Fostering science teachers' design for inquiry-based learning by using a serious game

Abstract

There is wide consensus internationally amongst scientific communities that Inquiry-Based Learning can be employed to foster acquisition of clearly defined, 'certain' knowledge such as the conceptual foundations of a scientific discipline. Alternatively, it can be used to engage students with uncertainty, multiple perspectives and contestation through exploration of scientific problems. In order to enact inquiry-based learning effectively, science teachers need to be aware of how to design inquiry-based learning activities and the most effective ways of facilitating inquiry-based learning in the classroom. This paper, presents Sim AULA, a serious game for helping science teachers to create engaging activities for involving students in inquiry-based quests. The paper proposes a cyclical model comprising seven inquiry steps or phases and translates these steps into practical inquiry-based activities performed in the serious game. Sim AULA's overarching architecture is presented in the context of the in-game inquiry-based learning activities, which will be implemented and evaluated in a number of schools across Europe.