Paths through interpretive territory: Two teachers' enactment of a technology -rich, inquiry -fostering science curriculum.

Abstract

New understandings about how people learn and constructivist pedagogy pose challenges for teachers. Science teachers face an additional challenge of developing inquiry-based pedagogy to foster complex reasoning skills. Theory provides only fuzzy guidance as to how constructivist or inquiry pedagogy can be accomplished in a wide variety of contexts and local constraints. This study contributes to the understanding of the development of constructivist, inquiry-based pedagogy by addressing the question: <italic>How do teachers interpret and enact a technology-rich, inquiry fostering science curricula for fifth grade students' biodiversity learning?</italic> This research is a case study of two teachers chosen as critical contrasting cases and represent differences across multiple criteria including: urban I suburban, teaching philosophy, and content preparation. The two fifth grade teachers each enacted <italic>BioKIDS: Kids' Inquiry in Diverse Species</italic>, an eight week curriculum focused on biodiversity. <italic>BioKIDS</italic> incorporates multiple learning technologies to support student learning including handheld computer software designed to help students collect field data, and a web-based resource for data on local animal species. The results of this study indicate there are tensions teachers must struggle with when setting goals during enactment of inquiry science curricula. They must find a balance between an emphasis on <italic>authentic learning</italic> and <italic>authentic science</italic>, and between <italic>natural history </italic> and <italic>natural science</italic>. <italic>Authentic learning </italic> focuses on students' interests and lives; <italic>Authentic science </italic> focuses on students working with the tools and processes of science. <italic> Natural history</italic> focuses on the foundational skills in science of observation and classification. <italic>Natural science</italic> focuses on analytical science drawing on data to develop claims about the world. These two key tensions in teachers' goal setting were critical in defining and understanding differences in how teachers interpreted a curriculum to meet local context and constraints. This study also examined how teachers used technology and scientific inscriptions to support their goals. Implications for research in science education as well as design of curricula and technology are discussed.