Guided and open inquiry strategies are found to improve students' attitudes toward science. Yet, confirmation and structured inquiry are more often enacted by teachers. The effectiveness of these approaches involving high teacher guidance remains unexplored. Students in six classes (N = 119, M[subscript age] = 11.25 years) were assigned to control…

Inquiry-based lab experiences have been shown to be more effective than traditional lab experiences. Students' perceptions of the types of thinking required in science lab settings have implications for interest and persistence. This study compares students' perceptions about the thinking required in traditional and inquiry laboratory settings.…

Engineering has become increasingly prominent in science education, with documents such as Next Generation Science Standards detailing the importance of introducing students at all grade levels to science and engineering practices. Yet, many elementary teachers may lack sufficient engineering content and pedagogical knowledge and report feeling…