Generating and Testing

Hypotheses/ Inquiry Learning

Katlin Moran
Addison Maberry
 Generating and Testing Hypotheses
• Hypothesis- An educated guess/ a proposition set forth as an explanation for the
occurrence of some specified group of phenomena that guides investigation.
• Generating a Hypothesis
• Ask a Question
• Gather Background Information
• Form the Hypothesis
• Testing Hypothesis:
1. State the hypothesis
2. Set the criteria for a decision- under what conditions are you going to test
3. Compute the test statistic
4. Make a decision
5. Accept or revise hypothesis
Marzano lists six tasks to aid students in generating and testing hypotheses. These
are:

• System Analysis- students have opportunities to study systems such as computer network
systems, ecosystems, government systems, or weather systems.
• Invention- this process involves hypothesizing what could work, developing the idea, and
testing the invention.
• Experimental Inquiry-students can explain observations, generate explanations, make and
test predictions.
• Problem Solving-this requires students to understand obstacles and constraints. They
generate and test hypotheses about possible solutions.
• Decision Making- this requires students to use a broad range of knowledge to develop
criteria and test their predictions against these criteria.
• Historical Investigation-students must use their understanding of a past situation and key
players in an event to generate a hypothesis. To do this they must collect and analyze
information to determine if evidence will support it.
 How it applies to us as educators:
• Students can apply the strategy of generating and testing a hypothesis to
• Stories they are reading in language arts class
• Historical stories, stories about inventors
• To a current event they are discussing in social studies class
• System analysis, historical investigation
• To an historical event they are learning about in history class.
Generating and testing a hypothesis requires several cognitive skills that help students learn,
analyze, apply, and evaluate information in many different content areas.
 What is Inquiry based Learning?

• Inquiry-based learning starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios

rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path
to knowledge. The process is often assisted by a facilitator.
• Inquiry-based learning, if front loaded well, generates such excitement in
students that neurons begin to fire, curiosity is triggered, and students cant
wait to become experts in answering their own questions.
Inquiry Learning
 The 4 Steps of Inquiry-Based Learning

• 1. Students develop questions that they are hungry to answer.

• 2. Research the topic using time in class.
• 3. Have students present what they’ve learned.
• 4. Ask students to reflect on what worked about the process and what
didn’t.
 How it applies to us as educators

• Inquiry based learning makes a teachers life much easier, because it

transfers some responsibilities from teachers to students, but it’s really
easier because releasing authority engages students.
• Instead of our main objective being to deliver information, it gives students
the opportunity to choose to learn about things that interest them, and be
accountable for their learning.
 References

• https://instructionalwalkthroughs.wikispaces.com/Generating+%26+Testing+Hypo
theses
• https://learningstrategiesmarzano.wikispaces.com/generating+and+testing+hypot
hesis
• http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/for-students-and-parents/how-create-
hypothesis.html
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/inquiry-based-learning-asking-right-questions-
georgia-mathis
• http://www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-
gawron