Microcomputers as Powerful Tools for Naturalistic Inquiry

Abstract

There has been much discussion in the camps of science educators on how to create scientific communities in today's school science classrooms. State and national reforms recommend such a view of "science for all Americans." Traditional tools used to examine classrooms are hardly adequate for examining and understanding efforts towards current reform visions. This researcher offers insight of one approach steeped in current technology to aide a teacher/researcher with naturalistic methodological knowledge to begin to make sense of the volumes of videotape he/she has collected. This paper discusses one treatment of such data, its implicit values, and recommendations for technological set up for maximum efficiency and strength for claims made from such a treatment.