A Study of Learning Progression During Open Inquiry in Year 9: Learning to Do and Learning About Scientific Inquiry

Abstract Learning to do scientific inquiry (SI) and about the nature of scientific inquiry (NOSI) are crucial elements of scientific literacy, essential for students’ ongoing involvement in STEM education and their role as informed citizens in today’s society, and to a further extent, crucial for development and knowledge production within society. However, challenges such as teacher inexperience, competing educational goals, and resource limitations restrict students’ opportunities to fully engage with these learning objectives. With previous research stressing the need to look at classroom practices in detail, this study follows the whole process of the work of three ninth-grade students while participating in an open inquiry project investigating sound and light. We observed the students’ progress, aiming to elucidate engagement in doing SI and learning about NOSI. Data collection included audio recordings, field notes, and interviews, analyzed using a pragmatic perspective on learning. The analysis identified students’ engagement in the following: (1) formulating a researchable question, (2) designing a method to answer the question, (3) exploring the phenomenon and collecting data, (4) writing a report, (5) re-examining the method, and (6) trying to understand the purpose of scientific inquiry. These emerged iteratively throughout the unit, highlighting students’ active involvement in the inquiry process. The findings manifested students’ continuous learning progression towards SI and, to some extent, NOSI, underscoring the importance of teacher support in bridging the explicit connections between these goals. Drawing on prior research, the discussion contributes to a deeper understanding of students’ learning trajectories in open inquiry settings and improved teaching methods.