Research project Laboratory exercises for learning about scientific inquiry
The project develops and tests a teaching model that makes scientific inquiry a more explicit part of classroom instruction. The aim is to strengthen students’ understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated, enabling them to conduct their own investigations and interpret the results of others.
Photo: Kristian Pohl.
Understanding scientific inquiry is a central part of science education in schools, but it often receives limited attention in the classroom. In practice, it frequently becomes something students do, rather than something they develop a deeper understanding of.
Research and curriculum documents show that students need not only hands-on experience from laboratory work, but also a conceptual understanding of how scientific knowledge is generated and how scientific investigations are structured. Without this understanding, it becomes difficult to interpret and evaluate results, both their own and those of others.
This project therefore develops and tests a didactic model that makes understanding scientific inquiry an explicit educational goal for laboratory instruction. The model is developed in close collaboration with teachers in biology, physics, and chemistry and is tested in classroom practice.
The aim is to strengthen students’ understanding of scientific inquiry through more deliberate and structured teaching. In this way, teaching can contribute to students’ scientific literacy and their ability to critically understand and evaluate scientific results in society.