What is the role of science teachers in inquiry-based classrooms?
Teachers serve as “facilitators of learning” in inquiry-based classrooms, guiding students through the inquiry process. To foster this type of learning environment, teachers use three types of inquiry in science: structured, guided, and open (see Table 3). There is debate as to which type of inquiry is best. The general consensus is that any form of inquiry (structured, guided, or open) can be useful to students when taught appropriately and well. Structured inquiry is the most teacher-centered of the three types of inquiry. This type of inquiry is commonly seen in science classrooms in the form of laboratory exercises. The teacher provides fairly structured procedures for the inquiry activity, and students carry out the investigations. Structured inquiry could be described as the most traditional approach to inquiry. On the far side of the spectrum is open inquiry. This type of inquiry requires the least amount of teacher intervention and is student led. Students often work in groups
