One Million New Scientists . . .

One Million New Ideas!

Kansas 4-H SCIENCE Ready

What is Inquiry?

• Learner Centered

• Active Investigation

• Open Questioning

“The critical element to inquiry is that the child seeks answers to questions and is not given answers” (Marek & Cavallo, 1997, p. 22)

Experiential learning – focuses on the learning within the common

experience

3

I will use what I learn about being a good team member on the playground .

What did you learn from this game experience? I learned

how to catch a ball with a mitt this year

Scientific Inquiry - focuses on the learner’s own questions about the

specific phenomenon

4

What combination of angle and speed of the bat will hit the ball into right field?

Types of Inquiry

• Structured

• Guided

• Open

Structured

• Facilitator provides scientific questions and methods for youth to follow to answer the questions.

• Youth are expected to reach the same outcomes.

– Ex. Beginning science lab experience

Guided

• Facilitator provides one or more questions

• Youth design investigations in order to answer the questions

• Results may be different

Open

• Youth form their own questions

• Youth design investigations to answer their questions

• Youth reach their own outcomes or results

Inquiry in Learning

Open Inquiry

Guided Inquiry

StructuredInquiry

Experiential Learning

Leader Centered Learner Centered

Kansas 4-H SCIENCE Ready

One Million New Scientists . . .

One Million New Ideas!