Embedding generative and retrieval activities to foster inquiry-based learning in science classrooms

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Assisting students in constructing elaborate and lasting knowledge is a crucial endeavor in inquiry-based teaching. At the same time, empirical research indicated that students require support to construct mental representation that can be applied across contexts and in a long-term manner. Generative learning activities as well as retrieval activities are discussed to contribute to such elaboration and consolidation processes. Whether and how these activities should be combined and how they should be embedded into larger instructional units to maximize the construction and consolidation of lasting knowledge is yet an open question. In the proposed research, we will therefore blend research of domain-general cognitive science research and subject-specific science (physics) education to draw conclusions regarding the effectiveness of generative and retrieval activities in the context of inquiry-based teaching. The main aim of this research proposal is to investigate a) whether integrating generative activities (explaining to fictitious others, drawing) and retrieval activities (retrieval practice) into inquiry-based teaching enhances the construction of elaborate mental representations and the acquisition of lasting knowledge, and b) how different generative activities can be combined with each other and with retrieval activities and embedded into more comprehensive teaching units to foster lasting knowledge. These research questions will be addressed in three experimental classroom studies with 8 grade physics students, which will also entail both intermediate and delayed testing after 8 weeks. To portray the induced learning processes, the artifacts resulting from the learning activities will be subject to content analyses.