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Inquiry Learning

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Use of Technology in Inquiry Learning

Critical Perspectives. What are some critical perspectives?

Critical Perspectives

Education is not preparing students for a world that is static and fixed. Rather, education must prepare learners to cope with changes that will increase in complexity throughout their lives and many of which cannot be foreseen at this time. Most learners will probably deal with several job changes, move to several different locations, be involved in complex social changes, and other such issues. Education cannot give learners all the information that they need to know, but rather it must provide the tools for continuing to learn. In a society in which education has focused on transmitting "what we know," it is a challenge to develop a widespread view that "how we come to know" is very important in modern society. There are also those who feel strongly that there is a "core knowledge," or elements of cultural literacy, that should be the emphasis of education.

Surveys of business communities regarding workforce skills reveal interesting findings. Difference betweeen Inquiry Learning and Taditional Approach. How does it differ from the traditional approach?

Difference betweeen Inquiry Learning and Taditional Approach

In general, the traditional approach to learning is focused on mastery of content, with less emphasis on the development of skills and the nurturing of inquiring attitudes. The current system of education is teacher centered, with the teacher focused on giving out information about "what is known. " Students are the receivers of information, and the teacher is the dispenser. Much of the assessment of the learner is focused on the importance of "one right answer. " Traditional education is more concerned with preparation for the next grade level and in-school success than with helping a student learn to learn throughout life. Traditional classrooms tend to be closed systems where information is filtered through layers to students.

The inquiry approach is more focused on using and learning content as a means to develop information-processing and problem-solving skills. Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation. What is inquiry-based learning?

Inquiry-based Learning: Explanation

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.

Benefits of Inquiry Based Learning. What are the benefits of inquiry-based learning?

Benefits of Inquiry Based Learning

One of the important missing pieces in many modern schools is a coherent and simplified process for increasing knowledge of a subject from lower grades to upper grades. Students often have difficulty understanding how various activities within a particular subject relate to each other. Much more confusion results when the learner tries to interrelate the various subjects taught at school. Too little effort is devoted to defining important outcomes at the end of high school and planning backwards and across subjects. Inquiry-based learning can help make these connections. Specific content such as photosynthesis has much more relevance for the learner if set in a larger context of understanding the interrelationship of the sun, green plants, and the role of carbon dioxide and water.

Within a conceptual framework, inquiry learning and active learner involvement can lead to important outcomes in the classroom. Yaminiboyjoo.