ABSTRACT

Enquiry-based learning (EBL) in primary schools is a constructivist approach which has a strong focus on children asking questions, working together, selecting and interpreting sources, on collecting information, and on interpreting and analysing what is found. This paper reports the results of questionnaire surveys and focus group interviews carried out with a sample of primary teacher education students at three teacher education institutions in Ireland, north and south, with the aim of uncovering the students’ experiences of EBL in their own education and during their school placements so far, as well as discovering their understanding of what EBL is and their opinions about EBL as an educational approach. Results revealed that the students’ recollections of EBL were mixed. During college school experience blocks the students displayed a clear understanding that it was the element of pupils being pro-active which was most indicative of EBL work. They recognise the importance of EBL at primary level. While being realistic about the challenges involving both practical implementation and time issues which EBL work produced, they appear not to have been put off from using EBL approaches in their future teaching careers.

摘要

小学的探究式学习 (EBL) 是一种建构主义方法，重点关注儿童提问、合作、选择和解释资源、收集信息以及解释和分析发现的内容。本文报告了对爱尔兰北部和南部三所师范教育机构的小学师范教育学生样本进行的问卷调查和焦点小组访谈的结果，旨在揭示学生在自己的教育中的 EBL 经历和在他们迄今为止的学校实习期间，以及发现他们对 EBL 是什么的理解以及他们对 EBL 作为一种教育方法的看法。结果显示，学生对 EBL 的回忆参差不齐。在大学学习期间，学生们清楚地认识到，学生积极主动的因素最能表明 EBL 的工作。他们认识到 EBL 在小学阶段的重要性。尽管对 EBL 工作所产生的涉及实际实施和时间问题的挑战持现实态度，但他们似乎并未在未来的教学生涯中使用 EBL 方法。