Student Perceptions of the Use of Inquiry Practices in a Biology Survey Laboratory Course

Extensive research has shown inquiry in science education to be best practice; however, most universities currently do not include inquiry practices in their coursework. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of inquiry that students in a Biology Survey Laboratory course considered to be the most supportive of their learning at a small, rural, midwestern university. A survey instrument, developed using the inquiry level rubric designed by Bruck, Bretz, and Towns (2008) and consisting of 36 Likert-scale items plus four demographic items, was used to collect data (N = 190). When considering the most appropriate level of inquiry to support their learning of biology, students perceived that they would learn best with open or authentic inquiry levels. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)