A protocol to guide and improve inquiry-based instruction

M any teachers have uttered the following statement, or at least something similar: “I do not know exactly how to define inquiry, but I know it when I see it.” This intuitive understanding may work for onlookers, but something greater is needed from those who lead instruction in our classrooms. For many years, publications such as the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and The Science Teacher (TST) have encouraged teachers to focus science classes more heavily on inquiry-based instructional practice. The challenge becomes more than just increasing the amount of time spent on inquiry—we also need to improve the quality of inquiry within science classrooms. One way to improve our teaching practice is to use a benchmark assessment to obtain a solid point of reference that honestly reflects what we do in the classroom, and then to design a developmental plan to raise the level of performance. Electronic Quality of Inquiry Protocol (EQUIP) is helpful in providing both a benchmark and a guide to improving the quality of inquiry implemented in our classrooms.