Ryker, K. D., & McConnell, D. A. (2017). Assessing Inquiry in Physical Geology Laboratory Manuals. Journal of Geoscience Education, 65(1), 35–47.
This paper applies a measurement protocol to assess the level of inquiry present in four published physical geology laboratory manuals. The authors are from the Department of Geography and Geology, Eastern Michigan University and the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, North Carolina State University, USA. Analysis shows the manuals incorporate mostly low-level inquiry activities (confirmation, structured). The same protocol was applied to the development of inquiry-based lessons for inclusion in a freshman-level physical geology laboratory course. Activities were adapted to increase inquiry levels demonstrating that it is possible to take publicly available resources and combine them with activities based around local geology. It is important to provide a mix of high- and low-inquiry activities. A table with sample activities for each laboratory topic at differing levels of inquiry is included. The authors conclude that while asking students to complete higher-level inquiry activities from the beginning of a laboratory may cause frustration, scaffolding learning to the point where students take on these activities can lead to a sense of accomplishment, improved theoretical understanding, and a view of science as a creative process.