Curiosity-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Projects Bridge Face-to-Face and Online Learning Formats During COVID-19: A Teacher's Community of Inquiry

This paper is a report on a year-long action research project with a Community of Inquiry where a group of teachers from across primary, secondary, and tertiary contexts were developing and implementing student-centered, curiosity-driven, inquiry-based science projects to bridge face-to-face and online learning contexts and support their students' engagement in learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. We followed the teachers through two research cycles to investigate their driving question: "How can we best support our students' learning in blended learning environments through Curiosity-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Education?" We report on their ideas, successes, and challenges as they created and implemented eighteen projects. In the first cycle of inquiry in fall 2020, the teachers met online to discuss plans, they implemented their plans with their classes, and they met online to reflect on their projects and share resources. In the second cycle of inquiry in spring 2021, the teachers met online again for further planning, implementation, and reflection. We recorded all online meetings, collected resources that teachers shared, and conducted thematic analysis. Findings indicated the primary focus for the teachers were: which education technology methods to use; the importance of supporting their students' voices to discuss their work at all stages of their projects; coming up with appropriate means of assessment of their students' projects; supporting their students in their developing research and problem-solving skills; and supporting their students to reflect on their learning. This study is significant because it demonstrates the creativity and innovation of a group of teachers in their efforts to support their students' engagement and learning through Curiosity-Driven, Inquiry-Based Science Education during the Covid-19 pandemic. The teachers' projects have been shared on an Open Education Resource.