A Case Study On Inquiry Teaching In History In Junior Middle School

Under the long-term pressure of education for test ,history teachers in Junior Middle School pay more attention to teaching students factual knowledge of history while neglecting students' development in such areas as learning methods, learning abilities, affections, values, creativity and practical abilities, thus it's necessary to research deeply and adjust how to teach history in Junior Middle School. With the advent of knowledge-based economy and in view of the developmental trend of international education, traditional teaching methods in history have been to a certain extent unable to meet the needs proposed by the times to cultivate qualified personnel.Inquiry teaching, a teaching method opposite to knowledge teaching, has been taken more and more seriously all over the world. Examing in the history of education in China and foreign countries we can see that teaching activities containing inquiry have been existing since ancient times. However, until in the early of 20th century did the systematic study of inquiry teaching begin and reached the peak in the middle of 20th century. Then inquiry became the central topic in scientific teaching, educators, especially science educators regarded inquiry teaching in class as an objective of their struggle. Now a new curriculum reform in elementary education is pushed on overally in China; the new curricula propose, in history teaching in Middle School, leading studentsto inquire, investigate and explore actively, to study initiatively and individually and to develop overally in bodies and minds so as to adjust to the requirements put forward by the education reform and the strategy of strengthening our country by means of science and education.In order to put inquiry teaching into effect, this paper analyzes the present situation in history teaching in Shangqiao Middle School in Chongqing by sampling investigation and attempts to explore how to use inquiry teaching in history in Middle School. The paper is divided into four parts.Part One is to put forward the problems, involving the investigation and analysis of the present conditions of history teaching in Shangqiao Middle School in Chongqing, the experiences and enlightments of history inquiry teaching in foreign countries and reflections on Chinese traditional history teaching.Part Two is to state the concept of and theoretical bases of history inquiry teaching, including concepts of inquiry, scientific inquiry, inquiry teaching, inquiry teaching in history and theoretical bases on science, psychology, pedagogy in inquiry teaching in history.Part Three is to explore how to use inquiry teaching in history in Junior Middle School, which includes aims, principles, procedures and ways to implement.Part Four is to draw conclusions, pointing out the effects of inquiry teaching in history teaching and the problems arisen in the course of its implementing.