FROM SCIENCE THOUGHT TO SCIENCE PRACTICE: QUESTIONING AND SCIENCE PRACTICE IN THE K-12 CLASSROOM

This qualitative study aims to explore scientific inquiry, specifically the use of questioning and the relationship between students’ understanding of science content with the implementation of science and engineering practices (SEPs). The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) emphasizes the process of scientific inquiry as a set of “practices” students engage with to investigate the natural world around them. K-12 students engaging in the iBEARS (Inclusive Biologist Exploring Active Research with Students) program learn science content and practice SEPs through inquiry-based learning by participating in an original research experience, concluding in the creation of a research poster. Using a qualitative approach, we used mentor and student views about questioning from the Views About Scientific Inquiry (VASI) instrument and their completed research posters to investigate how students understand and implement questioning skills while “doing science.” Preliminary results of this study give insight into how inquiry-based curricula affect mentor and student views and uses of science practices in the classroom. Future research is needed to understand first, why views about questioning changed after serving as a mentor and. Second how K-12 students view scientific inquiry aspects and develop SEPs. This research is necessary to understand better how inquiry-based learning curricula can support student science content and practice skill development