Levels of inquiry: Content analysis of the three most commonly used United States high school biology laboratory manuals

The purposes of this study were to examine whether laboratory manuals support the attainment of key scientific ideas specified in the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for inquiry and to identify the characteristics of each level of inquiry. Three widely used high school biology laboratory manuals were examined by the reviewer and the levels of inquiry for the included laboratory activities were determined using a 4 point classification scheme (Herron, 1971). The resulting levels were compared to those determined in previous studies of laboratory curricula. The reviewer concluded the majority of high school biology laboratory experiences remain characterized by low levels of inquiry (Fuhrman, Lunetta, & Novick, 1982; Park, 2005). The NSES for inquiry, however, call for students to pose questions, formulate hypotheses, and demonstrate appropriate procedures; all characteristics of laboratory activities at higher levels of inquiry. The findings indicated only 1 of 3 laboratory manuals, Prentice Hall (2006), was likely to contribute to the attainment of the key ideas and promote the essential features of inquiry which served as the basis for the quantitative and qualitative reviews. Qualitative data were also collected and analyzed through a systematic and rigorous content analysis which further illuminated the characteristics of each level of inquiry and resulted in the generation of new hypotheses concerning the levels of inquiry in the laboratory manuals. Through the divergence of data, the role of the student generated hypothesis emerged as the defining characteristic of inquiry at each level. This aspect of the laboratory activity was used to establish a new classification scheme for the levels of inquiry and then applied to the previous sample of laboratory activities that were purposefully selected for the qualitative review. The study further discussed research on learning theory and methods of science teaching found to improve student achievement and inquiry abilities, and compared this research to the defining characteristics of each level of inquiry described in the qualitative review. A determination was made as to which levels of inquiry were best aligned with research on how students learn and which manuals may be best aligned with research on learning theory.