Inquiry Through Peer-Led Labs

 Summary of Ural, E. (2024)

Background & Existing Knowledge
Hands-on science labs traditionally follow teacher-directed formats. Peer-led inquiry models may promote deeper understanding and greater ownership of learning.

New Insights from This Study
✔ Peer-led groups showed stronger conceptual understanding and retention in chemistry experiments.
✔ Students engaged in more problem-solving dialogue and hypothesis generation.
✔ Autonomy and collaboration increased motivation and accuracy in lab work.

Practical Applications: How Educators Can Use This Research

Redesigning Lab Instruction
📌 Use peer-led protocols where students guide investigations.
📌 Provide open-ended lab questions for exploration.
📌 Scaffold planning, data collection, and analysis steps.

Developing Inquiry Skills
📌 Incorporate pre-lab question generation tasks.
📌 Encourage student debates on procedure and results.
📌 Facilitate group reflection after experiments.

Enhancing Scientific Thinking
📌 Shift from “right answer” mindset to process-focused learning.
📌 Integrate peer assessment for lab notebooks and reports.
📌 Use videos or simulations to preview concepts.

Conclusion
Peer-led inquiry in science labs fosters ownership, collaboration, and deeper understanding of scientific processes.

Key Words
peer-led inquiry, chemistry lab, science education, collaborative learning, student autonomy

Reference
Ural, E. (2024). The Effects of Peer-Led versus Teacher-Led Laboratory Activities on Conceptual Learning. Journal of Science Teaching and Inquiry, 18(1), 29–46.

Suggested Citation
Ross, E. M., & Malar, D. B. J. (2025). Inquiry Through Peer-Led Labs. Excellent Educator, 2(13), 4.