Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment

Marta Romero-Ariza; Antonio Quesada; Ana Maria Abril; Peter Sorensen; Mary Colette Oliver

doi:10.29333/ejmste/109658

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Marta Romero-Ariza ¹, Antonio Quesada ¹, Ana Maria Abril ¹, Peter Sorensen ², Mary Colette Oliver ² ^*

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¹ University of Jaen, SPAIN² University of Nottingham, UK^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Inquiry pedagogies provide opportunities to meet learning outcomes linked to developing scientific literacy. Within a European project intended at promoting Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), this paper presents quantitative and qualitative data about teachers’ views of IBL and its enactment in England and Spain. Results show that teachers in both countries hold positive views based on benefits to students and science learning and perceive important systemic and personal barriers to the successful implementation, even after decades of political efforts. Teachers express frustration with the lack of time, teaching resources, classroom management and the demands of curriculum delivery, assessment and accountability. There is an emphasis on hands-on activities and students’ motivation but no stress on cognitive and epistemic aspects, showing views not well aligned with current understanding of the type of inquiry that best support learning. Implications for research and practice suggest that there is still a need to expand knowledge about how to support teachers in making the most of this pedagogy.

Keywords

inquiry
scientific literacy
scientific practices
teachers’ views
teacher professional development

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 16, Issue 1, January 2020, Article No: em1793

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

Publication date: 07 Sep 2019

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Article Downloads: 1856

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How to cite this article

APA

Romero-Ariza, M., Quesada, A., Abril, A. M., Sorensen, P., & Oliver, M. C. (2020). Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(1), em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

Vancouver

Romero-Ariza M, Quesada A, Abril AM, Sorensen P, Oliver MC. Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2020;16(1):em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

AMA

Romero-Ariza M, Quesada A, Abril AM, Sorensen P, Oliver MC. Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2020;16(1), em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

Chicago

Romero-Ariza, Marta, Antonio Quesada, Ana Maria Abril, Peter Sorensen, and Mary Colette Oliver. "Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2020 16 no. 1 (2020): em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

Harvard

Romero-Ariza, M., Quesada, A., Abril, A. M., Sorensen, P., and Oliver, M. C. (2020). Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(1), em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658

MLA

Romero-Ariza, Marta et al. "Highly Recommended and Poorly Used: English and Spanish Science Teachers’ Views of Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) and its Enactment". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 16, no. 1, 2020, em1793. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/109658