WEEK 3 POST
For me, this
week was very insightful because I learned about the characteristics of each
type of inquiry. I learned that inquiry can look quite different and take
a a number of different forms, several essential features need to be present in
order to foster inquiry-based learning. The image above is helpful for me as it
allows one to see the continuum of inquiry and the various forms that it can
take. Below are the key concepts we focused on this week.
Essential
Features of Classroom Inquiry:
◦
The learner engages in questions that can be investigated.
◦
The learner gives priority to evidence in responding to
questions.
◦
The learner formulates explanations from evidence.
◦
The learner connects explanations to knowledge.
◦
The learner communicates and justifies explanations.
The course
reading highlighted that these features can range from student directed to
teacher directed, but in the end they should be present in an inquiry based
classroom. It’s important to note that not all of these features need to be
addressed in every lesson because some lessons simply don’t lend themselves to
certain features. But inquiry can’t exist without any of these features being
present.
Characteristics
of Each Type of Inquiry
Teacher-Directed
(structured inquiry) In this type of inquiry teachers
craft high quality tasks. These tasks should target a student's
"celebration of understanding." This is where students are expected
to apply and use information in some way. The tasks are fully supported by
quality resources at levels appropriate to the students' skills. Students who
have worked through a number of such tasks, been supported with extensive
scaffolding, have developed their own understanding of "good
inquiry," will have built and developed some foundational inquiry skills
and will have experienced success.
Teacher-Student
Shared (guided inquiry)- This type of inquiry-based learning
puts the student in a position to move into tasks that they negotiate with the
teacher. These tasks will bring with them more issues in terms of availability
and suitability of information, less scaffolding support, and require skills at
a more advanced level. Students will be supported to negotiate high quality
tasks that target application of information.
Student-Directed
(open inquiry)- This type of inquiry based learning is the
ultimate goal of "good inquiry." Here students who have developed a
sound set of learning and information skills are equipped to work as
independent learners. It is helpful for teachers to:
·
identify the skills they believe independent learners will
have when they leave the school
·
develop a rubric of stages of development in those skills
·
determine what stage of development students need to be at
in the chosen skills to be ready for progression to the next stage of
independence
Multidisciplinary- a method, or set of methods, used to teach a unit across
different curricular disciplines. Students analyze questions and issues from
multiple curricular disciplines and perspectives.
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