Bridging Research, Policy and Practice of Inquiry in Singaporean Classrooms

Abstract

The focus of these four chapters—inquiry teaching and learning in Singaporean science classrooms—is an area of utmost importance in preparing children to be scientifically literate in the twenty-first century. Most science educators believe strongly that the time for change in the way science is taught has arrived. First, there is virtually no way anyone can learn all the exponentially increasing volume of new science facts by simply memorising this information. Second, there is no evidence that memorisation leads children to be critical thinkers. Third, in today’s rapidly changing world and with advances in scientific discoveries, it is important for children to understand what science is, and what science is not, and aspects of the nature of science. Research suggests that inquiry-based science instruction has the potential to move diverse children towards independent and critical thinking (see Blanchard et al., 2010; Cuevas, Lee, Hart & Deaktor, 2005). Yet, the reality is that little change is taking place in many classrooms in the United States and in other countries (see Capps & Crawford, 2013). Understanding how we can support teachers in changing the way science is taught to children is a worldwide issue. Internationally, there is a distinct shift from expecting teachers to use primarily lectures and fact-based instruction to use reform-based inquiry pedagogy in their science classrooms. In Singapore, the national science curriculum was updated in 2008 to include inquiry as the core and guiding philosophy. In Europe there is increased attention to the question of how to effectively support teachers in changing their practice to involve students in asking and answering questions, using data as evidence and justifying their explanations (i.e. Osborne & Dillon, 2008).