Developing Materials to Promote Inquiry: Lessons Learned DEBORAH J. TRUMBULL Department of Education, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA RICK BONNEY Educational Programs, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA NANCY GRUDENS-SCHUCK Department of Agricultural Education and Studies, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA Received 15 February 2004; revised 9 February 2005; accepted 23 February 2005 DOI 10.1002/sce.20081 Published online 30 June 2005 in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). ABSTRACT: This paper focuses on an early stage of developing curricular materials to support students’ learning of scientific inquiry. The materials being developed and tested, called Classroom FeederWatch (CFW), aimed to support science inquiry and were developed by a collaborative team of private curriculum developers and scientists (ornithologists). Inquiry dimensions were influenced at the outset by the newly released National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1996) and by prior successful experiences of ornithologists with inquiry experiences for adults. Despite hopes that CFW materials would assist middle school students to learn inquiry, evaluation findings showed little increase in students’ understanding of inquiry or the ability to plan and conduct inquiry. We learned that improvements to inquiry dimensions of the curriculum required aligning activities more closely with practices that reflected the work of scientists in the discipline, integrating learning of content knowledge with learning about inquiry, and adjusting evaluation protocols to more accurately assess inquiry as represented in the Standards. Discussion highlights the influence of the Standards on development of inquiry dimensions of the materials, including the way in which initial application of the Standards to the early version of CFW materials may have restricted the engagement of both students and C 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 89:879 – 900, 2005 teachers in conducting science inquiry. INTRODUCTION Curricular reform in K-12 science continues to emphasize the development of materials that foster inquiry. The limitations of learning science by rote, in the absence of inquiry Correspondence to: Deborah J. Trumbull; e-mail: [email protected] Contract grant sponsor: National Science Foundation. Contract grant number: ESI-9618945 and ESI-9550541. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the National Science Foundation. C 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 880 TRUMBULL ET AL. experiences, are well known. When science is presented as a stable body of expert knowledge, learners are discouraged from developing their own explorations and explanations of observed phenomena (Schwab, 1962). Lack of experiences with scientific inquiry restricts the success with which students evaluate scientific knowledge claims. On the other hand, providing students with authentic opportunities to conduct science inquiry is expected to enhance their abilities to successfully evaluate complex scientific ideas. Learning outcomes associated with inquiry dimensions of science include, among other activities, generating a hypothesis, developing a plan for gathering data, and constructing arguments based on evidence (for example, Germann, Haskins, & Auls, 1996b; Herron, 1971; Schwab, 1962; Tamir & Lunetta, 1978). This manuscript examines development of inquiry dimensions of curriculum materials Classroom FeederWatch (CFW). CFW was created and field-tested in a middle school setting by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (hereafter, the Lab) in collaboration with experts in curriculum development. Prior to CFW, Lab staff documented that hundreds of classroom teachers had enrolled in other Lab projects that featured the collection of scientific data about birds. The projects, however, had been designed for adult, nonformal, and environmental education contexts, termed citizen science. Citizen science projects facilitate the participation of laypeople in professional scientific studies. Staff reasoned that even more classroom teachers would offer bird study experiences to students if materials were tailored for use in schoolyards. The CFW project gained momentum when Lab staff learned that inquiry dimensions of Lab projects paralleled educational reforms that recommended greater infusion of inquiry into science-teaching curricula. The materials discussed herein were developed in 1996 – 1997 and field-tested in 1997 – 1998. Subsequent revisions of CFW have taken into account multiple waves of evaluation data and function differently from the versions described in this article. Our discussion is restricted to development and evaluation of the first published version of CFW that was used broadscale in classrooms---what we term the early version of CFW. Nonetheless, it was a crucial point in development of the materials. The initial phases of curriculum development stimulated perhaps the greatest learning about challenges associated with the creation of materials for teaching inquiry. The article focuses on lessons learned from the early phase of development. In developing this article, we re-examined closely all the materials developed, the evaluation data, and notes from meetings that focused on curriculum development and evaluation. TEACHING INQUIRY Several waves of national curriculum reform in the United States over the last 40 years emphasize that learning about inquiry is essential to learning in science. DeBoer (1991) observed that different reforms generated different conceptions of the role of inquiry in science teaching, as well as different conceptions of appropriate teaching strategies for meeting inquiry goals. One venue generally considered to offer opportunities for students to learn about inquiry is laboratory or practical work. One might therefore expect reform efforts to have generated a range of laboratory-based activities that successfully involved students in inquiry. On the whole, this has not occurred. Laboratory exercises typically used in schools continue to emphasize confirmatory exercises that require students to follow explicit procedures to arrive at expected conclusions (Hickey et al., 2003; Hodson, 1996; Hofstein & Lunetta, 2004; White, 1996). Students thus are rewarded for following directions and for obtaining predetermined correct answers. Consequently, students fail to learn habits necessary for conducting scientific inquiry, such as observing carefully, using theory and observations to formulate hypotheses, designing ways to investigate hypotheses systematically, analyzing and interpreting data, or other aspects of investigations (Germann SUPPORTING INQUIRY 881 et al., 1996b; Herron, 1971; Tamir & Lunetta, 1978; Schwab, 1962). Schwab’s writings remain some of the richest in delineating reasons why learning inquiry should be an important goal of science teaching. These reasons still hold. If [science] is taught as a nearly unmitigated rhetoric of conclusions in which the current and temporary constructions of scientific knowledge are conveyed as empirical, literal, and irrevocable truths . . . . A rhetoric of conclusions, then, is a structure of discourse which persuades men (sic) to accept the tentative as certain, the doubtful as undoubted, by making no mention of reasons or evidence for what it asserts, as if to say, “This, everyone of importance knows to be true.” (p. 24, emphasis in the original) Contemporary science textbooks and laboratory manuals continue to convey a view of science knowledge as certain and invariant. Such representations of science limit the success with which learners understand science, including making sense of contradiction and disagreement among science experts. Further, when science is presented as a stable body of expert knowledge, learners are discouraged from developing their own explorations and explanations of observed phenomena. Students subsequently are limited in ability and confidence with regard to inquiry. In the main, students who lack experience with inquiry cannot generate a hypothesis, develop a plan to gather pertinent evidence, construct arguments based on evidence, or evaluate knowledge claims of others (see also Hickey et al., 2003). Reforms which emphasize inquiry are intended to remedy the deficits. CLASSROOM FEEDERWATCH When planning for CFW materials began in 1995, prior citizen science projects of the Lab served as a model. Individuals gathered data about birds and submitted data using protocols established by Lab scientists. Consider one of the Lab’s longstanding products, Project FeederWatch (PFW), which began in 1987 and continues today. Since its inception, more than 16,000 individuals across North America have counted and recorded the kinds and numbers of birds observed at backyard feeders through PFW. Participants send data to the Lab for use by ornithologists who, in turn, use the data to establish distribution patterns and population densities of winter birds. Findings are reported in the Lab’s newsletter Birdscope, on a dedicated Web site, and in the scientific literature (i.e., Hartup et al., 2001; Hochachka, et al., 1999; Hochachka & Dhondt, 2000; LePage & Fancis, 2002; Wells et al., 1998). Analysis of letters received from participants in PFW also revealed that individuals (mainly adults) engaged in aspects of scientific thinking through PFW activities (Trumbull et al., 2000). Why did Lab scientists pursue expansion of citizen science projects into classrooms? Evaluations of PFW also documented that classroom teachers used the project to teach youth about birds, biology, mathematics, and statistics (Cornell Office of Communication Strategies, 1995). Teachers also had enrolled in large numbers in a different citizen science project offered by the Lab, termed the Seed Preference Test. The second project enabled participants to implement a standard protocol to determine which of three kinds of seeds were preferred by feeder birds in their area. Lab staff reasoned that if hundreds of teachers were enrolling in projects, presumably involving students in those projects, even more teachers would be interested in engaging youth in bird study projects if provided materials developed explicitly for schools. Furthermore, bird study seemed attractive to youth. Teachers participating in the Lab’s citizen science projects reported that students became fascinated with birds and were eager to learn about them and to observe them. Further, bird study appeared to be feasible for schools located in a wide range of natural and built environments. Birds are among the 882 TRUMBULL ET AL. few wild vertebrates that one may easily observe, even in school settings. Bird study also was anticipated to provide rich opportunities for scientific study. Bird study can introduce students to complex ecological and behavioral interactions in the world around them. For example, by learning to identify common feeder birds and noting where specific birds are seen or not seen, what they eat or do not eat, and when and where they eat, youngsters are provided multisensory opportunities for elaborating scientific concepts such as habitat, niche, and adaptation. Through supervised bird study, youngsters may learn to observe natural phenomenon systematically and knowledgeably. Curiosity about birds, combined with observations, was anticipated to stimulate students to ask authentic questions. In turn, students could develop systematic methods to answer their questions. Bird study appeared to provide an additional advantage---a protection of sorts against science investigations as a matter of following steps to a right answer. As those who study animal behavior know, accurately predicting the behavior of individual animals in specific situations is nearly impossible. Therefore, writing confirmatory laboratory exercises for bird investigations was easy to prevent. Moreover, project staff hoped that by helping students to conduct their own research studies, students would learn firsthand that scientific investigation is an active venture. Lab scientists hoped to portray science as untidy, involving trial and error, repetition, and revision in contrast to the prevailing notion of science as a static body of knowledge and inquiry as compliance with pre-established, routine activities. Project developers also hoped that the process of studying living birds would enable students to develop dispositions crucial for conducting successful scientific studies, such as patience, perseverance, open mindedness, and the willingness to engage in problem solving. Such activities were anticipated to approximate, at an elementary level, the behaviors and thinking processes of scientists who conduct professional scientific studies. These three elements---student interest, opportunities to learn key biological concepts, and opportunities for developing habits of scientific inquiry---provided the warrant for Lab staff to seek National Science Foundation funding to develop CFW. Funding was awarded. Inquiry Standards and Classroom FeederWatch The National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996; henceforth referred to as the Standards) emphasize the importance of science inquiry, as had prior science reform documents (e.g., AAAS, 1989, 1993). The Standards document was in draft form when the proposal for CFW was in process and was published just prior to work described in this paper. CFW curriculum developers relied heavily on the published Standards in their work. It became important in the evaluation phase of the CFW curriculum that a single section of the Standards anchored the concept of inquiry for the materials, a point to which discussion will return later in article. Specifically, development of the materials relied heavily on the discussion of inquiry in the section titled “Content Standards 5 – 8.” As a result of activities in grades 5 – 8, all students should develop • • abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, and understanding about science inquiry. (Content Standard A: NRC, 1996, p. 143) These statements are followed by two pages of text that argue that students should engage both in partial and full inquiry. The section offers suggestions for moving middle school youngsters from current habits of thought toward the habits of thought congruent with inquiry goals of the Standards. The text also emphasizes that students need to be actively SUPPORTING INQUIRY 883 involved in doing inquiry: “This standard cannot be met by having the students memorize the abilities and understandings. It can be met only when students frequently engage in active inquiries” (NRC, 1996, p. 143). However, the text fails to distinguish full and partial inquiry nor does it explain specific habits of thought that comprise inquiry. Following the text is a list, in red type, of eight abilities needed to attain the standard. Each ability is explained in a brief paragraph. The discussion of abilities highlights facets of “doing” science, for example: “Identify questions that can be answered through scientific investigations,” and “develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence” (NRC, 1996, p. 145). The list of abilities is followed by a list of seven understandings necessary to meet the standard; the understandings are presented in a bulleted list only, with no red type or explanatory paragraph. Some examples of understandings: “different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations,” “current scientific knowledge and understanding guide scientific investigations,” “science advances through legitimate skepticism” (NRC, 1996, p. 148). We must underscore the newness of the Standards at the time. When CFW was fieldtested, little research had explicitly examined the Standards or its application to the development of curriculum materials. In 2000, for example, Bybee sketched a history of science education reforms that emphasized inquiry. He highlighted confusion underlying discussions of the role of inquiry in science teaching---confusions to which the CFW curriculum team likely was vulnerable during the development of the CFW prototype. To illustrate the confusion generally, Bybee presented a fiendish self-test and also introduced a taxonomy of inquiry. He began with selections from a 1910 speech by Dewey that distinguished between science as subject matter and science as method. The text emphasized that students should learn both. Bybee expanded upon Dewey by proposing three elements of inquiry teaching: (a) use of inquiry to assist learners to grasp content, (b) use of activities to enable learners to develop abilities for conducting inquiry, and (c) use of activities that enable learners to understand how practicing scientists conducted actual science inquiries. Bybee’s tenets have proved salient in analyzing the influence of the Standards on the early version of CFW materials. Design and Implementation Lab staff had no experience in developing curriculum for schools, so teamed with a curriculum development organization. The two organizations developed and published this early CFW as a supplementary middle science school curriculum. (The developers designed CFW to support other content areas, such as language and visual arts, but discussion of these uses is beyond the scope of this paper.) The curriculum developers were located at an appreciable distance from the Lab staff. There were no weekly or monthly meetings in which all collaborators were present. Similar to the Lab’s array of citizen science projects, Lab staff envisioned data collection and data exchange as key elements of CFW. Students were expected to collect data about birds seen at feeders. They would submit data via the Internet to Lab scientists. Consequently, student-generated data was expected to contribute to real research projects. Developers also intended that CFW classrooms share data across locations. Developers hoped that activities related to collecting and sharing data would inspire students to generate additional questions that could be answered on their own or by accessing aggregated data available online. In addition to high-priority activities related to data collection and exchange, the materials included activities that focused on bird biology, bird identification, and construction of schoolyard feeder stations. The project also encouraged students and teachers to publish exemplary work in a CFW (hardcopy) magazine called Classroom Birdscope. 884 TRUMBULL ET AL. Field-Testing Materials At the start of the 1997/1998 school year, nearly 200 teachers from 32 states volunteered to field-test the early CFW curriculum materials. All teachers received a 158-page teacher’s guide with eight sections and 15 explorations (e.g., units or modules) (See Appendix for more detail). The section(s) of the Standards considered relevant to each exploration were listed in the introduction to the unit, and in each exploration. Nine explorations were identified as pertinent to Content Standard A---Inquiry. The curriculum materials included preactivities for teachers to complete before involving students in CFW. EVALUATION Evaluation data were collected during the field test by a team of formative evaluators located in Ithaca. The evaluation focused on teachers’ reactions to the curriculum materials, including descriptions of usage. The evaluation also sought to determine learning outcomes of students, including the extent to which students demonstrated gains in scientific inquiry. The evaluation data were expected to inform ongoing development of the materials. Only evaluations related to inquiry are reported here. The evaluation budget did not allow visits to classrooms for observations, so the evaluators relied on questionnaires, telephone interviews, and the analysis of data generated through the use of CFW. Teacher Data We gathered data from teachers and students. The data relevant to inquiry dimensions were produced by eliciting teachers’ year-end responses on a questionnaire. The questionnaire requested information on the number and title of explorations used in the classroom. Teachers’ reactions to the materials were gauged through content analysis of teachers’ postings to a dedicated CFW listserv. All teachers involved in the field test were enrolled on a listserv. Sixty six teachers participating in the field test posted to the listserv at least once in the field test year. Their questions, comments, and concerns communicated the varied ways in which teachers used the materials with students and the aspects of birds that intrigued or puzzled their students. The curriculum developers stated that nine CFW explorations addressed some aspect of scientific inquiry. Four of the nine addressed the understanding that “Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations” (NRC, p. 148). The four explorations were used by over half of the field test teachers. Five explorations were identified as directly addressing at least some of the abilities needed for doing investigations. Table 1 presents teachers’ uses of these five explorations. The percentages in Table 2 show that some, but not all, teachers exposed students to explorations that were anticipated to foster science inquiry abilities and/or understandings. TABLE 1 Teachers’ Uses of Explorations Exploration #7. Count the birds #8. Analyze and display your data #12. How do birds get food? #4. Writing about your research #15. What can we learn from our own questions? Teacher Use (%) 88 51 44 37 17 SUPPORTING INQUIRY 885 TABLE 2 Student Responses on Selected Pre- and Post-test Questions Grade Level and test N= 5th Pre- 5th Post- 6th Pre- 6th Post- 7th Pre- 157 150 44 42 327 (a) Why is this kind of bird not seen at a feeder? Season/weather 9% 7% 7% 14% 8% Wrong food 43% 44% 27% 48% 33% Wrong habitat 31% 30% 50% 36% 39% Competition 2% 0% 2% 2% 5% Not coded, blank 22% 28% 25% 15% 25% (b) How would you find out if this is a reason? Compare sites 16% 13% 25% 21% 26% Set up experiment 15% 13% 7% 17% 18% Ask an expert 26% 27% 18% 33% 17% Not coded, blank 43% 46% 50% 33% 41% (c) Why is your count information useful to the ornithologists? Identification 9% 8% 2% 2% 6% Natural history 14% 37% 30% 45% 28% Restated question 45% 15% 48% 29% 38% Not coded, blank 32% 43% 25% 24% 29% 7th Post259 16% 53% 37% 3% 13% 22% 21% 29% 29% 7% 44% 15% 39% Nonetheless, analysis of listserv postings revealed that conducting studies was not central to teachers’ uses of CFW. In fact, no posts to the listserv referred to student investigations. For example, no posts described student inquiry projects or asked for help in developing student questions, conducting or analyzing bird data. Teachers primarily expressed concerns about erecting and maintaining feeders, attracting birds, reporting birds, and locating additional materials on bird biology and identification. Student Data We measured outcomes of student learning through 19 item test administered pre- and post-design, completed at the start and the end of the school year. We also analyzed student work submitted for publication in Classroom Birdscope for additional evidence of learning about inquiry. Questions on the student pre-and post-test measured the change in knowledge of bird biology and changes in attitudes about conducting science, as well as aspects of inquiry. (Note: Data related to noninquiry learning outcomes are not provided or discussed in this article.) Several questions, however, were designed specifically to assess gains in understanding and accurately applying concepts related to inquiry. One of the items was a constructed response item. Students’ written responses were coded using a rubric developed by the evaluators. The students were first asked to explain how they would identify a bird that they did not know, which we called “Grover.” This was followed by two other questions. Pre-/post-Test Data. You never see another bird like Grover at the bird feeder at your school, but you see lots of birds like Grover at another feeder away from school. A. What is one possible reason that birds like Grover are at the other feeders and not at school? B. How would you find out if this is a reason? 886 TRUMBULL ET AL. Part A was designed to address the following necessary abilities within Content Standard A: Students should base their explanation on what they observed, and as they develop cognitive skills, they should be able to differentiate explanation from description . . . . Students should identify and control variables. (NRC, 1996, p. 145) We designed part B to address the following ability: Students should design investigations. (NRC, 1996, p. 145) We also designed part B to address the following understandings about scientific inquiry: Current science knowledge and understanding guide science investigation. Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing . . . some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information. (NRC, 1996, p. 148) In developing the coding scheme for part A, we reviewed all student responses, then categorized reasonable variables that accounted for the observations. We divided these into the categories of season, available food, habitat, or competition. Some responses made no sense or were illegible and were not coded. A coder read eligible student responses to determine which, if any, categories were represented. Some students identified more than one valid variable. In coding part B, we determined legitimate experimental or systematic observation procedures that could be used to address the questions students posed. We then scored students’ responses according to the two possible design strategies. Examining pretest responses on part A, it was apparent that many students already could identify variables that accounted for the observation. These already-capable students demonstrated an ability to form a hypothesis, suggesting they could distinguish between observation and explanation. The pretest responses also showed that some students already used biological knowledge, revealed by explanations that discussed, for example, how and why different species have specific food and habitat requirements. There was some gain overall in percent of correct responses when posttest results were analyzed. Also, the percentage of answers we could not interpret or code decreased on the posttest for sixth- and seventh-grade students, indicating learning of some inquiry abilities. However, student responses to part B showed very little change in the desired direction. For example, students did not show improvement in their ability to outline systematic procedures to test a hypothesis. Fifth-grade response percentages remained virtually unchanged. In the other two grades, there were only small increases in the percentages of students who sketched valid experimental procedures to investigate the phenomenon. In addition, the percentage of students who suggested comparing sites systematically (without changing variables) to test their hypothesis decreased. Moreover, the proportion of no response, responses we could not interpret, or answers we could not code remained relatively large on the posttests. Also, the percentage of students who responded that they would “ask an expert” to gauge whether their hypothesis was reasonable increased in both sixth and seventh grades. These data did not appear to support a claim that inquiry skills were learned through exposure to these early CFW materials. In a different section, the test asked students why the information that they collected would be useful to scientists at the Lab. Although there were small increases in the percentages of students who expressed that their observations would help ornithologists to better understand birds (either their identification or natural history), over half of the students in all grades restated the question, left it blank, or wrote something that failed to answer the question. SUPPORTING INQUIRY 887 Student work submitted for publication in Classroom Birdscope also provided data about student learning. Students from 32 field test classrooms submitted work for review. After examining the submissions, project staff decided to accept at least one entry from each classroom and to publish all articles that focused on inquiry. To qualify as inquiry related, an article had to present (or imply) a hypothesis, provide for systematic comparison of two data sets, or manipulate raw data in some systematic way. For example, we considered a computer-generated graph showing numbers and percentages of species observed to be a demonstration of inquiry ability, e.g., the submission demonstrated that the student was able to organize data and used technology in the process. Conversely, we rejected as inquiryrelated submissions which provided only a list of bird species observed by students. The Lab published 71 items only in the 16-page Classroom Birdscope. Only 13 articles demonstrated some aspect of inquiry. Of the 13, five were from one teacher’s classroom. Clearly this was an exceptional teacher, but the evaluation design and budget did not allow us to explore this teacher’s practice in depth. DISCUSSION The evaluation data overall failed to support the claim that students learned inquiry abilities or developed understandings of inquiry as a result of participating in activities associated with CFW’s early materials. Evaluation data also indicated that few teachers even attempted to use the early version to help students to design science investigations. Moving from analysis of evaluation data to recommendations, however, is not straightforward. Later revisions of CFW were based on consideration of three elements related to the findings, as well as ideas of members of the curriculum team regarding changes in materials and delivery of CFW. The three elements account for the data, yet are not dominated by them in a simplistic way. Elements 1. Pedagogical theories related to learning inquiry, 2. Science and technology studies, and 3. Review of evaluation protocols. The following sections discuss each of the elements, followed by examples. Pedagogical Theories CFW curriculum developers were confident in their endorsement of “doing science” as a way to provide high-quality opportunities for students to learn inquiry. Our discussion brings to the foreground theoretical frameworks that may explain how design of CFW failed in this regard, although many of the elements for success were present, including linkages to the Standards document. In the interpretation phase of the evaluation, Lab staff and evaluators needed to acknowledge two rather than a single group of learners: teachers as well as students. Windschitl (2001) discusses several studies that show that teachers experience difficulty involving their students in extended inquiry experiences. Windschitl attributes the difficulty to the possibility that teachers are “confused about what constitutes inquiry” (see also Blumenfeld et al., 1994; Hodson, 1988; Welch et al., 1981). Many teachers may possess simplistic or incomplete ideas about science inquiry or lack knowledge and experience in promoting students’ inquiry activities. Polman (2000) and Posnanski (2002) provide detail about the ways in which teachers may successfully prepare students to conduct Teachers and Inquiry. 888 TRUMBULL ET AL. investigations, including thorough, extensive, and multifaceted professional development. Such studies, however, are rare. More supports for middle school teachers for learning, then leading, science investigations likely were needed as part of CFW. CFW materials also provided limited supports for students to learn to conduct independent inquiries. In sum, CFW provided too little in terms of explicating successive approximations or scaffolding of concepts and behaviors to enable students to move from science-as-information to science-as-inquiry. To illustrate the complex ties of inquiry, Germann et al., (1996b) provide a taxonomy of levels of inquiry involved in laboratory projects. The taxonomy is based on Schwab (1962), Herron (1971), and Tamir and Lunetta (1978). In the taxonomy, the “problem” phase of scientific inquiry consists of developing the question or hypothesis and identifying the variables and controls. The “methods” phase includes developing procedures and formats for collecting and organizing data. In the last phase, “solutions,” students perform a procedure, transform data to make claims, and use claims to develop further questions or hypotheses. Germann et al. emphasize “an inquiry at any level, in which teachers help students establish adequate background knowledge, experiences, and techniques is more likely to result in successful completion of the inquiry” (Germann et al., 1996b, p. 481). The early version of CFW, however, did not communicate to teachers that students would require supports at the level of specificity recommended by Germann et al. The taxonomy also underscores the interrelatedness of seemingly distinct aspects of inquiry. It is possible that application of the Germann et al. framework (or a similar framework) during initial design of CFW would have led to increased emphasis on inquiry in many, if not all, of the student activities, perhaps leading to greater inquiry outcomes for students. Students and Inquiry. The team also reviewed the way in which the Standards operated in CFW as a framework for teaching inquiry. Lessons learned in this regard highlighted an important decision that likely influenced the course of study away from inquiry rather than toward inquiry: Design of CFW relied upon a single section of the Standards related to inquiry. Crucial dimensions of inquiry appear, however, throughout the Standards at multiple levels and in relationship to each other. The team now appreciates---in a way that was not possible at the outset---the interrelated character of inquiry dimensions of the Standards. For example, as mentioned earlier, the use of the terms “partial” versus “full” inquiry in the Standards in the section used by curriculum developers failed to provide detail for either term, which led to little emphasis on creating opportunities for partial inquiries. Using the Standards to design the curriculum materials was, in sum, not straightforward. The standard for inquiry, for example, is presented in pyramid style. The big ideas are presented first. These are then elaborated with more and more detail about the abilities and understandings needed for students to accomplish the standard. Designing materials according to the Standards thus presented a challenge because the document as whole is multifaceted. Going deeply into the pyramid, on one hand, risked the inclusion of too much detail to design a useable lesson. In this case, students might have learned an aspect of inquiry without understanding how it fit into a scientific investigation in general. On the other hand, curriculum materials featuring the big ideas at the top of the pyramid likely would have resulted in activities that relayed too little detail, resulting in activities or lessons that failed to provide sufficient instruction. This alternative level of generality could result in inaction. This second scenario is what we believe occurred in the design of the early version of CFW, i.e., the curriculum developers generally addressed only the highest levels of the standard. They then failed to clarify how specific activities in the explorations contributed to the standard. Lack of specificity likely obscured the inquiry goal of the lesson, making it Influence of the Standards. SUPPORTING INQUIRY 889 more difficult for a teacher to diagnose and address points at which students were confused or lost. Challenges related to degree of specificity and its relation to scaffolding for students are not unique to experiences of the CFW team. The development and evaluation team that shepherded successive versions of the GenScope software, which integrated technology into genetics teaching, struggled in a similar way (Hickey et al., 2003). The GenScope team was challenged, in a way that mirrored development of CFW, with the need to assist students to move beyond algorithmic (i.e., formulaic or unthinking) applications of science concepts, typified in learning genetics by use of the Punnett square (p. 499). Bybee (2000) also calls attention to the importance of understanding how inquiries are done. Specifically, many students did not appear to understand that the act of submitting data would contribute to actual scientific findings. The lack of appreciation of students’ potential contributions to science through the submission of data was especially disappointing to Lab scientists because the act of providing data was anticipated to boost students’ morale and motivation. Lab scientists had good reason to ascribe positive feelings to the act of submitting data. The amateur ornithologists who collected data as part of citizen science projects celebrated their partnership with professional scientists (Trumbull et al., 2000). Lab staff had assumed that the act of submitting data would, similar to experiences of PFW participants, lead students to conclude that their classroom activities helped to create their own authentic science. Evaluation data suggest, however, that many students did not understand the connection. The finding is unsurprising given our current understanding of the ways in which inquiry was understood by adult citizen scientist participants versus school-aged youth. Moreover, early curriculum materials contained no examples of prior studies using CFW data and, in this first year of the project, there were also no issues of Classroom Birdscope to model successful student-led inquiry or its role in contributing to the Lab’s long term, national bird studies. Science and Technology Studies Science and technology studies have taught the rest of us that scientists are a varied lot. Principally, scientific processes used by scientists differ by discipline, social and cultural norms, and the era in which science was conducted (Finley & Pocovi, 2000). Ornithologists---such as those working at the Lab---were no exception. Their scientific studies about birds possessed a rhythm and character that reflected both historical and contemporary concerns of ornithologists and their institutions. Moreover, bird studies reflected the nature of the phenomenon: birds and their habitats. It is against this backdrop of scientists as members of particular communities of inquiry that CFW must be examined. In hindsight, we have concluded that the early versions of CFW featured a version of science and scientists that was too abstract and free of context. For example, the CFW exploration that directly addressed the scientific process presented the following sequence: formulate a question, predict an answer, develop procedures to gather information, collect and analyze data, communicate results, and raise new questions. As an abstraction, the description was adequate. For the purposes of teaching inquiry, the level of abstraction provided a simplistic, even distorted model of practical elements of scientific inquiry (Bencze & Hodson, 1999; Finley & Pocovi, 2000). The description was not adequate as a teaching strategy for learning how to conduct studies about birds. In particular, exploration narratives failed to explain how and why an ornithologist came to ask questions, which question got addressed, how she decided to gather data to address the question, or how he made sense of the data. There were, in short, no models that either students or teachers could examine that linked content (birds) to inquiry (bird studies). Evaluation findings led the team to conclude that more, rather than less, detail about scientific inquiry in the hands of ornithologists was needed. The most serious deficit was lack of 890 TRUMBULL ET AL. appreciation of the role of content knowledge about birds in conducting successful inquiry. A second deficit was the lack of detail regarding communication, creativity, and deliberation necessary to decision making by ornithologists. As Finley and Pocovi (2000) point out, asking a good question requires content understanding and more. “Without [prior knowledge] thought would be impossible. The formulation of a hypothesis that actually will improve an understanding of the phenomenon under study is a highly creative intellectual act” (pp. 55, 56). Upon reflection, it is clear that Lab scientists insufficiently emphasized the role of the depth and breadth of their own extensive knowledge about birds in designing bird studies and even in observing birds. The failure of Lab scientists to specify knowledge used to design bird investigations was not, however, surprising. Vellom and Anderson (1999) observe along with others that clarifying how one’s domain knowledge shapes one’s work is difficult. Nor did the curriculum development process appear to assist scientists to adequately unpack the knowledge upon which high quality bird investigations depended. The way knowledge shapes observation, for example, reinforces the need to be mindful of prior knowledge required to formulate a good question. The role that underdeveloped content knowledge among teachers (therefore, students) played in restricting inquiry is illustrated through two persistent problems experienced during the field test: (a) the absence of birds and (b) problems identifying or counting birds. Content Knowledge. Lack of Birds. It was the unexpected nature of this problem that called attention to the gulf between teachers’ knowledge of birds and Lab scientists’ knowledge of birds, underscoring the necessity of knowledge to successful inquiry. During the field test, it became apparent that many classrooms failed to attract birds as quickly as they had expected. Without birds, CFW materials were not very useful. For classrooms that never succeeded in attracting birds, CFW resulted in disappointed students and frustrated teachers. The failure to attract birds, however, was not anticipated by scientists. How hard could it be to attract birds? The correct answer is: Not very hard for people who know a lot about birds. The evaluation showed that CFW field test materials provided insufficient guidance in this regard. The materials contained a section that directed teachers to dedicate a feeder site. The title of the exploration was: “Design and make your own Feeders.” The materials treated birdfeeder construction, placement, and maintenance as straightforward activities. The directions could be summarized as “put up a feeder and add seed.” The unit implied that once a feeder was established, birds would appear. The exploration failed to explicate the many relevant factors to consider when setting up a bird feeder to attract birds. Correctly locating a feeder was something that Lab staff knew how to do so well that they gave it little thought. The lack of acknowledgement of the complexity of installing feeders led curriculum developers, who were not bird experts, to do likewise. Subsequent revisions of CFW paid more attention to feeder placement and other factors involved in attracting sufficient types and numbers of birds. For example, feeder setup activities now instruct teachers and students to observe potential sites for suitability and suggest using print resources to learn about local birds’ niches and preferences before designing a feeder station. At the time, however, CFW did not provide this level of support. Students were never involved in figuring out where to place feeders. At first glance, elaboration of the steps for erecting a functioning feeder station seems to fall outside the definition of inquiry. However, a close reading of the Standards, with attention to aspects that underscore the interdependent relationship of content knowledge to successful inquiry, suggests otherwise. Getting the feeder placement right by hypothesizing about good locations using an understanding of such things as birds and their habitats now appears to us to be an early inquiry activity, not an activity outside of the domain of inquiry. SUPPORTING INQUIRY 891 Inability to Identify or Count Birds. Students and teachers also struggled to successfully identify and count birds. Like feeder placement, such skills are necessary to conducting successful bird studies. Lack of support in early CFW materials for developing the skills likely played a role in limiting interest in conducting bird studies. Those who first attempt to watch and identify birds quickly learn that birds do not hold still long enough to match every feature to the pictures in the bird guide. Experienced birdwatchers learn to focus on particular features, called field marks, which distinguish birds more readily. Students who grasp and apply this strategy not only identify birds more quickly, they also learn a sophisticated form of observation particular to a discipline (i.e., ornithology). Careful observation thus is structured by knowledge about birds and by knowing the kinds of questions to ask about the birds one may see. Had early CFW materials provided more explanation of the role of field marks in observing and counting birds, students would have been helped to focus observations and to understand species differences. When successfully generalized to other fields, students could grasp that features of the phenomenon and the discipline influence scientific observation. This insight is crucial to understanding the sciences across disciplines. The insight also is essential to understanding why scientists working in different fields may arrive at contradictory conclusions yet may be considered to produce valid claims. Discussions with field test teachers also indicated that students had difficulty complying with the protocol for counting birds. The early CFW materials, in this case, provided plentiful detail in the form of the standard Lab protocol for data collection. The need for a consistent protocol was obvious to Lab staff but teachers complained that the protocol seemed arbitrary. Close review of materials showed that the protocol was clear, but unexplained. Standardization across sites for collection of data is essential for some scientific studies, including the sorts of studies the Lab conducted. Students, however, were not helped to understand the reasons for the way they were expected to record their data. Insufficient explanation affected motivation to employ the protocol, but also missed an opportunity for CFW to underscore and explain the need for consistent sampling schemes in high quality bird studies. Our emerging appreciation of the interdependency of content and inquiry led the evaluation team and Lab scientists to solve other puzzles that arose during the field test. For example, even CFW teachers who communicated that they were comfortable with data analysis techniques ended the year asking for help teaching inquiry. Their comments emphasized the role that content knowledge plays in data analysis and interpretation. As many have argued (for example, Ryder & Leach, 2000; Stewart & Rudolph, 2001), interpretation of data is not merely a process of applying analytic techniques or rules; rather, the process requires the use of a model or theoretical perspective to frame how one looks at information. Ryder and Leach (2000) state that scientific explanations do not “emerge directly and unproblematically from data” (p. 1069). Further, the assumption that students would use data collected from their schoolyards together with data from other classrooms to develop scientific claims was based on a naive empiricist view in which data are presumed to have meaning in the absence of interpretation (Varelas, 1996). Varelas (1996) explains the fallacy thus, “science is not constituted only by empirically based generalizations, and ignoring the deductive direction at best presents only a partial image of science” (p. 260). Review of Evaluation Protocols The lack of desired learning outcomes for inquiry did not, by itself, indicate that our evaluation protocols should be reviewed. To suggest revision based only on disappointing results would be to admit a positive bias in the evaluation---something that professional evaluators are trained to avoid (Weiss, 1998). Nonetheless, evaluations of pilot or novel programs or services, especially those that are formative and are intended to influence ongoing development, are expected to adapt to changes in programming (Weiss, 1998). 892 TRUMBULL ET AL. In the case of CFW, which was still being developed, changes to the early version were sufficiently significant to warrant revision of evaluation protocols. First, there was a need to adjust evaluation procedures to follow changes in the program. A second insight was more of a critique of the initial evaluation design and, in light of fuller understanding of the gap between the potential and actual role of the Standards in shaping inquiry dimensions of the curriculum, led the team to question the validity of some of the initial evaluation findings. To explain: questions on the pre- and post-test were designed to address the sections of the Standards that the explorations claimed to address. This was a reasonable approach, approximating a goal-based evaluation (Weiss, 1998). When analyzing student responses, however, we experienced difficulties. We learned, for example, that many questions could be answered acceptably in more than one way. Upon close examination of the Standards, we concluded that multiple answers were legitimate. Moreover, some of the unexpected but legitimate responses appeared to reflect more than a single segment of the Standards. The difficulty was most apparent in responses to the question that asked students to explain how they would test a hypothesis (i.e., Why a particular species, “Grover,” was not present---see earlier). Based solely on the data, it was reasonable to claim that CFW materials failed to support a particular inquiry section of the Standards because participating students did not improve their abilities to devise methods of testing a hypothesis. However, the findings, when taken as a whole, supported a different interpretation. In light of our emerging understanding of the importance of integration of content knowledge and inquiry as practice, we realized that it was also defensible to suggest that some of the seemingly negative data supported a claim that students learned inquiry. We focused our attention on responses that indicated that students believed they should consult with experts before designing an investigation. Prior to field-testing, “ask an expert” functioned as an indicator of students’ conception of science-as-a- body-of-information. We now see that it was also plausible that “ask an expert” indicated students’ correct assumption either that more content knowledge (about birds) was needed to create a plan for successfully testing a hypothesis for use in a bird study or that scientists had already explored this question. Given the second interpretation, the increase in the number of students who expressed that they would “ask an expert” could be interpreted as a gain in the right direction, i.e., a move toward inquiry-oriented thinking. The two reasonable yet contradictory interpretations reveal the complexity associated with the interrelated character of items in the Standards. Because each specific standard was not written as a set of discrete objectives, for which assessment might be expected to yield unequivocal results, evaluating student learning using the Standards was complex and intriguing. All of the abilities and understandings informed each other, suggesting that more holistic examinations of student work are required to evaluate whether the Standards’ desired outcomes are being met (see also Hickey et al., 2003). Overall, the fact that teachers and students lacked contextual knowledge meant that we could not determine with confidence which aspect of the Standards was met. We do not claim that this is due to errors or gaps in the Standards but instead represents our failure to appreciate the complexity of inquiry dimensions the Standards. Further, we have come to believe that any standard that could be isolated and operationalized for assessment risks trivializing the enterprise represented by the development of the Standards. The complexity of the Standards for inquiry, alone, makes evaluation of students’ performances complicated, because judgments about students’ performances require detailed knowledge of the whole of students’ educational experiences. Anderson and Helms (2001) note, “the nature of the desired student work and the means of engaging students in it within ordinary classroom contexts, is not known in any practical detail” (p. 10). Alternative Interpretation. SUPPORTING INQUIRY 893 By providing extensive explication of factors to be considered in learning inquiry (in all its conceptions), the Standards furnishes a framework for further research on outcomes of student learning about science inquiry and on the teaching needed to support that learning. CONCLUSIONS The ability of students to understand science as the practice of inquiry is an essential yet neglected aspect of teaching science and is a focus of ongoing reform. The experience of working on a multiyear middle school curriculum development project that emphasized science inquiry led us to consider issues related to teaching and learning inquiry from multiple theoretical perspectives. Careful consideration of issues was needed, in part, because evaluation findings based on pre- and post-tests and other data from a field test of early CFW materials demonstrated little or no improvement in student outcomes related to inquiry. However, to fully interpret the data, it was necessary to address pedagogical theories related to learning inquiry and issues related to conceptions of inquiry from science and technology studies. It was also necessary to review evaluation protocols for assessment of inquiry outcomes. Evaluation findings enabled the development team to act on three broad recommendations: (a) integrate into materials content knowledge about birds and about inquiry to enable teachers and students to successfully plan and conduct bird studies, (b) provide disciplinespecific models for conducting inquiry (i.e., ornithologists’ decisions related to designing bird studies), and (c) assess outcomes mindful of broad rather than narrow definitions of inquiry to better reflect the Standards. Reflections In discussions over the years with Lab staff, curriculum developers, CFW teachers, and members of the evaluation team, the conversation invariably turns to the topic of “What could we have done differently?” with respect to engaging students and teachers in inquiry. Hindsight reveals a dilemma: curriculum developers did not possess detailed knowledge of inquiry as conducted by ornithologists, and ornithologists did not understand the crucial role of prior knowledge in learning to plan and conduct bird studies. Indeed, it was not surprising that much of scientists’ knowledge was tacit. Curriculum developers probed scientists’ knowledge, but insufficiently. The curriculum development experts were not local and did not attend regular meetings of the Lab project team. The lack of opportunities for in depth conversation between the Lab scientists and curriculum developers may have prevented sufficient exploration of the role of scientists’ knowledge in inquiry (see also Weiss, 1998). Each group held assumptions about teaching and practicing inquiry that remained unarticulated and unchallenged by the other. Questions crucial to design and delivery of the program remained unanswered, such as, “Why should students learn this?” and “What does someone have to understand in order to succeed at this activity?” The project stimulated thoughtful approaches to applying the Standards to development of curriculum materials. As Collins noted (1998), the existence of the Standards as a manifestation of policy has shaped research and development in science education. The Standards have served as the impetus for many curriculum projects since its publication. What seemed to be a straightforward application of the Standards to curriculum materials, however, quickly vanished in the first year of the CFW experience. In the early days of the CFW project, we found that using the Standards led us to think in ways we had not anticipated. We benefited enormously from revisiting the Standards which, rereading in light of our experiences, led to different insights. It is our hope that analysis and reflections on development of the early version of CFW will assist others to persist in development of opportunities for students to learn inquiry using the Standards or other robust frameworks in ways that reflect their complexity. Preactivities About Classroom Feederwatch Sections of the CFW Curriculum Teachers Audience Put up a feeder and add seed Register your school Set up your resource center How will I fit the project into my teaching? What is Classroom Feederwatch? What equipment do I need? How will I know what my students are learning? What are the goals of the project? Titles of Individual Activities Teaching Std D (p. 43) Teaching Std D (p. 44) Teaching Std D (p. 43) 1. Students learn to identify birds and become amateur ornithologists 2. Students collect data and contribute it to a research database used by professional ornithologists in their studies of bird populations 3. Students analyze and display data to answer their own questions and use their findings to describe how the natural world works 4. Students publish their conclusions and their observations, writings, and artwork Goals or Standards Addresseda Appendix: Overview of the Early Classroom FeederWatch Materials Instructions given for how to set up a feeder, store seed, etc Teacher register on line Teachers collect needed materials Describes the organization of the materials and the key activities Lists materials used for watching and identifying birds at feeders Refers to the assessments provided in some explorations Explains links between Standards and the curriculum Overview of Learning Activities 894 TRUMBULL ET AL. Explorations Part II: What can we learn about birds from data? Explorations Part I: What can we learn about our feeder birds? Students The unifying concepts and processes standard (p. 316) Content Std A: “Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events” (p. 148). Content Standard A: “With practice, students should be competent at communicating experimental methods, following instructions, describing observations, summarizing the results of other groups, and telling other students about investigations and explanations” (p. 148). Content Std G Nature of science (p. 170) 2.Identify birds at our feeders 3. What do we see on our bird walk? 4. Writing about and publishing your research Content Std G Nature of Science (p. 170) 1. What makes Classroom FeederWatch real science? Continued Students discuss a letter from Lab scientists, use of e-mail and web resources, review definitions and their role in collecting data Students learn basic bird identification skills Students predict birds they might see then take a bird walk and identify birds actually seen and compare to predictions Teachers present National Classroom Birdscope and develop plans to produce a Classroom Birdscope for their class SUPPORTING INQUIRY 895 Explorations Part III: What can we learn about bird biology and behavior? Sections of the CFW Curriculum (Continued ) Audience 8. Analyze and display bird-count data 6. Send your count-area data to the Lab 7. Count the birds at our feeders 5. Design and make your own feeders Titles of Individual Activities Content Standard A: “Students should be able to access, gather, store, retrieve, and organize data. Students should become competent at communicating experimental methods, following instructions, describing observations, summarizing the results of other groups, an tell other students about investigations and explanations. Mathematics can be used to ask questions; to gather, organize, and present data; and to structure convincing explanations” (pp. 145 and 148). Content Standard A: “Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results of investigations” (p. 148) Content Standard A: See above. Content Stds E Science and Technology (p. 166) and F Science In Personal and Social Perspectives (pp. 165 and 166). Content Std C, Life Science (pp. 157 and 158). Goals or Standards addresseda Students use Lab protocol to collect information about feeder habitats Students use binoculars and the Lab protocol to count birds Students use knowledge of bird biology to build feeders Overview of Learning Activities 896 TRUMBULL ET AL. Explorations Part IV: What else can we learn about birds? 14. How can birds fly? 13. How do feathers work? 12. How do birds get food? 11. How do beaks and feet help birds eat? 9.Why are birds important? 10. What is a bird? Unifying Concepts and Processes Standard (pp. 116 and 117) Unifying Concepts and Processes Standard (p. 116) Content Standard A: “Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involved making models” (p. 148) Content Standard C Life Science (p. 156) Content Standard A: “They [students] should develop abilities to design and conduct a scientific investigation; to develop description, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence” (p. 145) Content Standard C Life Science (pp. 156 and 157) Content Standard A: “Different kinds of questions . . . . .” (p. 148) Content Standard C (p. 156) Content Standard A: “Different kinds of questions . . . ” (p. 148) Content Standard C (p. 156) Content Standard B Physical Science (p. 154) Content Standard C Life Sciences (pp. 155 and 156) Continued Teacher scatters “food” objects in various locations, students attempt to find all the objects. Discuss factors that shape how birds locate food Students examine structure and functions of different kinds of feathers Students examine air flow over a wing, role of feathers in flight Students construct food webs, discuss role of birds Students learn unique features of Aves Students use household objects to determine how shapes of the objects affect ability to pick up or open seed objects. Discussion of adaptations SUPPORTING INQUIRY 897 Teachers Postactivities a A. Read a letter from the lab and National Classroom Birdscope B. Administer the postproject questionnaire 15. What can we learn from our own questions? Titles of Individual Activities Discussion of two assessment measures in addition to those in explorations. Students pick questions to explore, design procedures to gather data, set up investigations, collect, record and analyze data, present findings. 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