Campus Location

Abilene Campus

Date of Award

Spring 5-9-2020

Document Type

Manuscript

Department

Teacher Education

Degree Name

Master of Education in Teaching and Learning

First Advisor

Dana Mayhall

Second Advisor

Andrew Huddleston

Abstract

Researchers have shown that many students lack problem-solving skills. This deficit can be addressed through the implementation of inquiry-based learning. However, many teachers lack expertise in this area. The purpose of this study was to address both issues with a newly created inquiry practice called Further Investigation time, or FI time. The researcher studied what happened when this practice was implemented in a second-grade, self-contained classroom. In addition, student and teacher perceptions of the FI time were studied. Data was collected through the use of observational head notes, student surveys, and individual teacher and student interviews. Qualitative data was analyzed using the constant comparative method, while the quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The following themes were identified: students transitioning into independent researchers, using concrete objects to deepen understanding, the desire to research topics more thoroughly over time, overall student behavior, and the input of students and their interests.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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