Methods
To explore the question: How I can effectively scaffold inquiry learning in my classroom and how does it affect student motivation? I used a variety of data collection techniques, including surveys, interviews, observations, journaling, and assessment data. I selected one class for analysis and chose six focus students for panel discussions.
Surveys
Three initial surveys (Appendix A) assessed student views on the inquiry process, motivation, and grit. I created the surveys on the inquiry process and motivation; however, the grit survey was developed by Angela Duckworth. These surveys formed the baseline data for the class.
Some sample questions on the inquiry process survey are:
How knowledgeable are you about the inquiry process?
List skills you think are important for scientists to develop.
Do you possess any of these skills? Yes/No
Which ones?
Some sample questions on the motivation survey are:
Write about a time when you felt motivated to achieve something. Please be as descriptive as possible. What about the event made you want to do it?
Rate each of the following for how significantly they contribute to your motivation levels to do a task.
I feel motivated when I can clearly see the value of a task beyond just the classroom.
Sample questions from Angela Duckworth’s Grit Scale are:
I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge.
Data from the surveys was graphed and analyzed for trends. The grit scores were arbitrarily divided into low, medium-low, medium-high, and high categories for easier analysis. These scores were compared with the Academic Motivation Survey given to the class in October (see below).
Questions from both the inquiry skills survey and the motivation survey were again used in a final survey at the end of the semester to monitor changes in student understanding of inquiry skills as well as student perceptions of motivation.
In October, an additional survey, the Academic Motivation Survey (Appendix A), developed by Vallerand et. al. (1989) was given to the students to analyze their motivation for school. The survey analyzed 7 different types of motivation, intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to experience, intrinsic motivation to accomplish, extrinsic motivation – identified, extrinsic motivation – introjected, extrinsic motivation – external regulation and amotivation (see Understandings for descriptions of each motivation type).
Sample questions from the Academic Motivation Survey are:
Using the scale below (1-7, with 1 being does not correspond at all, and 7 corresponds a lot), indicate to what extent each of the following items presently corresponds to one of the reasons that you go to school.
1. Because I experience pleasure and satisfaction while learning new things. (Intrinsic motivation–to know)
2. For the pleasure of surpassing myself in my studies. (Intrinsic motivation–to accomplish)
3. For the pleasure that I experience when I am taken by discussions with interesting teachers. (Intrinsic motivation–to experience)
4. Because I think that a high school education will help me better prepare for the career I have chosen. (Extrinsic motivation–identified)
5. To prove to myself that I am capable of completing my high school degree. (Extrinsic–introjected)
6. Because I at least need a high-school degree in order to find a high paying job later on. (Extrinsic–external regulation)
7. Honestly, I don’t know; I really feel that I am wasting my time in school. (Amotivation)
Data from this survey was graphed and compared to student grit scores to look for trends.
Panel Discussions
Six students, two girls and four boys, were selected based on initial observational data and their survey responses. Two exhibited lower grit and motivation, two exhibited medium grit and motivation, and two that scored high on the grit scale and seemed highly motivated. These students participated in three recorded panel conversations over the semester, as well as personal interviews. An additional two students were invited to join the panel for the second and last discussions–a boy who displayed significant levels of intrinsic motivation and a high performing girl who was predominantly motivated by extrinsic factors. Panel discussions sought to explore student perceptions on inquiry as well as personal views on motivation. These discussions illuminated issues and ideas that did not present themselves otherwise, and were used to drive the surveys and class journal prompts.
Panel discussions were audio recorded and transcribed for easier analysis. I used a highlighter and focused on evidence of grit, motivation, or the factors that are believed to increase motivation such as relevance, autonomy, and mastery. Some sample questions from the first panel discussion are:
1. What does inquiry mean to you and what skills do you think are involved?
2. What sort of things are you curious about?
3. How do you ‘know for sure’? When do you feel like you know something? What brings that about?
4. If something is hard and difficult, what do you do to get through it if you have to?
5. What are factors that motivate you?
Please see Appendix A for complete list of questions.
Journaling
Students kept inquiry journals where they documented their evolving understanding of chemistry, their motivation, and the inquiry process.
Sample journal prompts include:
1. Inquiry skills include observation, questioning, hypothesizing, predicting, planning, exploring and communicating, write a list of when you have used each of these in the class so far and explain how it fits.
2. Looking at our list of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators which do you think have been most influential for you over the past week? Month? Your life?
3. You have come across an interesting phenomenon. When you tap a clear liquid with a glass stirring rod it suddenly crystallizes into a solid form. What do you think is going on? Design an experiment to test your idea. Write a detailed procedure and include your reasoning for your steps
Journals were used to look for evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, ideas and identification of inquiry skills used, and for personal reflection on the process of building inquiry based museum exhibits. I used a similar method to analyze journal responses as I did for the panel discussions. I would highlight key terms related to grit, motivation, and its supporting factors such as relevance, autonomy, and mastery, and then see if themes or patterns emerged. Once I had a general sense of the class data I would narrow my attention to just my focus students plus any others that seemed significant in regards to what I was looking for.
Assessment Data
Finally, data from content related journal assignments, tests, and exit cards (to get a quick idea of what students are thinking, I often use and exit card–students answer a question on a slip of paper and hand it in before they leave class) was tallied and graphed to track content understanding and accurate scientific cognitive schema development on a whole class basis. Examples of exit card questions include: On a scale of 1-10 how gritty were you today? And, What are your next steps to move your project forward? In particular, exit cards and in-class journal assignments were used to give regular snapshots of student understanding or misconceptions. These were used to revise instruction as needed.
Surveys
Three initial surveys (Appendix A) assessed student views on the inquiry process, motivation, and grit. I created the surveys on the inquiry process and motivation; however, the grit survey was developed by Angela Duckworth. These surveys formed the baseline data for the class.
Some sample questions on the inquiry process survey are:
How knowledgeable are you about the inquiry process?
- Not at all, never heard of it
- A little, I’ve heard the term before
- Pretty knowledgeable, it was a focus in other classes
- Very knowledgeable, I can list related skills and how they apply to the inquiry process
List skills you think are important for scientists to develop.
Do you possess any of these skills? Yes/No
Which ones?
Some sample questions on the motivation survey are:
Write about a time when you felt motivated to achieve something. Please be as descriptive as possible. What about the event made you want to do it?
Rate each of the following for how significantly they contribute to your motivation levels to do a task.
I feel motivated when I can clearly see the value of a task beyond just the classroom.
- This relates to me not at all
- This relates to me a little
- This relates to me quite a bit
- This is just like me!
Sample questions from Angela Duckworth’s Grit Scale are:
I have overcome setbacks to conquer an important challenge.
- Very much like me
- Mostly like me
- Somewhat like me
- Not much like me
- Not like me at all
Data from the surveys was graphed and analyzed for trends. The grit scores were arbitrarily divided into low, medium-low, medium-high, and high categories for easier analysis. These scores were compared with the Academic Motivation Survey given to the class in October (see below).
Questions from both the inquiry skills survey and the motivation survey were again used in a final survey at the end of the semester to monitor changes in student understanding of inquiry skills as well as student perceptions of motivation.
In October, an additional survey, the Academic Motivation Survey (Appendix A), developed by Vallerand et. al. (1989) was given to the students to analyze their motivation for school. The survey analyzed 7 different types of motivation, intrinsic motivation to know, intrinsic motivation to experience, intrinsic motivation to accomplish, extrinsic motivation – identified, extrinsic motivation – introjected, extrinsic motivation – external regulation and amotivation (see Understandings for descriptions of each motivation type).
Sample questions from the Academic Motivation Survey are:
Using the scale below (1-7, with 1 being does not correspond at all, and 7 corresponds a lot), indicate to what extent each of the following items presently corresponds to one of the reasons that you go to school.
1. Because I experience pleasure and satisfaction while learning new things. (Intrinsic motivation–to know)
2. For the pleasure of surpassing myself in my studies. (Intrinsic motivation–to accomplish)
3. For the pleasure that I experience when I am taken by discussions with interesting teachers. (Intrinsic motivation–to experience)
4. Because I think that a high school education will help me better prepare for the career I have chosen. (Extrinsic motivation–identified)
5. To prove to myself that I am capable of completing my high school degree. (Extrinsic–introjected)
6. Because I at least need a high-school degree in order to find a high paying job later on. (Extrinsic–external regulation)
7. Honestly, I don’t know; I really feel that I am wasting my time in school. (Amotivation)
Data from this survey was graphed and compared to student grit scores to look for trends.
Panel Discussions
Six students, two girls and four boys, were selected based on initial observational data and their survey responses. Two exhibited lower grit and motivation, two exhibited medium grit and motivation, and two that scored high on the grit scale and seemed highly motivated. These students participated in three recorded panel conversations over the semester, as well as personal interviews. An additional two students were invited to join the panel for the second and last discussions–a boy who displayed significant levels of intrinsic motivation and a high performing girl who was predominantly motivated by extrinsic factors. Panel discussions sought to explore student perceptions on inquiry as well as personal views on motivation. These discussions illuminated issues and ideas that did not present themselves otherwise, and were used to drive the surveys and class journal prompts.
Panel discussions were audio recorded and transcribed for easier analysis. I used a highlighter and focused on evidence of grit, motivation, or the factors that are believed to increase motivation such as relevance, autonomy, and mastery. Some sample questions from the first panel discussion are:
1. What does inquiry mean to you and what skills do you think are involved?
2. What sort of things are you curious about?
3. How do you ‘know for sure’? When do you feel like you know something? What brings that about?
4. If something is hard and difficult, what do you do to get through it if you have to?
5. What are factors that motivate you?
Please see Appendix A for complete list of questions.
Journaling
Students kept inquiry journals where they documented their evolving understanding of chemistry, their motivation, and the inquiry process.
Sample journal prompts include:
1. Inquiry skills include observation, questioning, hypothesizing, predicting, planning, exploring and communicating, write a list of when you have used each of these in the class so far and explain how it fits.
2. Looking at our list of extrinsic and intrinsic motivators which do you think have been most influential for you over the past week? Month? Your life?
3. You have come across an interesting phenomenon. When you tap a clear liquid with a glass stirring rod it suddenly crystallizes into a solid form. What do you think is going on? Design an experiment to test your idea. Write a detailed procedure and include your reasoning for your steps
Journals were used to look for evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, ideas and identification of inquiry skills used, and for personal reflection on the process of building inquiry based museum exhibits. I used a similar method to analyze journal responses as I did for the panel discussions. I would highlight key terms related to grit, motivation, and its supporting factors such as relevance, autonomy, and mastery, and then see if themes or patterns emerged. Once I had a general sense of the class data I would narrow my attention to just my focus students plus any others that seemed significant in regards to what I was looking for.
Assessment Data
Finally, data from content related journal assignments, tests, and exit cards (to get a quick idea of what students are thinking, I often use and exit card–students answer a question on a slip of paper and hand it in before they leave class) was tallied and graphed to track content understanding and accurate scientific cognitive schema development on a whole class basis. Examples of exit card questions include: On a scale of 1-10 how gritty were you today? And, What are your next steps to move your project forward? In particular, exit cards and in-class journal assignments were used to give regular snapshots of student understanding or misconceptions. These were used to revise instruction as needed.
Figure 1. Semester goals and methods of data collection.
Timeline
August - 1st week of September
September
October
November
December
January
- Informed parents of research and got all necessary paperwork out of the way
- Informed students about research area
- Gathered baseline data about students–surveys & formal assessments
- Conducted initial student panel discussion
September
- Monitored student thoughts about inquiry and motivation
- Monitored student skill acquisition (observing, questioning, connecting, reflecting critical thinking, problem solving, and confidence in abilities)
- Used data collected and weekly analysis to guide next research steps
October
- Continued to collect data
- Refined research questions and finalized focus
- Used data collected and weekly analysis to guide next research steps
November
- Used data collected and weekly analysis to guide next research steps
December
- Collected final survey, observational, focus group and journal data
- Collected final assessment data
January
- Wrote up research