Experiencing Inquiry: What Professionals in Science Education Say in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Teachers' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Many teachers face challenges in teaching inquiry science in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic mostly because of the change of teaching mode from physical to virtual or lack of pedagogical skills to prompt inquiry in a remote setting. Students face challenges too that renders learning inquiry hard to launch at home. This study focuses on analyzing and interpreting the interview responses from five in-service science teachers and five science educators to understand their lived experiences of engaging inquiry during the pandemic. Preliminary findings of revitalizing true nature of science as experiencing pro-scientists’ way, pursuing inquiry as intelligent failure, and experiencing inquiry as educational change will facilitate discussion of this guiding theme. Implications for post-pandemic teacher education are discussed.

Authors

• Yanhong Moore, Texas Tech University

• Jeasik Cho, Texas Tech University

• Jianlan Wang, Texas Tech University

• Emily Lahr, Texas Tech University