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Viscount School Learning Community Classrooms of the future |
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Inquiry Learning definition Inquiry learning enables students to become learners. It recognises the importance of substantial knowledge and the ability to ask high order questions. It requires the learner to become information literate and a competent user of the World Wide Web. It cultivates habits of mind such as critical and creative thinking and develops in students a sense of social responsibility and personal values. Learners develop an understanding of their own cognitive processes and the inquiry model gives the learner a method which enables them to learn anything they need or want to know. At its best Inquiry Learning demands action on the part of the learner. As a result of their learning the learner is required to take action or to caste new light or insight on to the topic under inquiry. It is about developing creative effective problem solvers whose learning outcomes benefit the entire community. This inquiry model allows the teacher to cover the achievement objectives as prescribed in the New Zealand curriculum documents as well as developing skills, processes, values and habits of mind essential for the creation of learners. Inquiry Learning Model Topic – Context – Situation Knowledge Attack The students spend some time (2 weeks) immersing themselves in the topic. They become ‘Masterminds’ in the topic – acquiring knowledge of the topic now, in the past and in the future. They become something of an expert. It is during this time that the students will cover the Achievement Objectives from the Science/Social Studies curriculums. Scenario Teacher presents the students with a scenario (that is based on truth) and that is a problem or issue related to the topic/situation in which the students are now masterminds. Essential Question Students must form one Essential Question. This is a high level question (Bloom’s Taxonomy), that forms the basis of the inquiry. It is the question for which they are seeking an answer or forming a new insight or on which they are attempting to cast some new light. It is a question that has no current answer. It is relevant to the student’s lives now or in the future and is often related to global issues. To form an answer to this question students will need to access and sort information and to think critically. They will need to use their ‘expert’ knowledge to guide their critical thinking. The quality of this question is paramount to the quality of the inquiry. Subsidiary Questions Students write smaller questions together that help them answer their main question (Essential question). These are displayed on a large wall chart. They must realise that the Essential Question is the parent of the Subsidiary questions. Powerful subsidiary questions are "Telling Questions"). "They are very carefully planned so they go right to the heart of the matter. They eliminate wandering around and aimless gathering." (McKenzie, 2000) E.g. Which forests are in danger of desiccation? Hypothesis Students hypothesize the subsidiary questions. The subsidiary questions can be answered in small groups or pairs. They record what they think the answer is now based on the knowledge they have at this time. Hypotheses are recorded on charts under the questions. It is good to use ‘sticky notes’ of one colour to record students’ hypothesis. Later ‘sticky notes’ of a different colour may be added to the chart to record answers discovered through research. This allows the teacher to gain an accurate idea of the students’ previous knowledge so that new knowledge gained can be measured and acknowledged. It also gives the students a kind of blueprint to show what the answer they are seeking might look like. It helps the searcher to recognize relevant information. Develop Research Plans Students record Key words they are going to use in their search. Teacher and students plan websites to be visited. Sometimes teacher may provide 2 or 3 suitable websites for students to follow. Students plan how they are going to search for information. e.g. Key words Topic Sentences First paragraphs of articles Class may build up a Register of suitable websites for particular topics – and related topics or issues that might give them insight into their inquiry question such as if they were researching how to save the Bengal Tiger, they may look at how Panda Bears or Black Robins to explore successful methods that have already been used. "Sometimes researchers need to navigate away from the coastline in order to find the new world." (McKenzie, 2000) Gathering Information (Searching) The most suitable resources in terms of accessibility, up-to-date information, readability and quality are selected to gather information – people/community, E-mail, books, videos. Students will search the Internet. Some sites would be recommended by the teacher. Students need to be taught Information Literacy skills so that they are able to access, recognise relevant information. Students will:
Information found maybe recorded on ‘sticky notes’ of a different colour and put on charts under questions and under hypotheses. Sifting and Sorting Students mindmap answers to the subsidiary questions (Inspiration) or record on charts. Students within groups (or as individuals) add their findings to the mindmap or chart. Students eliminate information and re-arrange information into correct categories or under questions. Students check hypothesis charts for information added by others who may have stumbled on an answer suitable for a group other than their own. During this time students are making collaborative decisions about the usefulness of their gathering. Synthesize Students examine their question again. Use mindmap to organise and form an answer to their subsidiary question. Group may review their answer several times and choose the best one. Report Students check to see that all relevant information is included in the answer (check mindmap or stickies). Discuss construction of answer and review it. Have we answered the question? Students may seek advice. Groups report answers to Subsidiary questions to class - Tapes PowerPoint Video Ideas maps OHP KidPix MS Word This is an opportunity to gather the answers of all the subsidiary questions. Answering Essential Question Students now look at Essential question in the light of their new knowledge and in the light of the shared knowledge from other groups. Students think critically about a solution or new insight (and about action they may be able to take). Students justify their answers using the knowledge they have gained. Students need to recognise that there is no one correct answer – rather a new idea or solution. Students need to explore ways of spreading these new solutions. e.g.
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