WEEK 1 Post

WEEK 1 POST

        The graphic above really helps to understand the fact the inquiry based learning is a process.  What appeals most to me about inquiry based learning in my current teaching role is the notion that all learning begins with the learner.  One must consider what the students know and what they want to learn.  These two premises are the foundation for learning.  This week I was able to gain an understanding that inquiry based learning is a process.  In reading through the course material, the statement "inquiry is an approach to learning that involves a process of exploring the natural or material world, that leads to asking questions and making discoveries in the search for new understanding" seems to make the most sense to me.

      In this process, the student should always be at the center of the process and the teacher should acts as a guide  to facilitate this process.  Some view this as a shift in acceptable and needed behaviors for both students and teachers in a traditional educational setting.  Because IBL is a viewed as a process, it can be troublesome to specifically define it.  Traditional educational approaches often subscribe to a specific set of rules and a specific order of events to facilitate a lesson.  This necessitates that a specific format is used for the lesson that will dictate how it is written and will look when delivered in order to maximize student learning.  The IBL model makes this virtually impossible for two main reasons;

• Since it's student centered and students always change (i.e., backgrounds, preconceptions, strengths, weaknesses, and needs) the process will always change based upon the students and their specific needs and interests.
• Since the process is dynamic, what the teacher must do during a lesson to help students reach the desired learning goals in one lesson will not necessarily need to happen in each lesson.

      I think that an important point to remember is that it is difficult to find a one-size fits all model for IBL or education for that matter. Research points out that there are a number of models to choose from when focusing on creating an inquiry based learning environment.  I look forward to learning  about these as we progress through the course.  By drawing on the students' own background and experiences, the teacher will be able to identify ways to connect to the topic and will engage students in the learning process.  It is this personal connection to learning that increases a student's motivation to explore, read, and struggle with difficulties as they arise.

Resources:
http://www.cii.illinois.edu/InquiryPage/inquiry/definition.html
http://www.cii.illinois.edu/InquiryPage/
http://www.neiu.edu/~middle/Modules/science%20mods/amazon%20components/AmazonComponents2.html#components