1 / 18

Inquiry Learning

Inquiry Learning. “Inquiry is a habit of mind”. Traditional Teaching Environments. teacher centred; teaching as telling, explaining; learner relatively passive; factual, knowledge based learning; assessment summatively focused; contrived or artificial context;

tate
Download Presentation

Inquiry Learning

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Inquiry Learning “Inquiry is a habit of mind”

  2. Traditional Teaching Environments • teacher centred; • teaching as telling, explaining; • learner relatively passive; • factual, knowledge based learning; • assessment summatively focused; • contrived or artificial context; • predominately lower order thinking; • individual or whole class.

  3. What do we know about effective teaching and learning? • student centred; • high but realistic expectations; • engaging, active, risk-taking, collaborative; • learners as co-constructors of meaning; • appropriate scaffolding and feedback, feed-forward; • clear next learning steps and student reflection; • learning in meaningful contexts, holistic; • fosters higher order thinking and awareness; • creates connections between ideas. Sources- BES- Ministry of Education (2003), Brophy (2001)

  4. What is inquiry learning? Inquiry is a systematic investigation into a real problem or issue.  Inquiry-based learning encompasses the processes of posing problems, gathering information, thinking creatively about possibilities, making decisions, justifying conclusions and taking action. Adapted from http://www.ltag.education.tas.gov.au/glossary.htm#inquiry

  5. Why Inquiry? We think this is best summed up by the following extract from Stoll, Fink and Earl, 2004. “I have a choice I can either prepare your child for your past or her future, which would you prefer?” Inquiry learning is a means of developing and fostering effective lifelong learners.

  6. Effective Lifelong Learners Think- ethically, critically, logically, analytically, reflectively, creatively about themselves, others and the world Are- flexible, adaptable, creative, resilient, organised, self managing, open-minded risk takers, reflective, self aware, information literate Can- problem solve, question, consider possibilities and consequences, communicate, make decisions Murdoch, K. & Wilson, J. (2004) Learning Links. Curriculum Corporation

  7. What does the inquiry process look like? • Tuning In • Finding Out • Sorting Out • Making Conclusions • Going Further • Taking Action Reflection Kath Murdoch and Jeni Wilson, 2004. Image from Grasmere School, 2004

  8. How will we know if we have got there?- Environment • School Documentation • Display space • Learner centres • ICT as a tool, tutor and transformation • Flexible workspace • Learning intentions • Evidence of the inquiry process • Big books to record student learning • Inquiry a regular part of ‘teacher talk’

  9. How will we know if we have got there?-Teacher • Climate • Sharing understandings • Small group conferencing • Involving students in the learning • Recording appropriate processes/strategies • Listening to and acting upon student responses • Feedback and feed forward • Meeting individual student need • Questioning • Evaluation of question, strategy and communication vehicle • Making the inquiry process explicit • “Just in time’ teaching • Teachers articulating their understanding of the process • Reflection

  10. How will we know if we have got there?- Student • Interesting, challenging and purposeful activities • Listening to and responding to others • Recording and articulating • Leadership roles • Recognising and discussing interrelationships • Participating in self and peer assessment • Accessing appropriate resources and ICT • Sharing their learning with authentic audiences • Justifying their choice of thinking tool and strategy • Asking questions • Using their learning to make a difference • Reflection

  11. Inquiry Process in a Nutshell… • Selection or co-selection of topic that links with big ideas/transferable concepts. Is this worth teaching about? • Developing generative question/s and understandings • Engagement with topic/question • Where are we now? Sharing understandings. What are our questions/wonderings? Is there a problem to solve? Investigations and explorations

  12. Inquiry Process in a Nutshell… • Sorting/communicating • Making connections –what do we understand? Feel? • Going further (Can be personal pathways…) • Doing something about it!!!!! • REFLECTION THROUGHOUT….for kids and teaching team

  13. Key Understandings • These underpin the whole inquiry and need to be referred to while the unit is occurring • They explain what we hope students will understand by the end of the unit? • What transferable, robust, ‘big ideas’ will the students will gain? • What is important and relevant for the students to know and experience?

  14. Generative Topics • Link to big ideas: Transferable concepts that help us make sense of the way the world works • Offer relevance to student’s lives – this is ‘worth knowing’ about • Are easily connected across a range of learning areas…lots of possibilities • Present opportunities for direct experiences/first hand data • Generate thought-provoking questions/issues… get kids thinking creatively, critically and reflectively • Have potential for direct action/application …learning by doing and doing something with the learning

  15. Generative Topics • Link to big ideas: Transferable concepts that help us make sense of the way the world works • Offer relevance to student’s lives – this is ‘worth knowing’ about • Are easily connected across a range of learning areas…lots of possibilities • Present opportunities for direct experiences/first hand data • Generate thought-provoking questions/issues… get kids thinking creatively, critically and reflectively • Have potential for direct action/application …learning by doing and doing something with the learning

  16. Sample generative questions: • How can we be the best possible learning community? • Why and how do people value land? • How does the media influence us? • How can we live more peacefully with others? • What makes a great neighbourhood? • How do peoples bodies change over time? • How does my body work and what can I do to care for it?

  17. What makes a great community? • What is good health? • Where do I belong? • Why do we have gardens and how can we grow them? • Why do people need heroes? • What makes a good house? • What makes our neighbourhood unique and what is our role in it? • How do people bring about change? • How does food affect well being?

  18. Where can I go to find out more? Murdoch, K. & Wilson, J. (2004). Learning Links. Australia: Curriculum Corporation Wilson, J. & Wing Jan, L. (2003). Focus on Inquiry. Australia: Curriculum Corporation Murdoch, K. (1998). Classroom Connections. Australia: Eleanor Curtain. Stoll, L., Fink, D. & Earl, L. (2004). It’s about learning. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Websites Inquiry Page http://www.inquiry.uiuc.edu/index.php Online Workshop: Inquiry–Based Learning http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/ Department of Education Tasmania http://www.ltag.education.tas.gov.au/focus/inquiry/inquiry.htm

More Related