Addressing the Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning Through Technology and Curriculum Design

Daniel C. Edelson (1) , Douglas N. Gordin (2) , Roy D. Pea (2)

1 School of Education and Social Policy
2 Center for Technology in Learning

Inquiry experiences can provide valuable opportunities for students to improve their understanding of both science content and scientific practices. However, the implementation of inquiry learning in classrooms presents a number of significant challenges. We have been exploring these challenges through a program of research on the use of scientific visualization technologies to support inquiry-based learning in the geosciences. In this article, we describe 5 significant challenges to implementing inquiry-based learning and present strategies for addressing them through the design of technology and curriculum. We present a design history covering 4 generations of software and curriculum to show how these challenges arise in classrooms and how the design strategies respond to them.

Keywords: learning sciences; climate science; visualization tools

Domains: Computer Science [cs]; Technology for Human Learning

Daniel C. Edelson, Douglas N. Gordin, Roy D. Pea. Addressing the Challenges of Inquiry-Based Learning Through Technology and Curriculum Design. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 1999, 8(3-4), pp.391-450. ⟨hal-00190609⟩