504synthesispaper

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION ON INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING1

The Effectiveness of Educational Technology, Through the Implementation of Technology

Integration, on Inquiry-Based Learning

Ashley Hungerford

Boise State University Ed Tech 504


Abstract

The aim of this paper is to show the impact that technology can make on an inquiry-based

learning program. Research shows that inquiry-based learning can improve retention and build

scaffolding, research has also shown that technology can aide in inquiry-based learning.

Throughout this paper the connections between inquiry-based learning and educational

technology are highlighted, as is the impact that technology can have on a budget restricted

program. Inquiry-based learning takes place across every grade-level and every subject, as is

evidenced by the research on the effectiveness of inquiry-based learning in early childhood

programs, middle and high school programs, and even specific subjects such as science. In all of

these various pedagogical situations technology increased the productivity of the students;

thereby, increasing the effectiveness of the teaching methodologies. The ability to utilize

technology tools in inquiry-based classrooms has been shown to have a positive effect on a

program’s ability to provide affordable, time-managed, safe situations in which students can gain

the experiences needed to build new knowledge and apply it to meaningful and relevant real-

world issues. It seems abundantly clear, when considering the research, that inquiry-based

learning programs are better served through the integration of technology.


Introduction

According to Antoine de Saint-Exupery, “The machine does not isolate man from the

great problems of nature but plunges him more deeply into them (McMillan, 2004).” This quote

is the basis for my contention that educational technology practices, including instructional

technology, should be integrated into inquiry-based learning classrooms in order to create

meaningful real-world learning experiences within the confines of a classroom. Inquiry-based

learning is part of constructivist learning theories, and follows the tenet that learning is built from

experience and is student driven. Inquiry-based learning models create the perfect platform in

which to integrate educational technology theories. The aim of educational technology is to

improve the learning process through the use of technology resources. The goals of both

educational technology and inquiry-based learning are aligned; they strive to facilitate learning

by providing relevant hands-on experiences that are student driven. They do this by providing

access to research tools, real-world situations, and relevant experiences that engage the learner in

building knowledge. I intend to show the natural and vital role that educational technology plays

in inquiry-based learning. The relationship between educational technology and inquiry-based

learning will be explored in two specific ways: pedagogical approaches to facilitating learning

across contexts, and the role of inquiry-based learning and technology in science programs.

Pedagogical Approaches to Facilitating Learning Across Contexts

“Children naturally explore and learn about their environments through inquiry, and

computer technologies offer an accessible vehicle for extending the domain and range of this


inquiry (Wang, Kinzie, McGuire, & Pan, 2009)." “Inquiry-based learning involves students’

learning ‘through guided exploration and investigation of the complex questions and problems of

their discipline in ways that mirror the scholarly and research processes of those disciplines and

practices’ (Little, 2008).” Inquiry-based learning, as a pedagogical approach, is not always easy

for teacher’s to implement in a classroom setting as it requires relevant real-world situations.

Due to cuts in funding, that could allow teachers to take students into the world to expose them

to real problems, teachers must now attempt to create their own problems for students to solve or

experience.

Problems that have been planned, created, or selected by teachers are usually more

static than those addressed in real-world experience. To address this issue, technology

has been used to present problem contexts pertinent to the inquiry subject matter and

guide learners into encountering complex domains that are productive for learning

(Wang, Kinzie, McGuire, & Pan, 2009).

Technology provides a window to the world, and teachers in all subjects and in all grade levels

can take advantage of this teaching tool. Technology not only provides students with an

opportunity to apply higher level thinking skills; it offers them an additional resource for

modeling expert thinking. In a traditional inquiry-based classrooms the teacher is the facilitator

of the learning, and as such is responsible for modeling expert thinking skills; experts model

questioning strategies, breaking down complex concepts or tasks, and problem solving strategies.

Teachers that utilize technology programs that provide inquiry-based learning opportunities,

offer students another expert resource that “can help decompose complex tasks into smaller ones,

making explicit what would otherwise be tacit problem solving processes” (Wang, Kinzie,

McGuire, & Pan, 2009). Technology, when implemented correctly, is a great support for inquiry-


based leaning. Technology has the ability to provide experiences that teachers could never

provide students, even with proper funding.

All of the fundamental properties of computing technologies can offer benefits for inquiry

learning, such as the ability to store and manipulate large quantities of information, the

ability to present and permit interaction with information

in a variety of formats, the ability to perform complex computations, the support for

communication and expression, and the ability to respond rapidly and individually to

users (Scanlon, Anastopoulou, Kerawalla, & Mulholland, 2011).

According to the research by Scanlon et al, technology allows students to experience learning in

an environment that supports individualized learning. These tools provide students with

immediate feedback, a difficult thing for teachers with 20 plus students to accomplish. The

concept of connectivism, which is another constructivist based theory, suggests that people only

learn by making connections through experience. One could easily agree that connections are

essential for learning, but what connectivism doesn’t take into consideration is the accuracy of

the information being ascertained, and thereby incorrectly transferred through connection.

Technology takes the “human-error” factor out of the equation. Not only does technology

provide more individualized instruction, and eliminate human-error, but it also provides an

opportunity for students to make connections with others, within the school environment, the

community, and even the larger global environment.

Technology also supports the distribution of cognition among learners during

inquiry learning. According to theories of distributed cognition, when learning

takes place in a group, individual cognition is interwoven with group cognition,

grounded in the activities and learning context; learners can collaborate with


each other to finish a shared activity, stimulating, guiding, or redirecting others’

thinking (Wang, Kinzie, McGuire, & Pan, 2009).

These technology tools can be used in any classroom, no matter the grade level or the

subject. Examples of the effectiveness of technology across various contexts are abundant. One

such example, provided by Wang et al, is as follows “In early childhood contexts, Papert

designed a computer software environment that enabled children to conduct a Newtonian physics

experiment under ideal conditions: a box in motion continued to move indefinitely until acted

upon by an external force (2009).” This type of experiment with a classroom full of early

childhood students would be difficult, if not impossible, but technology makes it possible for

students to experience these complex concepts in an easily understood medium. The technology

tools available to teachers range from simple computer-based software games to more advanced

simulations, to scripted programs. “Scripts provide a way of describing an activity in terms of

learner roles and tasks; scripts orchestrate the learners through an inquiry-learning process and

provide a sequence of activities (Scanlon, Anastopoulou, Kerawalla, & Mulholland, 2011).”

Some scripted programs, which are often geared towards science inquiry programs, allow

students and teachers more guidance through the inquiry process. It can often be difficult for

teachers to move from a direct instruction to a facilitated instruction environment. No matter

what type of technology a teacher chooses to utilize in an inquiry-based classroom, it can help

students make connections, support individual cognition through group cognition, provide

unique and relevant real-world experiences, and it can provide students with an opportunity for

reflection on knowledge acquisition and implementation.

The Role of Inquiry-Based Learning and Technology in Science Programs


According to the National Research Council, “Over the last 25 years, the landscape of K–

12 classrooms has significantly changed to include a focus on literacy rather than mastery of

declarative subject knowledge. This movement places additional emphasis on developing

reasoning, understanding the nature of science, and using inquiry as the primary pedagogy”

(Crippen & Archambault, 2012). Inquiry-based learning has become the new landscape of

science. Inquiry-based instruction fits seamlessly into science, as science dictates that students

experience the problems of the world by questioning everything, researching, experimenting, and

applying that knowledge to their personal lives and surroundings. In science, we teach students

to take an active role in changing their environment, we teach how science has changed us and

the world around us in the past and how it continues to do so in the present. Science is all about

experience and inquiry. Having stated that inquiry should be, and is, the signature pedagogy for

science does not make the process of implementing an inquiry-based program any easier.

Inquiry-based programs require commitment from teachers, schools, parents, students, and even

the community at large; that commitment can present itself in various ways. Commitment to

inquiry-based education in science means money, time, supervision, supplies, a real-world

context, an opportunity to make an impact, and even something as simple as buy-in from the

stand-point of program support. One of the simplest ways to meet many of the commitment

needs is to utilize emerging technologies.

Unfortunately, schools have been rather slow in embracing the use of technology when it

comes to signature pedagogies within specific content areas. This is significant, as

education cannot hope to meet the demands of a globalized, knowledge-based society

without leveraging available 21st century communication technologies that serve as both


the delivery mechanisms for instruction as well as the future platforms in which students

will work and perform (Crippen & Archambault, 2012).

Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power”. If this statement is true than the internet is the

field of knowledge, and technology is the means by which future generations will grow and

harvest that knowledge. It is the educator’s responsibility to teach students to utilize the tools

needed to acquire this knowledge. “To take advantage of these new technologies to benefit

student learning, teachers need to become aware of their existence, learn how to use them, and

become comfortable with the methods by which they are implemented for both classroom and

home use (Crippen & Archambault, 2012).” Without proper guidance, information obtained from

technology could be misconstrued, misused, poorly understood and applied, and even

quantifiably wrong. Technology is a wonderful tool, but it must be used correctly in order to

create the outcomes mentioned previously.

With so many tools out there which ones should be utilized in an inquiry-based science

classroom? There are several steps that can be taken to ensure that technology use is truly

inquiry-based and will have the desired learning outcome. In order to be highly effective the

technology must address what the National Science Education Standards calls the “five essential

features of inquiry” (Crippen & Archambault, 2012).

1. Learners are engaged by scientifically oriented questions. Typically, each

lesson is framed and focused on an essential or big question, which are based on real-

world problems.

2. Learners give priority to evidence, which allows them to develop and evaluate

explanations that address scientifically oriented questions.

3. Learners formulate explanations from evidence to address scientifically


oriented questions. Typically, this evidence is collected and compiled into

a chart, diagram, or other data representation that serves as the artifact of

their analysis. Later, this artifact is presented and defended, becoming the

central focus of a collaborative discussion.

4. Learners evaluate their explanations in light of alternative explanations,

particularly those reflecting scientific understanding. Once the claim statements

are written, students compare their claims against what scientists

accept as valid.

5. Learners communicate and justify their proposed explanations. (Crippen &

Archambault, 2012)

Technology, when used correctly in a science classroom, can open up a world of relevant and

engaging scientific inquiry. All too often science is thought to be too difficult to master, the

requirements of scientific thought and action, the methodology, and the rigor of problem-solving

can be overwhelming, especially if students are connected to (or don’t care about) the subject

matter in question. There is a need to give science a personal meaning.

Anastopoulou et al., suggests “that students will both engage with and take a committed

stance towards the scientific process by forming questions for which they genuinely want to

know the answer, by carrying out investigations that relate to their own needs and concerns,

and by discussing emerging findings with peers and experts (2011).” Anastopoulou et al, are

suggesting that students will take ownership of their own knowledge if given the opportunity

make the experience authentic. Authenticity is a big concept, and a difficult one to achieve in a

classroom with 20 plus students all wanting to ask different questions and solve different

problems. Once again, the limitations of the traditional school environment are in question.


How does technology fit into the picture? One way that technology has been used in

science classrooms to create a personalized connection with science concepts is through

MUVEs. MUVE stands for mulit-user virtual environments. “One alternative to classroom-

based inquiry that has arisen in recent years is curricula embedded within computer-based

educational multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). MUVEs have emerged as a fertile

platform for situated inquiry learning environments, especially concerning science inquiry

learning processes (Erlandson, Nelson, & Savenye, 2010).” In an era of video gaming, these 3-

D worlds where people can interact with a virtual environment, as well as with each other as

avatars, is truly opening the door to a new world. “In these environments, learners can interact

with various situated objects (including images, sounds, and other multimedia content) while

communicating and collaborating with other learners to investigate scenarios and solve

problems of varying complexity (Erlandson, Nelson, & Savenye, 2010).” In these virtual worlds

students are given an opportunity to safely explore problems that matter to them, they have the

opportunity to work together collaboratively; which is one of the fundamentals of successful

inquiry-based programs, and they can do all of this without leaving their classrooms or homes.

Technology can be the tool that allows students to make science inquiry personal, allow

teachers to provide students with previously impossible experiences, and allow schools to

provide a safe and effective learning environment for the student as an individual.

Conclusion

The goal of inquiry-based learning is to motivate students to take ownership of their own

learning, to solve real-world problems, gain experience, build a knowledge schema, and utilize

all of that knowledge and experience throughout their lives. Wanting students to learn is one


thing, but providing the means is another. The average student “ ages 8 to 18 spend more than

seven and a half hours a day with technology devices, compared with less than six and a half

hours five years ago, when the study was last conducted. And that does not count the hour and a

half that youths spend texting, or the half-hour they talk on their cellphones. And because so

many of them are multitasking — say, surfing the Internet while listening to music — they pack

on average nearly 11 hours of media content into that seven and a half hours” (Lewin, 2010).

With all of the time that students already spend on technology, keeping them connected only

makes sense. The fact that so many schools expect students to disconnect from technology,

which is the way that they connect and understand the world, in order to learn is ridiculous. By

integrating technology into the inquiry-based curriculum, schools not only increase the

effectiveness of the inquiry-based program, but they do so while engaging students. “The extent

to which a learning setting can engage learners is often seen as a strong indicator of the depth

and scope of the learning that will occur (Oliver, 2008).” Technology can be used to provide a

variety of learning experiences without the need for additional resources like time, money, and

the availability of unit appropriate situations. With all of the resources available online teachers

have the world at their fingertips, and with proper facilitation they can open that world up to their

students. Inquiry-based learning can be used with any age group and in any subject, and

technology can be used as a tool to amplify the effectiveness of every inquiry-based learning

program. With all of the research available regarding the effectiveness of technology in inquiry-

based programs, one must remember that the teacher is still an essential key to the success of

student learning. According to Bill Gates, “Technology is just a tool. In terms of getting the kids

working together and motivating them, the teacher is the most important”. It is time for teachers


to move into the future of inquiry-based learning; it is time to use the tools of technology; it is

time for educational technology to form a lasting bond with inquiry-based learning.


Bibliography

Akyol, Z., & Garrison, R. D. (2011). Understanding cognitive presence in an online and blended community of inquiry: Assessing outcomes and processes for deep approaches to learning. BritishJournalof EducationalTechnology, 42(2), 233–250.

Anastopoulou, S., Sharples, M., Ainsworth, S., Crook, C., O'Malley, C., & Wright, M. (2011). Creating personal meaning through technology-supported science inquiry learning across formal and informal settings. International Journal of Science Education, 34(2), 251–273.

Crippen, K. J., & Archambault, L. (2012). scaffolded inquiry-based instruction with technology a signature pedagogy for stem education. Computers in the Schools, 157–173.

Erlandson, B., Nelson, B., & Savenye, W. C. (2010). Collaboration modality, cognitive load, and science inquiry leanring in virtual inquiry environments. Education Tech Research Dev, 693–710.

Lewin, T. (2010, January 20). If Your Kids Are Awake, They’re Probably Online. Retrieved November 10, 2013, from nytimes.com: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/education/20wired.html?_r=0

Little, S. (2008). Inquiry-based learning and technology—supporting institutional TEL within one pedagogical context. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(3), 422–432.

MacGregor, S. K., & Lou, Y. (2004-2005). Web-Based Learning: How Task Scaffolding and Web Site Design Support Knowledge Acquisition. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 37(2), 161-175.

McMillan, E. (2004). Saint Exupery. Retrieved November 3, 2013, from The Greatest Authors of All Time: http://www.editoreric.com/greatlit/authors/SaintExupery.html

Oliver, R. (2008). Engaging first year students using a web-supported inquiry-based learning setting. High Educ, 285–301.

Pow, J., & Fu, J. (2012). Developing Digital Literacy through Collaborative Inquiry Learning in the Web 2.0 Environment An Exploration of Implementing Strategy. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 288-299.

Scanlon, E., Anastopoulou, S., Kerawalla, L., & Mulholland, P. (2011). How technology resources can be used to represent personal inquiry and support students’ understanding of it across contexts. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 516–529.

Wang, F., Kinzie, M. B., McGuire, P., & Pan, E. (2009). Applying Technology to Inquiry-Based Learning in Early Childhood Education. Early Childhood Educ J, 381–389.