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Instructing science teachers about the Physiology of the Nervous System by modeling inquiry‐based pedagogy to improve secondary science education

More than 60% of 11th grade students in Pennsylvania lack science proficiency (PSSA), and most secondary science teachers lack recent training on PA science standards and science content. We hypothesized that modeling inquiry‐based classroom practices would improve the content knowledge and pedagogy of secondary science teachers. To test this hypothesis, Biology faculty from Susquehanna University coordinated with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit to provide a 2‐wk Summer Inquiry Institute program to 32 teachers. Faculty administered 3 hr lessons that modeled inquiry‐based classroom practices, with the teachers acting as students. Nervous system physiology was one of the major content areas (>10%), and inquiry‐based activities during these sessions included making brain and neuron models and performing simulated experiments testing the effects of environment on neurogenesis, with less than 1 hr of background lecture. Pre‐ and post‐tests showed a 34.4% gain in nervous system physiology knowledge (51.2 + 4% pre vs. 85.5 + 3% post, p<0.05) immediately after participation, and a 36.2% gain 1 wk later (47.9 + 11% pre vs. 74.1 + 8% post, p<0.05). Therefore, modeling inquiry for secondary science teachers in a university setting may lead to improvements in student science achievement by providing the initial impetus toward replacement of traditional instruction methods with inquiry‐based pedagogy.