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Evaluation database and report on inquiry based science education at primary school

During the two last decades, the number of classes, schools and countries which have set up Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE) is constantly growing up as well as the number of organizations and institutions which decided to make it a priority. Some studies brought elements for characterising the approach however it seems difficult to establish universal features despite of strong similarities between programs where national and local specificities could not be neglected. Within this framework, a bibliography was built exclusively with references which tackle effects of inquiry science teaching on children, on teachers at primary school as well as the impact of some local programs promoting such approach around the world.

The references search was initially oriented to Scienceduc countries (Estonia, Hungary, France, Portugal , Sweden and extended to Germany and Italy) and then opened worldwide since European references are scarce and even inexistent in many European countries. A description of primary education systems in Estonia, Sweden and France is provided as well as the inquiry status of evaluation in such countries. The data collected by the different studies came from close observation of the teacher and students, from interviews with and questionnaires for teachers, administrators and students, and from reviews of teachers’ journals and students’ notebooks.

Scienceduc evaluation database is available in two formats: As an EndNote file or as a rtf file.

* Evaluation database to download:
- EndNote format (for software holders only)
- rtf format (easily read by any word-processing program)

* Evaluation database report (pdf file)