94 NaTIoNal SCIENCE TEaChERS aSSoCIaTIoN
Chapter 4 Teaching Science as Inquiry
Concluding Discussion
In conclusion, I have tried to bring some clarity to the term inquiry as it applies
to school science programs and the preparation of young minds. First, teaching
science as inquiry includes understanding scientific inquiry and developing the
cognitive abilities associated with the processes and methods of science. Second,
inquiry can refer to an integrated and linked instructional sequence designed
with the intention of helping students learn science concepts, as well as under-
standing inquiry and developing cognitive abilities aligned with inquiry. It is
past time to move beyond the old either/or arguments of inquiry versus direct
instruction. Science teachers have always used multiple strategies, so we need
not make a decision about the one best strategy for teaching science. There isn’t
one; there are many strategies that can be applied to achieve different outcomes.
Science teachers should try to sequence the various strategies into coherent and
focused ways. This is teaching science as inquiry.
Copyright © 2010 NSTA. All rights reserved. For more information, go to http://www.nsta.org/permissions.