Magaji, Adewale and Ade-Ojo, Gordon ORCID: 0000-0002-1098-0765 (2018) Social pedagogy in a UK secondary science classroom: developing and promoting scientific inquiry skills among students. In: “Competing Interests and Conflicting Pressures in Higher Education: How Can We Balance the Competing Demands of Stakeholders of University Education?”, 05- 06 Jul 2018, University of Greenwich, London. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This qualitative research is informed by a constructivist approach to learning, with a focus on answering the research question: what are the drivers of class room interactions between science students and their teachers that encourage and promote scientific inquiry? The study was carried out in a co-education secondary school in London, United Kingdom, and involves two cohorts of students totalling 82, aged 13 and 14 years in years 8 and 9 . Data was collected through lesson observations and the analysis of outcome from students’ practical work. Following an initial thematic analysis, the data were analysed for categorisation using NVIVO 10. The study found that applying and using prior knowledge to support learning, collaborative learning sequence and teacher’s corrective utterances were the major drivers of classroom interactions. Underpinning these drivers were common features such as scientific literacy and communications, creativity in problem solving, curiosity among students and taking responsibility in leading their learning. With regard to practical work, students were able to collect and analyse data but with difficulty in asking questions and using the data as evidence in their explanations as such impeding their ability to make argument and reasonable conclusions. We argue that teachers’ pedagogical knowledge was a limiting factor in promoting scientific inquiry. Therefore, to promote scientific inquiry, students should be engaged in the drivers of classroom interactions as a way forward.

Item Type:	Conference or Conference Paper (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	scientific inquiry, scientific literacy, creativity, curiosity
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1603 Secondary Education. High schools
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development Faculty of Education, Health & Human Sciences > Institute for Lifecourse Development > Centre for Thinking and Learning
Last Modified:	24 Sep 2020 14:14
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/29515

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