Enhancing Inquiry through Formative Assessment

Institute for Inquiry ® is a registered trademark and service mark of the Exploratorium. Exploratorium ® is a registered trademark and service mark of the Exploratorium. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. Contents 5 T he Institute for Inquiry is a center for professional development at the Exploratorium. It offers elementary science reform educators in-depth experiences in science inquiry through workshops, seminars, on-line resources, publications, and an intellectual community of practice. Created in response to widespread interest in inquiry-based science instruction, Institute programs are crafted to provide science reform leaders with opportunities for exploring, examining, and discussing the nature of science inquiry as it relates to teaching and learning. Through these shared experiences and investigations , the Institute aims to bolster elementary science reform efforts across the country. Institute programs are designed to enable individuals, schools, and districts to increase their capacity for providing quality science instruction within the context of district-wide reform efforts. To this end, a rich array of programming has been created to meet the wide-ranging needs of educators who serve as professional developers: science resource teachers, Local Laboratory of schools and classrooms where teachers are engaged in inquiry-oriented science education provides case studies of the theory and practice of inquiry instruction. The Exploratorium is San Francisco's innovative museum of science, art, and human perception. Its interactive exhibits are designed to puzzle, challenge, and engage museum visitors as they explore natural phenomena and discover science concepts for themselves. Visitors can pose questions, devise possible explanations , and test their ideas through direct experience with exhibits as well as with " What's Going On? " discussions. This inquiry-based learning is the basis of the Exploratorium's philosophy of science education, both on the museum floor and in our work with educators. 6 T he Institute for Inquiry hosts periodic Inquiry Forums. These Forums are designed to provide a platform for national reform leaders, researchers, scholars, and policymakers to present exemplary practices and exchange views on critical issues surrounding the implementation of inquiry in schools. Each Forum focuses on a particular theme that serves to advance development and innovation around inquiry. Assessment , considered evidence from research and practice about the role of assessment in teaching and learning. The nineteen participants discussed formative assessment as it relates to …