For several decades now, inquiry-based learning has been an important element of science education. However, research findings show that inquiry-based learning is applied only rarely in science classes. To increase the implementation of inquiry-based learning, professional development programmes that address science teachers’ beliefs and attitudes need to be offered. In the course of a teaching initiative, we created a respective programme and investigated the participating teachers’ beliefs and goals concerning inquiry-based science.
The programme lasted about six months and was attended by teachers from five schools. For the purpose of data collection, we conducted two group discussions with the participating teachers, one at the beginning and one at the end of the programme. The data were analysed in two steps: In the first step, the transcripts of both group discussions were analysed via qualitative content analysis, facing differences in beliefs and dispositions between the first and the second group discussion. During this analysis, it became apparent, that the formulated goals and beliefs were fostering and hindering factors for teachers when making decisions about the teaching methods. For further analysis, we applied the Documentary Method according to Bohnsack. This approach shed light on teachers’ tacit knowledge. The reconstructed orientational frameworks show that the participating teachers see “inquiry” as contradictory to “learning” at school. This might constitute one obstacle to the implementation of inquiry-based learning that has not been considered yet.