nQuire for the OpenScience Lab: Supporting Communities of Inquiry Learning

摘要

We have developed a platform to support Citizen Inquiry activities, based on the nQuire Toolkit software which was originally designed to support inquiry-based learning activities for schools. Citizen Inquiry is an innovative way for learners to engage in practical scientific activities, in which they take the role of self-regulated scientists in informal learning contexts. nQuire is being integrated with the OpenScience Laboratory, allowing individuals or groups to create inquiries that rely on virtual scientific instruments for collecting scientifically reliable data. A demonstration inquiry has been created using the Open University Virtual Microscope that enables learners to conduct investigations of lunar geology by studying rare and authentic samples of Moon rock collected during the Apollo programme. This demonstration will show the nQuire authoring tools and the prototype inquiry, focusing on the integration of the scientific tool and features that facilitate collaboration in citizen inquiries.