Knowledge-Building Communities

Abstract

In recent decades, it has been the goal of many science curricula and projects to develop inquirybased learning in science classrooms. Many such projects, often of short duration, involve students’ learning from inquiries and investigations, exploring science phenomena firsthand, carrying out experiments, practicing scientific skills, and applying scientific ideas in new situations. However, critics have pointed out that these approaches fall short of what scientists actually do, as theories emerge within a sustained community of inquiry and knowledge exchange. In classrooms, scientific inquiry is often limited to sequenced activities designed to meet predetermined goals and fixed standards, rather than helping students to develop authentic scientific practices within a community of their peers.