Student Inquiry in Science Education: Scrutinizing the Meaning and Practice of Inquiry in School Science

Without changing everyday teaching routines of the teachers, reform efforts in science education are destined to the failure. Inquiry as one of the most essential elements of contemporary science education reform movements promises this change to occur in the teaching practices of science teachers. Yet, the specific meanings attributed to inquiry by science teachers do not necessarily match with the original intentions of science education reform documents and present a potential threat to the future success of reform efforts. This book provides a comprehensive discussion of the meaning of practicing inquiry in science classrooms and opens new avenues in our understanding of classroom inquiry.