Chapter 8: Enhancing Elementary Teachers’ Understanding of Inquiry: Teaching and Learning using Online Scientific Discourse

This study investigated the extent to which the use of online media to engage elementary practitioners in scientific discourse supports their learning to teach inquiry-based science. Twenty-eight elementary practitioners enrolled in a four-week graduate elementary science methods course were involved in the study. Teachers were given opportunities to experience inquiry-based activities, develop good explanations for their claims, and engage in online discourse for the negotiation of ideas concerning claims. As a result of their experience, participants’ views of science inquiry learning and teaching significantly changed. This chapter describes challenges of using online resources to support the process of scientific argumentation and provides a model for application in teacher education and implications for further research.