Technology-Enhanced Collaborative Inquiry in K–12 Classrooms
A Systematic Review of Empirical Studies
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21585760 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fan Chen (0009-0001-5421-3971), Chen Fan (0009-0001-1582-8033), Gaowei Chen (0000-0002-6847-4013) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 1731-1773 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Science & Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0926-7220 • E-ISSN: 1573-1901 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11191-024-00538-8 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 94 |
Collaborative inquiry is an instructional approach that encourages student groups to engage in scientific inquiry processes, thereby enhancing their critical thinking and exploratory skills. The effective classroom implementation of this method requires ensuring student engagement in each inquiry stage, where technological tools and activity strategies play a crucial role in supporting their inquiry processes. However, the technological tools and activity strategies that contribute to designing classroom activities and fostering students’ engagement in collaborative inquiry remain unclear. This systematic review analyzed 58 empirical studies on technology-enhanced collaborative inquiry in K–12 classrooms. We examined the characteristics of these studies, the technological tools and activity strategies employed, and their reported outcomes and effects on student learning. The results indicate that most classroom practices featured diverse technological tools and activity strategies to support students in collaboratively performing stages of inquiry tasks. The findings highlight the need for further research into effectively integrating technological tools with activity strategies to provide adaptive support for specific inquiry processes, such as hypothesis generation and scientific argumentation. Our synthesis of previous outcome measurements revealed the positive impacts of technology-enhanced collaborative inquiry on students’ content knowledge, overall inquiry process, and scientific skills like argumentation. The implications of these findings are discussed for both researchers and practitioners, emphasizing the necessity of integrating appropriate technological tools and activity strategies to effectively facilitate collaborative inquiry in K–12 classrooms
Mathematics and science teachers perspectives on utilizing the Canvas LMS to enhance assessment for learning
Maximizing learning about photosynthesis through iPad-based scientific inquiry combining microscopic representations
Identifying students’ cognitive-affective profiles and associations with gender and behaviors in virtual scientific inquiry
Learning analytics in inquiry-based learning
Fostering scientific inquiry with hybrid intelligence
How a technology-augmented inquiry approach affects teacher practice and student learning in disadvantaged science classrooms
Let's talk evidence – The case for combining inquiry-based and direct instruction
Inquiry, Modeling, and Metacognition
Computer Simulations to Support Science Instruction and Learning
Trends in mobile technology-supported collaborative learning
Meta-Analysis of Inquiry-Based Learning
The PRISMA 2020 statement
Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses
Comparing Guidance via Implicit and Explicit Model Progressions in a Collaborative Inquiry-Based Learning Environment with Different-Aged Learners
Effects of developing prompt scaffolding to support collaborative scientific argumentation in simulation-based physics learning
Patterns of peer scaffolding in technology-enhanced inquiry classrooms
Studies on visualisation in science classrooms
Scientific inquiry learning with a simulation
Examining the nature of teacher interactions in a collaborative inquiry-based classroom setting using a Kikan-Shido lens
The impact of light-weight inquiry with computer simulations on science learning in classrooms
The effects of web-based inquiry learning mode with the support of collaborative digital reading annotation system on information literacy instruction
How do students generate ideas together in scientific creativity tasks through computer-based mind mapping
Analysing user reviews of inquiry-based learning apps in science education
The influence of a web-based learning environment on low achievers’ science argumentation
Learning analytics support to teachers' design and orchestrating tasks
How differently designed guidance influences simulation‐based inquiry learning in science education
Coordinating scaffolds for collaborative inquiry in a game‐based learning environment
Analyzing student thinking reflected in self-constructed cognitive maps and its influence on inquiry task performance
Students’ perceptions of the impacts of peer ideas in inquiry learning
Improving students' inquiry learning in web‐based environments by providing structure
A Coefficient of Agreement for Nominal Scales
Integrating Wikis in the Support and Practice of Historical Analysis Skills
Dynamics of Reflective Assessment and Knowledge Building for Academically Low-Achieving Students
Collaborative Inquiry Learning
Phases of inquiry-based learning
| Unique citing works | 6 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 6 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 6 |