Abstract—We describe and evaluate the Web of Inquiry, an
online environment for learning and doing science inquiry, and
compare it to the framework of epistemic forms and games.
Epistemic games are the constraints, entry conditions, moves,
and transfers for completing epistemic forms, which are general
target structures for representing knowledge. Example
epistemic forms include lists, compare-and-contrast tables,
systems dynamics models, and cause-and-effect analyses.
Intended for teaching science for students from 10 years-old and
up, the Web of Inquiry allows teachers to create templates
corresponding to epistemic forms and science inquiry. Students
use the Web of Inquiry to play epistemic games to complete the
targeted forms. The Web of Inquiry includes workspaces, tools,
reflective and standards-based assessment, and advice in the
form of task, cognitive, social, and metacognitive agents. In tests
in several US schools, the Web of Inquiry provided rich
opportunities for students to learn and discuss epistemic forms
and games in learning science, and was successful in improving
students’ science inquiry skills.
Index Terms—Educational technology, epistemic forms,
epistemic games, inquiry learning, science education.
Todd A. Shimoda is with Pomona College, Claremont, CA, USA (e-mail:
todd.shimoda@pomona.edu).
M. Borge is with Penn State University, College Station, PA, USA
(e-mail: mbs15@psu.edu).
Cite: Todd A. Shimoda and Marcela Borge, "The Web of Inquiry: Computer Support for Playing Epistemic Games," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 607-615, 2016.