PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 16: Ecology Education
Tuesday, August 9, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Tips for developing inquiry and problem-solving laboratories.
Lanza, Janet*,1, 2, Winter, Jim 2, 1 Biology Department, Little Rock, AR, USA2 Arkansas STRIVE, Little Rock, AR, USA
ABSTRACT- Inquiry. Problem solving. Experts encourage us to use these types of activities in our classrooms and laboratories, because they stimulate student interest and critical thinking. Although many lab manuals are advertised as inquiry or problem solving, most are cookbook or guided inquiry. We have developed inquiry and problem-solving laboratories (available as New Designs for Bio-explorations) for a new first-year biology course. We also have helped secondary school teachers develop these types of lessons for seven years. It is not easy to develop and implement these lessons because 1) it requires a new mind-set, 2) some teachers (especially teaching assistants and secondary school teachers) do not have experience in research, and 3) students have not previously experienced this type of teaching. We will share our tips on developing successful inquiry and problem-solving laboratories. We see positive outcomes when students have ownership over their activities.
Key words: inquiry, problem solving, laboratory, teaching