1Revisiting Inquiry and Prescriptive Laboratory Experiences in Introductory Physics

The study reported here was designed to substantiate the findings of previous research on the use of inquiry-based laboratory activities in introductory college physics courses. The authors sought to determine whether limited use of inquiry activities as a supplement to a traditional lecture and demonstration curriculum would improve student achievement, as measured by test scores and course grades, and student attitudes toward the course, as reported in course evaluations and interviews. Female students in the introductory survey and general education courses who participated in the inquiry activities outperformed those in the traditional curriculum, especially on test questions related to the topics investigated in the inquiry activities. Further, the inquiry group students as a whole outperformed non inquiry students, even those from the algebra and calculus based introductory courses, on a common conceptual exam problem. In recent years a substantial and growing body of research has demonstrated that a more active, inquiry based, way of learning brings students to a more robust understanding of physics concepts than does the traditional lecture approach.1-5 Students in university physics programs that engage them in hands