A systematic review of classroom observation research on inquiry-based science instruction in South Africa

In responding to the demand for high-end skills, school science education has undergone waves of curriculum reform, with inquiry-based instruction being a defining feature in driving the goals of scientific literacy. There is much that can be gleaned from the enactment of inquiry-based learning through classroom observation research that involves systematically observing and documenting teaching practices and student behaviours within a classroom that uses inquiry-based learning approaches. This chapter presents a systematic review of classroom-based research on inquiry-based science teaching and learning. The review addresses the following: key constructs investigated through classroom observation; methods of classroom observation used; complementary data sources that supplemented classroom observation data; issues of reliability and validity addressed in classroom observation research; challenges in classroom observation research; and forms of inquiry-based instruction is observed in classrooms.