Coaches & Centers

Coaches and center coordinators are integral members of the ScienceQuest community. Together, coaches and center coordinators support ScienceQuest teams through their investigations, connect team members with community resources, and serve as cheerleaders for teams' efforts.

Utilizing the I-Search inquiry process, ScienceQuest participants spend ten weeks exploring answers to their passionate research questions. To gather information, ScienceQuest teams may interview local scientists, watch a movie on a CD-ROM, or conduct tabletop experiments. The "How to Do It" guides will help coaches guide teams through each of the four phases of I-Search. I-Search: At a Glance provides a brief snapshot of the whole inquiry process.

Using Online Resources

On the top left hand menu, you will see links to resources that will help coaches and coordinators guide teams through their investigations. Coaches and coordinators can access the following information:

• Nuts and bolts for setting up a ScienceQuest team
• "How to Do It" guides for each phase of the I-Search inquiry process
• Ideas for addressing common challenges
• ScienceQuest Online Resource Center (Online Resources), a searchable database of science activities and experiments, online and community resources, and links to helpful web sites.
• Interactive information sharing between coaches and coordinators
  Stories and experiences from past ScienceQuest coaches and coordinators

The I-Search inquiry process was developed by Dr. Ken Macrorie and implemented in middle schools by Dr. Judith Zorfass. ScienceQuest utilizes the work of both Dr. Macrorie and Dr. Zorfass by bringing the inquiry process to after school community based programs.