Thu 18.09.2014 - 13:45-14:15 - Foyer

Inquiry-Based EXCELLENT Learning : Scaffolds for the Gifted  Poster

Presenter: Lana Goossens
Author(s): Marieke Peeters, (Radboud University Nijmegen, Science Hub, The Netherlands), Jo Verlinden, (BCO Onderwijsadvies, The Netherlands), Lana Goossens, (Science education HUB Radboud University, The Netherlands), Lianne Hoogeveen (Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

Based on a pilot study with 10 schools, we developed an approach with different kinds of scaffolds for teachers so they can learn how to differentiate in inquiry-based science education (IBSE) between regular and gifted children in one classroom. The cycle of IBSE consists of the steps: introduction/confrontation; exploration; designing an experiment; conducting an experiment; concluding; presenting, and elaborating/ broadening. Every step has its own goals and with every goal there are different scaffolds which focus on how to guide and challenge the gifted children in the inquiry process. Within the thematic project called ‘Perception and action in movement’ we will show the scaffolds for each phase of IBSE. For example, the teacher will learn how to use concept cartoons in order to gain insight into misconceptions of the gifted children, and a ‘questioning machine’ to learn what criteria are for a good research question. In IBSE, there are three levels depending on the amount of control of the teacher versus the amount of freedom of the children. We focused on the highest levels , i.e., guided inquiry for the non-gifted learners and open inquiry for the gifted learners. In guided inquiry, the teacher presents the research question and allows learners to construct their own investigation. The open inquiry level focus on the following types of gifted learners: successful, creative and autonomous learner. During open inquiry, children perform their own investigation to answer the research question that they composed themselves. They will learn to have an research attitude and to be critical with the information they search for in this digital age. We present an interactive poster with QR-codes that will send you to the website with materials and video clips of the project. For each step of the inquiry process, we present goals and related scaffolds.