Zydeco Inquiry

Name: Zydeco Inquiry
Author: University of Michigan

University of Michigan

VALIDATED

Initial evidence from research studies

For:Educators & TeachersKids & Youth

Free

Download on the App Store

App Summary

Zydeco Inquiry is an educational app that scaffolds the scientific inquiry process, enabling students to collect multimedia data in out-of-school settings and analyze it back in the classroom. An evaluation study (N=54) of students aged 11-13 demonstrated that the app's design helped them accurately collect, annotate, and use data to construct scientific explanations. The associated research concludes that the tool can support seamless inquiry across different learning contexts, such as museums and schools.

App Screenshots

Detailed Description

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed by educators at the University of Michigan, Zydeco Inquiry is a mobile and web-based system designed to scaffold scientific investigations across multiple settings. The platform facilitates inquiry through two primary modules: Zydeco:CollectData for handheld, out-of-classroom multimedia data collection and annotation, and Zydeco:UseData for tablet-based analysis of personal and peer-collected data. The system guides learners through defining research questions, collecting evidence, and synthesizing findings to construct structured scientific explanations, bridging formal and informal learning environments.

Evidence & Research Context

An evaluation study (N=54 students, aged 11-13) demonstrated that the system's software scaffolds enabled learners to accurately collect, annotate, and utilize large datasets for scientific explanation.
A qualitative case study (N=4) documented the system's application in a science center, illustrating its utility in connecting formal classroom learning with informal inquiry experiences.
The system's design is grounded in pedagogical principles for scaffolding authentic inquiry, specifically addressing challenges in multimedia data management and cross-contextual learning between school and museum settings.

Intended Use & Scope

Zydeco Inquiry is a pedagogical tool intended for educators and middle school students to structure scientific inquiry projects in classroom and field settings. Its primary utility is to scaffold the process of data collection, annotation, and analysis. The system facilitates learning scientific practices but does not assess the validity of student-generated conclusions; instructor oversight is required.

Studies & Publications

3 publications

Peer-reviewed research associated with this app.

Effectiveness/Outcome Study

Zydeco: Exploring How Mobile Technology Can Scaffold Student Multimedia Data Collection and Use for Science Inquiry

Kuhn et al. (2013) · University of Michigan

Students successfully collected and used multimedia data with mobile scaffolds to develop scientific explanations.

Contemporary standards emphasize authentic inquiry experiences when students are learning to engage in scientific practices. Students should be able to collect and annotate multimedia data outside the classroom and then analyze and interpret that data, along with peer collected data, to construct a scientific explanation in the classroom. However, completing these tasks while engaging in inquiry that takes place across classroom and out of classroom contexts is difficult for students as they are working in novel environments with less teacher support. Software can provide scaffolding to students as they engage in inquiry, but there is a lack of systems and of guidelines on how to design software to support students as they perform these tasks. This study explored how to design software scaffolds that mitigate the challenges students face surrounding the processes of collecting multimedia data outside the classroom and using large amounts of data (several hundred pieces) to construct scientific explanations. Drawing from the literature on learning, scaffolds were designed around using co-created tags as supportive features, providing stepwise guidance through the complex processes, and supporting searching through and assessing data characteristics. These scaffolds were integrated into two tools: 1) Zydeco:CollectData, which uses a handheld device to scaffold students through engaging in multimedia data collection and annotation outside the classroom, and 2) Zydeco:UseData, which uses a tablet device to scaffold learners through using large amounts of personal and peer collected multimedia data to construct scientific explanations. In order to evaluate the impact of the scaffolds, a field study was conducted with 54 students (27 pairs) aged 11-13. The results of the study demonstrate that, by and large, the students were able to use the scaffolds provided by Zydeco to accurately collect, annotate, and use data to construct scientific explanations. This work contributes: 1) the design of two integrated tools that provide software scaffolding and reflect instructional practices, 2) an evaluation of how students used the scaffolds in the tools, and 3) design guidelines for other designers to use in developing scaffolds to assist learners performing similar activities.

Case Study

A New Type of Learning Experience in Nomadic Inquiry: Use of Zydeco in the Science Center

Lo et al. (2012) · IEEE WMUTE Conference

Students successfully used the mobile system to collect data and connect learning experiences across different settings.

Zydeco is a mobile and web based system that allows students to collect and annotate multi-modal data. With the support of Zydeco, students are expected to connect their learning experiences across different learning settings. In this case study, we shadowed four 7th grade students with different achievement levels from a science class and observed how they utilized Zydeco in a science center. We analyzed their data collected with Zydeco and their final project posters to explain how students connect learning experiences in nomadic inquiry.