'What do I do next?' Promoting scientific inquiry by allowing students to design their own scientific investigations

Research question. What happens when students design their own scientific investigations?Sub questions. (1) What types of investigations do students come up with? (2) What are some of the challenges and benefits of student designed investigations? (3) How do student designed investigations affect student learning of concepts?Research activities. In this study, students were assigned the task of designing an experiment to test a particular question related to one of the California State Standards. To accomplish this assignment, they were given a handout with a main question, a list of materials and several "pre-lab" questions designed to guide them in carrying out their experiment. Context. This study took place in an 8th grade physical science classroom within a Title I school. The class was composed of 28 students ranging in academic abilities, ELL levels and special needs. Methods and data. Data included pre and post attitudinal surveys, students' written work from labs, student interviews and pre and post assessments for each lab that focused on one of the California State Standards. Results. Data showed that students struggled to come up with a procedure that tested a variable related to the main question. Many students had procedures that were flawed and led to them to incorrect findings. Data from the assessments were inconclusive as many students came into the lab with some prior knowledge on the material being tested, although some did perform better in the post-assessment as a result of performing the lab. Conclusion. While having students create their own investigations promotes student thinking, it is challenging to create parameters of the investigation that are open-ended and help students arrive at scientifically sound conclusions.Grade level. Eighth GradeData collection methods. Surveys - Attitude, Teacher-made assessments, Observation- Field Notes, Interviews, Student WorkCurriculum areas. Science - Physical ScienceInstructional approaches. Inquiry Learning, Scientific Method, Student Engagement...