ABSTRACT
Reform in science education has focused on inquiry as a way of teaching students complex scientific practices in the context of open-ended investigations. Yet students have difficulties making strategic decisions about the direction of their investigations and drawing on content knowledge to make sense of data (Edelson, Gordin, & Pea, 1999). Furthermore, the inquiry practices called for in reforms are quite broadly specified. Implementing these practices requires engaging students in specific tasks, and interactions. How do teachers and students put general ideas like hypothesis testing, building explanations, and defending models into practice in classrooms?
