Inquiry-based learning Inquiry-based learning (also enquiry-based learning in British English)[1] starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios—rather than simply presenting established facts or portraying a smooth path to knowledge. The process is often assisted by a facilitator. Inquirers will identify and research issues and questions to develop their knowledge or solutions. History[edit] Inquiry-based learning is primarily a pedagogical method, developed during the discovery learning movement of the 1960s as a response to traditional forms of instruction - where people were required to memorize information from instructional materials.[3] The philosophy of inquiry based learning finds its antecedents in constructivist learning theories, such as the work of Piaget, Dewey, Vygotsky, and Freire among others,[4][5][6] and can be considered a constructivist philosophy. Characteristics of Inquiry-Based Learning[edit] Specific learning processes that people engage in during inquiry-learning include:[13] 1. 2.
Don’t do inquiry No, I’m not trying reverse psychology here. I really don’t want you to do inquiry in your classroom. Seriously. 10. Inquiry is too loud and too messy 9. You’ll get no argument from me here. 8. Then again, they just might… Billy’s in the back of the room on the brink of drowning in his own drool puddle. 7. Neither is America. 6. Drill and kill, worksheets, videos on Friday, giving the same lecture every year, textbooks, pacing guides, etc. are all much easier to do. 5. You’ve got me there! 4. Maybe that says more about college than it does about kids and how they learn? 3. Nope. 2. Can you lose something you never really had in the first place? 1. Neither is work… I must not be doing it right, then. Do inquiry because you want to love teaching. Don’t do it because somebody with a blog said to. Note: this was previously published on my other blog – Wisdom Begins with Wonder Like this: Like Loading...
What Is Inquiry? Read Article in Spanish Inquiry is a dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlement and coming to know and understand the world. As such, it is a stance that pervades all aspects of life and is essential to the way in which knowledge is created. Inquiry is based on the belief that understanding is constructed in the process of people working and conversing together as they pose and solve the problems, make discoveries and rigorously testing the discoveries that arise in the course of shared activity. Misconception Alert “Inquiry is not a “method” of doing science, history, or any other subject, in which the obligatory first stage in a fixed, linear sequence is that of students each formulating questions to investigate. Inquiry is a study into a worthy question, issue, problem or idea. There are several dimensions of inquiry: These are taken from the Inquiry Rubric Reference (1) Wells, Gordon (2001).
Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation What is inquiry-based learning? An old adage states: "Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand." The last part of this statement is the essence of inquiry-based learning, says our workshop author Joe Exline 1. Inquiry implies involvement that leads to understanding. Furthermore, involvement in learning implies possessing skills and attitudes that permit you to seek resolutions to questions and issues while you construct new knowledge. "Inquiry" is defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge -- seeking information by questioning." A Context for Inquiry Unfortunately, our traditional educational system has worked in a way that discourages the natural process of inquiry. Some of the discouragement of our natural inquiry process may come from a lack of understanding about the deeper nature of inquiry-based learning. Importance of Inquiry Memorizing facts and information is not the most important skill in today's world. The Application of Inquiry
www.inquiryhub.org Powerful Learning: Studies Show Deep Understanding Derives from Collaborative Methods Today's students will enter a job market that values skills and abilities far different from the traditional workplace talents that so ably served their parents and grandparents. They must be able to crisply collect, synthesize, and analyze information, then conduct targeted research and work with others to employ that newfound knowledge. In essence, students must learn how to learn, while responding to endlessly changing technologies and social, economic, and global conditions. But what types of teaching and learning will develop these skills? And, just as important, do studies exist that support their use? A growing body of research demonstrates that students learn more deeply if they have engaged in activities that require applying classroom-gathered knowledge to real-world problems. Research shows that such inquiry-based teaching is not so much about seeking the right answer but about developing inquiring minds, and it can yield significant benefits. Project-Based Pathways Good Signs
AEC394/WC075: What Is Inquiry-Based Instruction? Anna J. Warner and Brian E. Myers2 Introduction Educators should constantly evaluate and adjust their teaching approaches to meet the educational needs of their students and society. What is Inquiry-Based Teaching? Inquiry-based teaching is a teaching method that combines the curiosity of students and the scientific method to enhance the development of critical thinking skills while learning science. Students engage in five activities when they engage in inquiry learning and use the scientific method, as noted in the National Science Education Standards published by the National Academy of Sciences. Figure 1. Tasks of Inquiry Credit: Carin, Bass, & Contant, 2005, p. 21 [Click thumbnail to enlarge.] According to the National Academy of Sciences (1995), when students learn through inquiry, they: question;investigate;use evidence to describe, explain, and predict;connect evidence to knowledge; and share findings. Each of these factors can be found in the following example. Example 1 Example U.S.
Phases of inquiry-based learning: Definitions and the inquiry cycle The review of the 32 articles allowed us to generate an initial overview of the common phases across the articles and was the basis for proposing a comprehensive inquiry-based learning framework. It was decided that this synthesis would be limited to the articles found by the systematic search in order to avoid unsystematic collection of articles that would decrease the reliability of the study. First, we describe how we merged the variety of terms that were used to describe inquiry phases in the articles analyzed in this study. 3.1. The review process resulted in a list of 109 different terms for inquiry phases (see Appendix A). Download : Download full-size image Fig. 2. Six out of the 32 articles initiated the inquiry cycle with ‘orientation’, ‘introducing a topic’ or ‘theory’ (group 1 in Fig. 2), followed up by ‘learning challenge’, ‘anchor’, ‘find my topic’, ‘engage’, ‘learner investigates scientifically oriented questions’ (group 3). 3.2. Table 1. 3.3. Fig. 3. (a) (b) (c)
Fostering a Culture of Inquiry How can we apply literary elements and work with local experts to create high-quality graphic novels? How do cycles of revision improve our artwork? How might we impact voter turnout for a local municipal election? How do we deep our students' mathematical thinking? Now in its 13th year, the Calgary Science School has had a consistent focus on problem-based and inquiry-based teaching and learning. Inquiry also infuses the school's approach to professional development. "The name 'Calgary Science School' can be a bit misleading," Stephenson says. How does Calgary Science School define inquiry-based learning? Adding Value with Outreach As a Canadian charter school, Calgary Science School has a dual mission. One method of outreach is the school blog. Internally, the blog provides an institutional memory and project archive. In another outreach effort, Calgary Science School invites collaboration with other schools. U.S. Please share your thoughts in the comments.