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It's a padlet about FNMI issues. What could it lead to?

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Two teachers talk through their planning and their challenges.

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Another way of thinking about the process.

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Oct 24, 2013

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Created by educators in Australia, this diagram can be a helpful resource for students, as they embark on the inquiry learning process.

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The Inquiry Process, Step By Step | KQED

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Created by educators in Australia, this diagram can be a helpful resource for students, as they embark on the inquiry learning process.

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Dan Meyer talks about how he uses inquiry in math class.

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Virtual Resources that might help during IBL

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Virtual Resources that might help during IBL

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Put together by the PDSB.

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Must Inquiry-Based Learning start with a question?

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Must Inquiry-Based Learning start with a question?

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An argument in favour of tinkering and playing.

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Project Based Learning: What if we didn't start with a question?

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Note: This post was originally called: Project Based Learning: Don't Start with a Question. However, through an excellent discussion below with Drew Perkins, I have changed the title to: Project Based Learning: What if we didn't start with a question? See the comments for the rationale.

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Take a child's picture book about a topic, and try thinking about it with this organizer as the "lens". How could a picture book be used in an intermediate classroom?

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The CBC Digital Archives are an in-depth resource. This page focuses on immigration in Canada. How could you use it to invite thought and questions?

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CBC Digital Archives has an extensive amount of content from Radio and Television, covering a wide range of topics.

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Galileo.org shares their definition and criteria.

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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. Rather, it is an approach to the chosen themes and topics in which the posing of real questions is positively encouraged, whenever they occur and by whoever they are asked. Equally important as the hallmark of an inquiry approach is that all tentative answers are taken seriously and are investigated as rigorously as the circumstances permit."⁽¹⁾

Inquiry is a study into a worthy question, issue, problem or idea. It is the authentic, real work that that someone in the community might tackle. It is the type of work that those working in the disciplines actually undertake to create or build knowledge. Therefore, inquiry involves serious engagement and investigation and the active creation and testing of new knowledge.

There are several dimensions of inquiry:

The inquiry study emanates from a question, problem or exploration that has meaning to the students.

An adult at work or in the community might actually tackle the question, problem, issue or exploration posed by the task/s.

The inquiry study originates with an issue, problem, question, exploration or topic that provides opportunities to create or produce something that contributes to the world's knowledge.

The task/s require/s a variety of roles or perspectives.

The inquiry study leads students to build knowledge that leads to deep understanding.

Students are provided with multiple, flexible ways to approach the problem, issue or question under study that use methods of inquiry central to the disciplines that underpin the problem, issue or question.

The inquiry study encourages students to develop habits of mind that encourage them to ask questions of

evidence (how do we know what we know?)

viewpoint (who is speaking?)

pattern and connection (what causes what?)

supposition (how might things have been different?)

why it matters (who cares)

On-going assessment is woven into the design of the inquiry study providing timely descriptive feedback and utilizes a range of methods, including peer and self evaluation. Assessment guides student learning and teacher's instructional planning.

The study provides opportunities for students to reflect on their learning using clear criteria that they helped to set. The students use these reflections to set learning goals, establish next steps and develop effective learning strategies.

Teachers, peers, adults from outside the classroom and the student are involved in the assessment of the work.

The study requires students to address a semi-structured question, issue or problem, relevant to curriculum outcomes, but grounded in the life and work beyond the school.

The study requires students to develop organizational and self management skills in order to complete the study.

The study leads students to acquire and use competencies expected in high performance work organizations (eg. team work, problem solving, communications, decision making and project management).

Use of Digital Technologies

Technology is used in a purposeful manner that demonstrates an appreciation of new ways of thinking and doing. The technology is essential in accomplishing the task.

The study requires students to determine which technologies are most appropriate to the task.

The study requires students to conduct research, share information, make decisions, solve problems, create meaning and communicate with various audiences inside and outside the classroom.

The study makes excellent use digital resources.

Students and parents have on-going, online access to the study as it develops.

The study requires sophisticated use of multimedia/hypermedia software, video, conferencing, simulation, databases, programming, etc.

The study requires students to spend significant amounts of time doing field work, design work, labs, interviews, studio work, construction, etc.

The study requires students to engage in real, authentic investigations using a variety of media, methods and sources.

The study requires students to communicate what they are learning with a variety of audiences through presentation, exhibition, website, wiki, blog, etc.

Connecting With Expertise

The study requires students to observe and interact with adults with relevant expertise and experience in a variety of situations.

The study requires students to work closely with and get to know at least one adult other than their teacher.

The tasks are designed in collaboration with expertise, either directly or indirectly. The inquiry requires adults to collaborate with one another and with students on the design and assessment of the inquiry work.

Students have extended opportunities to support, challenge, and respond to each other's ideas as they negotiate a collective understanding of relevant concepts. Students have opportunities to negotiate the flow of conversation within small and large group discussions.

Students have opportunities to choose forms of expression to express their understanding.

The inquiry provides opportunities for students to communicate what they are learning with a variety of audiences.

These are taken from the Inquiry Rubric

Misconception Alert
"Inquiry is not to be thought of in terms of isolated projects, undertaken occasionally on an individual basis as part of a traditional transmissionary pedagogy. Nor is it a method to be implemented according to a preformulated script."⁽¹⁾

There is a difference between Projects as conventionally understood in education circles and Project-based Learning that fosters inquiry. When using projects within inquiry it is important to note the differences.

loose set of activities

inquiry-based

supplements the curriculum

part of the regular curriculum and instruction

broad assessments

maps to specific outcomes
guided by assessment for learning

no management structure

uses project management tools

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Reference
(1) Wells, Gordon (2001). Action, talk & text: Learning & Teaching Through Inquiry. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Read Article in Spanish

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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.

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A selection of newspapers from Prairie provinces from 1871 until present. Could you use something from this site to invite questioning?

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It's a padlet about Syrian refugees. Could this initiate questions and discovery?

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Examples of Inquiry-Based Learning in the Classroom

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Examples of Inquiry-Based Learning in the Classroom

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While there could be debate about whether or not each one of these fit our definition of IBL, this site offers real-world examples of what IBL MIGHT look like in practice.

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The diversity in today's classrooms is enormous. Students represent a wide array of prior experience and knowledge, with a wide ...Continue Reading

Task: In this grade 6 discipline-based inquiry, students were tasked with taking under-circulated books from the school's library and completely revamping ...Continue Reading

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Classroom Examples: Middle School: Humanities

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The diversity in today's classrooms is enormous. Students represent a wide array of prior experience and knowledge, with a wide ... Continue Reading Task: In this grade 6 discipline-based inquiry, students were tasked with taking under-circulated books from the school's library and completely revamping ... Continue Reading

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How you might start an inquiry using a provocation.

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Recently our Science team has had a focus on how we position Inquiry in our classrooms. We have been working towards planning activities that encourage students to explore concepts prior to delivering an explanation. Following this explanation we will plan for students to apply this understanding to further experiments, group activities and more analytical questions.

When studying Scientific Concepts there are a lot of different Inquiry models that are designed for the construction of understanding. One of the keys principles of most models is that 'Explore' comes before 'Explain', then followed by some application or Higher Order Thinking. An early model of this was presented as Exploration, Invention, and Application (Karplus) also as Explore, Explain, Apply. Many will be familiar with an adaptation of it in the 5E Instructional model (Bybee) - Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate.

In recent years our team has increasingly used short snippets of online video to engage students and to offer a version of the explanation. In some classes we have been working towards a flipped classroom where there has been a clear focus on using the video to create a more effective use of class and homework time. I have been inspired by the work of who has adapted the '' Model as he has fit Inquiry into a blended learning environment (a flipped class).

This need of fitting Inquiry into a blended learning environment (1:1 netbooks) led our team to eagerly trial the Veso App over the last month. The principles of its design are in alignment with exactly what we are trying to achieve pedagogically during the 'Explore' phase. At Verso describe this as 'provocations' (read an extract from their site below):

Provocations:
Deliberate and thoughtful challenges created by the teacher with the intention of initiating thinking, extending ideas and exposing individual learning needs in order to inform practice.

Effective provocations cultivate curiosity through a combination of carefully selected stimulus and high quality prompts or questioning.

Provocations motivate students to think creatively; to discuss, question, predict and hypothesize. They challenge learner s to engage in big ideas, encouraging further inquiry whilst supporting students to take control of their own learning pathways.

An example of a provocation

The Trial with Verso
is a web based app (works well on everything) that creates opportunity for student collaboration/discussion around a stimulus question. This includes the ability to add stimulus material - YouTube, Dropbox, links, photos, video......... Students are then required to post before they read and comment on others answers. For us this really met our need as we sought opportunities for students to 'Explore' a concept.

Similar to when we have used Blogs and Discussion Boards in the past, we see more students having a voice compared to a traditional class discussion. As also commonly seen with online discussions we see students who were normally quiet in class now having a voice. However, a significant difference was that Verso was set so students were anonymous and that students were required to post themselves prior to reading the posts of others. This really encouraged student confidence to generating original ideas and to use original wording in their explanations.

Following the students writing their own posts, it was equally important for them to confidently comment on the posts of others (also anonymous). This requires them to use their current understanding to analyse someone else's post and write feedback. Such a task involves Higher Order Thinking and really exposes current knowledge and misconceptions. This is what it is all about - expose what's there and have students construct their own understanding of the concept. The engagement in this peer collaboration is also encouraged as students can 'Like' comments and they can reward someone for a 'Helpful' comment.

The sign of a great student centred activity is that all students are actively discussing the concept in their own words - Verso definitely hit the mark here. As a teacher being able to see each student's original post and comments also offers a visibility of their learning - you can almost watch it happen!

Verso also enabled levels of differentiation for our students. In its collaborative nature this sort of activity allows students at all levels to be able to participate and improve their understanding. Students with a limited understanding can build their understanding with the support of their peers; students with a higher level of understanding can test the limitations of their understanding by analysing and discussing the posts of others. Additionally, as a teacher one of the great features is that you are able to group student responses together. The creation of groups of students with similar responses or similar misconceptions can then allow responsive instruction where you might focus particular instruction on specific student groups. This offers another level of differentiation as your enter the 'Explain' phase in the Learning Cycle.

It is this sort of match, where Technology is enabling the Pedagogy that working as a teacher is really exciting. We are looking forward to 'Exploring' Verso as we purposefully 'Explore' with our students.

If you are interested in having a look, check out the site.

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Recently our Science team has had a focus on how we position Inquiry in our classrooms. We have been working towards planning activities that encourage students to explore concepts prior to delivering an explanation. Following this explanation we will plan for students to apply this understanding to further experiments, group activities and more analytical questions.

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This PDSB-produced powerpoint is LONG. But it provides some really good ideas/thought prompts to help define, understand, and start planning for inquir-based learning.

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The LNS published this monograph to define and explain IBL. It's a little wordy, but does provide some insights and useful suggestions.

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Is Inquiry the same thing as Project Based Learning?

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Is Inquiry the same thing as Project Based Learning?

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This site defines PBL as "students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge." Is this inquiry?

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

Project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge.

Sort by:

Project-based learning encourages student engagement and self-directed learning, and helps teachers make the best use of their time.

As they emerged from the difficulties of the past few years, these students combined humanities, STEM, and the arts in a project that celebrated their identities as individuals and as a community.

New research reveals that when science, reading, and math come together in rigorous hands-on projects, student collaboration, engagement, and achievement can soar.

A new study shows that when implemented well, AP courses built around project-based learning can raise test scores for all students, including those in traditionally underserved demographics.

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George Lucas Educational Foundation Project-based learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge. Sort by: Project-based learning encourages student engagement and self-directed learning, and helps teachers make the best use of their time.