A narrative approach to studying the diversification of inquiry learning across instructional settings

Abstract

In this study we used a narrative approach to investigate the function that digital, interactive tools can fulfill in inquiry teaching and learning. Such a narrative can be conceived of as 'talking through' a lesson in which a teacher supports inquiry with technology. By subsequently coding these narratives, we studied the functions that tools can fulfill related to certain learning activities and instructional settings. We created a template by distilling the coded functions of these tools. This template can be used to find alternative pedagogical functions for tools, alternative learning activities to support with a tool, and alternative instructional settings for use of the tool as educational support. Our template can support the alignment of these different aspects of tool-supported, inquiry-based learning by presenting them in a structured way.