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Some subjects lead themselves to inquiry based learning. Other are more difficult.

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A small number of critical factors go together to create the chemistry of widespread improvement. Indeed, engaging in inquiry and knowledge building cycles at all levels of the school organization is seen as core to professionalism – leaders and teachers become deeply knowledgeable about both the content of what is taught and how to teach it and create the organizational structures, situations and routines to develop it further. When professional learning is focused on cycles of inquiry into students’ needs, then making changes in students’ learning environments becomes an integral part of building knowledge (Timperley, 2011). When leaders and teachers engage in ongoing inquiry and knowledge-building cycles, inquiry habits of mind become part of how things are done. 

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A small number of critical factors go together to create the chemistry of widespread improvement. Indeed, engaging in inquiry and knowledge building cycles at all levels of the school organization is seen as core to professionalism – leaders and teachers become deeply knowledgeable about both the content of what is taught and how to teach it and create the organizational structures, situations and routines to develop it further. When professional learning is focused on cycles of inquiry into students’ needs, then making changes in students’ learning environments becomes an integral part of building knowledge (Timperley, 2011). When leaders and teachers engage in ongoing inquiry and knowledge-building cycles, inquiry habits of mind become part of how things are done. 

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Students must have a goal or a problem that needs to be solved. Has to be easily self directed.

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Do you need a lot of time to engage in inquiry?

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Advantages
So what are the advantages? What supports the notion that inquiry based learning is one of the effective teaching strategies to use in special education?

Students using an inquiry based learning approach take responsibility for their learning tasks
Students are actively involved in the planning and preparation phase, and so develop skills in these areas
Teachers are able to develop ‘softer skills’ in their students, such as cooperation, teamwork, planning and organisation and creativity, all of which are vital and are often the focus of many and varied special education teaching strategies used throughout the curriculum

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Student questions, ideas, and observations are at the center for student learning.

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Inquiry based learning for the digital classroom.
I teach at a 1:1 school. All my students have iPads, and we use Google Classroom. I'm becoming capable with design and extensions. That's how I would summarize my first year in a 1:1 classroom - capable and comfortable.

I always hunt for more - better ideas for my students and helpful (time saving) tools for me. I want my role to be more of a facilitator than a fact-spewing-adult.

The creators of Frontier* offered to give me a behind-the-scenes tour of their program. Frontier is the latest platform from eSpark Learning, a company that's received recognition from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, NewSchools Venture Fund, and Digital Promise. Frontier was recently selected for Google's Digital Media Literacy Program and is being used in 3-8 Grade classrooms nationwide.

After experimenting with Frontier, I have three big reasons why I'm excited to use Frontier this school year.
Created lesson plans.
To find engaging content, check that it is clean, create higher-order thinking questions, differentiate and align it all to standards - well, that could take my entire Sunday. I want that content for my students, though.

I need help to accomplish all of that. For instance, while digitally implementing nonfiction with my freshmen this previous year, I realized that only a portion of my activities were designed digitally. My students were using a digital aspect, but they weren't responding and creating digitally. I didn't have time to create the lesson plan and the digital interaction. I still want some aspect ofcontrol though.

Lessons - complete with viewing and reading materials, critical thinking questions, sample answers, and a note taking sheet - are prepared. As a teacher, you choose what to assign and when.

With Frontier, they provide the lesson and maintain its relevancy. Also, as I ran through a sample lesson, I had questions about the lesson's objective, but Frontier had the right system: teachers can modify the objective and align a different standard. (We all have our own style, right?)
Differentiation.
In high school, I must discreetly differentiate. Students know exactly why some students receive certain assignments. One part of technology that I'm loving is that each student can see an individual assignment without my shuffling through papers or consulting a list. I can assign the best level of reading materials and questions before students enter the room.

A goal of differentiation is to challenge students at their level. Frontier has labeled reading levels, and my students will read at their capability - and understand the content. I always can move them to a more difficult level.
Relevant Materials.
Frontier provides modern and age-appropriate learning sets. I don't know current trends with teenagers, even though I try to stay abreast of their interests. (Specific note: teenagers do not use the word "abreast"). Students would like relevant materials, and I want to provide it.

On the student side, each activity includes reading materials, videos, check points for understanding, and deeper thinking questions.

On the teacher side, I can design the specifics of what I want students to complete. I can remove content and if I have my own idea to add, Frontier gives teachers that ability too. If my students' inquiry leads the class down a new path, Frontier provides plenty of relevant material for more discussions.

Finally, I can provide student choice: watch one video and read two articles, then choose the best two sources for inclusion in your final writing assignment. This will be perfect for days I have a substitute: I can send out the assignment from home, making adjustments because I won't be there.

I struggle to find various activities and then update them yearly, along with making them digitally friendly in the form of inquiry based learning. All of that is a tall order for one classroom teacher. Frontier updates and builds its catalogue to keep the material relevant and timely. Frontier currently has enough lessons to support a year-long curriculum for reading informational text.

I think that the argumentative and informational sections need more pieces, but Frontier promises that once the school year starts, the Learning Design team will be adding new lessons each week.

Today's technology offers opportunities to differentiate and engage students, and Frontier is an exciting addition to my 1:1 classroom. Balancing all teaching requirements and the goals I have as a teacher will be easier with the Frontier platform.

*This is a sponsored post. In exchange for an honest review, Frontier is providing me with a classroom subscription. All opinions in this post are my own. Please consult my disclosures page for more details.

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Inquiry Based Learning from Frontier | Language Arts Classroom

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Inquiry based learning for the digital classroom. I teach at a 1:1 school. All my students have iPads, and we use Google Classroom. I'm becoming capable with design and extensions. That's how I would summarize my first year in a 1:1 classroom - capable and comfortable.

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Project-based music is a way for students to personalize their learning, take ownership, use relevant technology, build upon and acquire new skills, and showcase their understanding to key learning outcomes-and yes, solve a real world "problem." As with other types of personalized classrooms, project-based environments focus on learner outcomes and 21st century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication.

This type of democratic learning environment has students learning by doing and by allowing all to explore individual interests and passions, learners are more motivated and excited about school. Finally, this real world context has a direct connection to our students' lives outside of school.

The heart of project-based music is personalized learning. This student-centered environment places each student in control of their learning outcomes, the resources they use, and the ways in which newly acquired skills or mastered content will be showcased. A few takeaways about personalized learning and project-based learning are:

Learner becomes more responsible for their learning

Connects with learner interests, passions, and talents

Makes learning relevant to each individual student

Inquiry based education

Acquire skills to select and use appropriate technology

Makes use of various 1:1 technologies

Goes beyond differentiation and individualization

Projects in which students take control of their learning can be started with any grade level and are perfect for the music classroom. There is no one size fits all first step so . . . start small, design a single project for your students, and center it around your learner outcomes. Don't forget to make it relevant. As you get started with your first project be sure to plan formative steps that build off one another, provide students with an assessment rubric or work with individuals/groups to create their own, include an opportunity to reflect, and create opportunities for students to share (present) their projects.

You may also find it useful to create overall objectives for each project that include a project template and general guidelines. These guidelines set up the project and helps students who are not yet comfortable designing their own learning objectives.
Music Composition

Create a remix of a favorite song

Arrange pre-made loops to create new music

Video Game / Movie trailer Soundtrack

Create a cover song

Live audio composition using recorded (found) sounds

Create a Soundscape

Instructional Videos
Students work in small groups and showcase understandings of skills, concepts, or topics and create an instructional "how to" video that highlights the process and the product. These videos serve as a recourse to other students.
Graphic Novels / Comic Books
Similar to a how-to video, having students create their own instructional guide can personalize, strengthen, and showcase their own understanding while providing a resource for other students to use in the future. There are numerous graphic novel / comic book creator apps and websites available that go beyond creating a word processing document.
Student Newsletters
Students create a newsletter for their parents and the school community that highlights what is going on in music class and explains the process behind some of the skills based products (like performance). Apples Pages, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs have built in newsletter templates as a starting point for students.
Independent Musical Focus
Students independently explore one of the many facets of music. This provides students the opportunity (and the time) to further explore and investigate an area of musical interest ranging from music history to the intersection of physics and music. Students create their own learning outcomes, how they will showcase understanding, and identify what resources they may need.

By placing students at the center of their own learning, music educators can really tap into the individual interests and passions. Personalized learning through project-based music increases motivation, learner outcomes, and improves a student's outlook on education (school). In this inquiry-based learning environment, students learn by doing and develop 21st century skills such as communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. All of these are perfect for the music classroom.

Some final thoughts on how to get started using project-based music to help personalize student learning.

Start small: use current learning outcomes as a guide

Scaffold activities and build formative steps

Provide valuable, timely feedback

Let students drive: FACILITATE (guide on the side)

Allow students to create HOW they will showcase learning

Provide time for all to share the projects

Bray, B., & McClaskey, K. (2014). Make learning personal: The what, who, wow, where, and why. Newbury Park, CA.

Horn, M., & Staker, H. (2014). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

McDonald, T. (2011). Unsustainable a strategy for making public schooling more productive, effective, and affordable. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Schwahn, C., & McGarvey, B. (2011). Inevitable: Mass customized learning - learning in the age of empowerment. Lexington, KY: Chuck Schwahn & Bea McGarvey.

Why Project-based Learning (PBL)? (2015). Retrieved from http://www.bie.org
About the Author Michael Hayden is a music educator from Milwaukee, WI. He teaches 6-12 grade orchestra, digital music production, and rock band for Whitnall Middle/High School, which launched 1:1 iPad programs in 2013. Hayden is passionate about music and technology, especially the new and relevant ways students can create meaningful and unique music compositions using a variety of recording/sequencing hardware and software that are readily available. Additionally, Mike is a frequent presenter at various state and national education conferences-including this year's National In-Service Conference-in the areas of music technology, secondary general music, composition, technology integration, and personalized learning. Finally, Mike is an instructional technology specialist, serving on various pilot and training teams for his school distric t.
Website: www.michaeldhayden.com

Twitter @Hayden__Michael

Email: michayden@gmail.com
Did this blog spur new ideas for your music program? Share them on Amplify! Interested in reprinting this article? Please review the reprint guidelines. The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) provides a number of forums for the sharing of information and opinion, including blogs and postings on our website, articles and columns in our magazines and journals, and postings to our Amplify member portal. Unless specifically noted, the views expressed in these media do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Association, its officers, or its employees.

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Personalized Learning through Project-Based Music - NAfME

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Project-based music is a way for students to personalize their learning, take ownership, use relevant technology, build upon and acquire new skills, and showcase their understanding to key learning outcomes-and yes, solve a real world "problem." As with other types of personalized classrooms, project-based environments focus on learner outcomes and 21st century skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication.

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Spend time on projects, not lecturing

There's an old Chinese proverb, although Ben Franklin occasionally gets credit for these words:

“Tell me and I’ll forget.

Show me and I may remember.

Involve me and I’ll understand.”

Inquiry is about doing, not observing, action not inaction.

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Establishing an inclusive classroom setting that respects and values all diversity,including special physical and learning needs. As a philosophy,universal design ensures that all students are valued in the classroomand that accommodations are made to ensure their learning.

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Establishing an inclusive classroom setting that respects and values all diversity,including special physical and learning needs. As a philosophy,universal design ensures that all students are valued in the classroomand that accommodations are made to ensure their learning.

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What is the difference between project based learning and inquiry based learning?

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Thinking is very difficult to evaluate, but key signs include use of appropriate vocabulary, the ability to exchange ideas in a protocol-based format, and the ultimate skill of delivering a cogent solution supported by explanation, insight, and evidence. In inquiry-based education, all of these become assessable items. 

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Thinking is very difficult to evaluate, but key signs include use of appropriate vocabulary, the ability to exchange ideas in a protocol-based format, and the ultimate skill of delivering a cogent solution supported by explanation, insight, and evidence. In inquiry-based education, all of these become assessable items. 

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Targeting will be the key for assessment.