At the challenge, the teacher plays a very active facilitating role, encouraging groups and making suggestions. At the open exploration, the teacher played a very active facilitating role, helping groups to have productive explorations. This example of open exploration illustrates only one phase of inquiry. In order to achieve more complete conceptual learning and develop the full range of science skills, there must be an opportunity to do longer-term inquiry. In such inquiries, student work becomes more focused than it is in the open exploration activity.
Students design and conduct investigations as they pursue a line of questioning.
As part of these investigations, students learn and practice a number of skills that help them make some sense out of what they are seeing. They learn to organize data and make graphs to help interpret the results of their investigations. Perhaps, even more importantly, they learn to persevere and overcome obstacles when results are not readily forthcoming. Communication becomes an even more important element in extended inquiry. The information that students can share with one another is critical to the building of understanding by individuals-and by the group.