Fostering the Acquisition of Scientific Reasoning with Video Modeling Examples and Inquiry Tasks

Abstract

The present thesis investigated how to foster students’ acquisition of scientific reasoning skills at schools combining inquiry and example-based learning. The first study addressed the delivery of examples, or more specifically, if and how video modeling examples and inquiry tasks should be combined to foster scientific reasoning skills. Results indicated an advantage for providing video modeling examples before or instead of but not after an inquiry task. The second study addressed the design of examples, or more specifically, how the design of video modeling examples could be optimized to foster scientific reasoning skills and domain knowledge simultaneously. Results showed that introducing the scientific reasoning strategy explicitly in combination with video modeling examples from different school subjects fostered scientific reasoning skills as well as the acquisition of domain knowledge.