Implementing Inquiry-based Learning Into A High School Science Classroom To Improve Student Engagement And Learning Outcomes

Inquiry-based learning is the practice of teaching and learning through asking questions and discovering answers through scientific processes. Rooted in progressive education, inquiry-based learning focuses on giving students the opportunity to actively engage in their learning, and improve learning outcomes. Inquiry-based learning has been met with skepticism due to the required resources and training to prepare educators to effectively implement inquiry lessons.The Next Generation Science Standards were written to implement inquiry-based learning methods in science curriculums across the United States. Due to the Minnesota Department of Education’s decision to draft the 2019 science standards using the Next Generation Science Standards, Minnesota science educators are required to implement inquiry practices to fulfill the new standards by the 2023/24 school year. This capstone reviews the literature on inquiry-based learning, the Next Generation Science Standards, and student engagement to develop a curriculum to help answer the research question, how can inquiry-based teaching models promote learning in a high school biology class