Networked inquiry learning in secondary science classrooms

The research team together with six teachers and their year 9 and 10 students will explore what knowledge, skills and attitudes are needed so that inquiry teaching and learning in science can be supported through e-networked environments (i.e. blogs, e-mail), and further to see how online resources can support individual and group explorations in science.

The aim of this project is to investigate opportunities for students to connect with real-world science issues they are interested in and find personally engaging. This team will explore and theorise how science education can be made more relevant to and responsive to the needs and interests of students from diverse backgrounds. Overall, the project goals are to:
- describe the social construction of knowledge when diverse students are involved in individual or group science inquiries that may involve both, face to face and networked online environments, and
- put forward a framework for understanding networked inquiry learning in science classrooms underpinned by activity theory.

In order to achieve this we are working collaboratively with six teachers to create a shared vision for inquiry-oriented learning, and identify how to support teachers so they can equip students to conduct science investigations and effectively collect and analyse data in a scientific manner.