving Inquiry? Panelists: Marcia Fetters, Western Michigan University, Caroline Beller, University of Arkansas, Paul Hickman, Northeastern University Questions to ponder… Inquiry is …. Inquiry is Not … Problem solving is ….. Problem solving is Not … Talk to your neighbor! What are the similarities and differences between these terms? Offer a definition of each term? Inquiry Problem Solving What prompted the exploration? PhysTEC 3rd annual meeting: Audience of Physicists; Physics educators, Science educators; and Teachers-in-Residence (mostly high school physics teachers) Same language used, but clear (for some of us) that different meanings and applications used for key terms such as: Inquiry; problem solving; cooperative learning; evidence; research; concept; laboratory work; etc.. Context and Quandary Audience energy was around building connections and community so differences in language were not addressed (congeniality/collegiality environment dichotomy). Was this mismatch real and is it critical to collaborative efforts between education and content specialists or is it just the nature of large collaboratives and does not influence the work and progress of reform? Context/Historical Perspective If a single word had to be chosen to describe the goals of science education during the 30-year period that began in the late 1950s, it would have to be inquiry (DeBoer, 1991, p. 206). Methodology Started collection of personal definitions of problem solving and inquiry from a range of audiences and sources: undergraduate science students, elementary education students, secondary science education students, middle grades science education students, physics faculty, science education faculty, Lit. Review of common definitions collected. Our challenge to you… Given the statements around the room -- how would you categorize these statements? red – problem solving; green – inquiry; yellow – neither; blue –