Iris Tabak

Describes an approach for supporting ambitious science in classrooms that centers on the design of learning environments for students engaged in scientific investigation and explanation of biological phenomena. This project, called BGuILE, Biology Guided Inquiry Learning Environments, developed and studied the use of technological and curricular supports for the teaching and learning of biology. BGuILE technology-infused curricular units center on investigation activities in which students construct empirically supported explanations from a rich base of primary data. These investigations are made possible through software environments that serve as the investigation context that provide access to the primary data, and that provide support tools for analyzing the data and synthesizing explanations. Activities preceding investigations are designed to help students build the rudimentary knowledge and skills that facilitate a thoughtful and thorough treatment of the problem investigations. Informal and structured discussions are interspersed throughout all the activities in order to provide opportunities for reflection and for sharing and critiquing ideas. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)