How is inquiry science teaching different than “hands-on” science teaching?
“Hands-on” doesn’t always mean “minds on.” In a “hands-on” situation, the teacher might be conducting the investigation, with students following along, as they would with a recipe. In inquiry teaching and learning, students are thinking and questioning. They are coming up with the questions to investigate. Students devise these investigations that in fact are hands-on, but not prescribed by the teacher. Inquiry teaching and learning naturally follows the students learning path, as they design, problem-solve, and collaborate.
