Putting the Pieces Together: the Challenge and Value of Synthesizing Disparate Graphs in Inquiry-Based Science Learning

A comparative synthesis of multiple graphs is a common practice in scientists' work as well as in everyday contexts. We refer to this process as graph meta-analysis. We present findings from a classroom enactment in which cultivating students' graph metaanalysis skills was one aspect of fostering scientific literacy through an inquiry-based unit on socio-scientific dilemmas. We highlight the challenges that learners and teachers encountered, and their implications for future instruction and design.