Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20103
Title: A scoping study investigating student perceptions towards inquiry based learning in the laboratory
Contributor(s): King, Nicola (author); van der Touw, Tom  (author); Spowart, Lucy (author); Lawlor, Craig  (author)
Publication Date: 2016
Open Access: Yes
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/20103
Open Access Link: http://scimath.net/articles/43/433.pdfOpen Access Link
Abstract: There has been an increasing movement towards the introduction of inquiry based learning in undergraduate physiology laboratories. Students can however find this challenging when there is a sudden transition from traditional didactic practicals to full inquiry based activities. One reason for this could be the students' perceptions about the introduction of inquiry based learning. The aim of this preliminary scoping investigation was to judge students' attitudes towards inquiry based learning following a practical containing an element of inquiry. Students were supplied with approximately 2.5cm gastrointestinal ileal loops from guinea-pigs which they connected via a force transducer to recording equipment. Students were also provided with 4 agonists and 4 antagonists for which they had to determine which antagonist paired with which agonist and which order to add the drugs. After the practical students completed a questionnaire and survey. Twenty nine percent of students strongly agreed and 54% agreed that detailed instructions should be given about how to carry out each practical. In answer to the statement I'd value the opportunity to design and carry out my own experiments, 12% strongly agreed, whilst 27% agreed and 48% were neutral. The commonest anxieties expressed by the students were that they would not understand the practical and not getting the right results. These findings suggest that considerable thought needs to be given as to how to best introduce physiology students to inquiry based practicals and that these student cohorts may benefit from some more scoping activities. Some ideas for these scoping activities are presented.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 4(3), p. 305-314
Publisher: European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Place of Publication: Turkey
ISSN: 2301-251X
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 130212 Science, Technology and Engineering Curriculum and Pedagogy
130209 Medicine, Nursing and Health Curriculum and Pedagogy
130202 Curriculum and Pedagogy Theory and Development
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 390113 Science, technology and engineering curriculum and pedagogy
390110 Medicine, nursing and health curriculum and pedagogy
390102 Curriculum and pedagogy theory and development
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 930202 Teacher and Instructor Development
930201 Pedagogy
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 160303 Teacher and instructor development
160302 Pedagogy
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

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