512+Agenda+-+7.30.14

Whadya Think?
Post questions, comments, ideas to discuss based on your professional engagement research on inquiry-based instruction (To post - 1) Sign in, 2) Click "edit", 3) Type your entry, 4) Sign your post (three tildes ~), 5) Click "save")

I found the study concerning the relative effectiveness and efficiency of DI versus inquiry based learning to be very interesting. I liked it because it addressed some concerns that I have had for a while about inquiry based learning, specifically the potential for students to develop misconceptions which may be very difficult for the teacher to dispel or correct. I also have been concerned about the efficiency of inquiry based learning because it appears to take much longer to convey a piece of information through inquiry when compared to direct instruction. Although I am unsure how much weight to give to the results of the study, I appreciated that it addressed some issues which have concerned me about inquiry based learning for a long time. user:pcocco9870

Effective inquiry-based teaching seems to me to be hard to achieve. I had a number of college professors in mathematics who were very interested in pedagogy, and who experimented widely with inquiry-based teaching. In total, I took four courses that were taught according to a strict inquiry-based learning (IBL) regime. Of these four courses, I would say that one was a smashing success, one was a moderate success, and two were failures (one abject failure among the two). Each of these four courses used a similar IBL model -- students 'discover' results and proofs for themselves and are guided through the process of 'writing their own textbook' throughout the semester. The success of the IBL method seemed to be a function of 1) the ability levels of the students in the class (classes with students at similar ability levels do better), 2) the atmosphere of the classroom, and 3) the material covered (too easy : super boring ; too hard : class moves super slow). In particular, it didn't seem to be //entirely// up to the teacher whether or not IBL succeeded or failed in the classroom. I think that a healthy discretion is therefore advisable when using these methods, perhaps esp. in mathematics. user:jones.alecj

I think this type of teaching can really lend itself to content areas across the board. In the context of my own content are, Social Studies, I can very much see some opportunity. Thinking back to some of my undergraduate history classes, some of the best classes utilized inquiry-based techniques. Having class discussions and examining primary documents were great in establishing understanding of the content. I really want to bring this into my own classroom because I recognize the value that can come from this type of instruction. Inquiry-based instruction can help build content knowledge, language and critical thinking skills, that can really make the classroom experience a positive one.user:gmaechler

I really enjoyed learning about this type of teaching. I think this is the type of lessons that most of us would like to participate in. I think, especially from watching the videos on the Urban Academy, that this lesson style is the most dynamic and gets students involved the most. It seems that the only way this model will work, though, is to build off of others, such as text based instruction, so that all of the students deal with the same background knowledge before delving into material. A problem I see is that, like discussed in one of the videos, a high functioning inquiry class can only exist when the whole school is structured that way. It requires a lot from students that might not be possible if they come from other classes where inquiry lessons aren't utilized. I would still really like to work with this lesson style more than any other. user:mterry36

This is probably the type of instruction I am most familiar with. English majors (and those who study art) love to sit around and have long discussions on things they have read or works they have familiarized themselves with. This form also seems to be the most apt to help built student-teacher relationships. A good facilitator can learn a lot from their students because inquiry-based discussion is all about learning how to listen to one another. If the teacher makes a brilliant point, then it is just passive learning, but, like Anny said today, if the student makes the connections on their own, everything changes. ELA makes inquiry-based teaching really accessible and I will definitely use it in my classroom.user:krystalvalle

Like Krystal, this form of instruction appeals to me and is familiar to me given my ELA experience. However, this form of instruction was for the most part absent from my high school classrooms. My experience was that teachers often do not trust middle and high school students to be mature or thoughtful enough to engage in this kind of learning. I hope to be able to facilitate critical thinking and meaningful discussions in my English classroom and to prove this assumption wrong. If you set high expectations and show students that you know they are able to engage in intelligent, meaningful debate and discussions, I think they will rise to the task. It also, it my opinion, is a good way to get kids to read who may not have before because they want to be part of the engaging class discussions. user:AliciaRosman

The part of the PET that generated the most thinking on my part was the research that said that inquiry-based instruction was not effective if it was over-used and if the teacher did not provide enough background information for students to actually answer the question. My worry when teaching social studies is actually how much background knowledge can be assumed and how much knowledge must be taught. A colleague in EDTE 566 earlier this summer to “assume the students know nothing.” How far can this statement go? How much background knowledge do I have to teach when going over the geography of the United States? How in depth do I have to go on the location of the fifty states? I am assuming that the correct answer to these questions is “enough” and “deep enough” and depends largely on the class.user:hharper12

Watching a history classroom in action using inquiry based instruction was most helpful in my understanding. Reading about it initially, I was unsure about how I would actually implement it in the classroom. In the end, it’s not as scary as I thought it was. It is based on the teacher facilitating discussion and asking students to find evidence to support the claims that are being made. I am concerned how this would look in a classroom of 30 students, just because all class discussions are not always the most productive. Instead you would have to use smaller groups, which means it is more likely for these groups to be off task and not actually completing the discussion. Ultimately, I think there is potential, but with larger class sizes, it is going to be harder to implement in a history classroom. user:am_kruse

Inquiry based teaching for history seems to be effective when going over primary source documents, an important part that can be quite difficult at times to make sense of. Also, it can have students get engaged with primary source documents and make sense of it by having the teacher come and sit with them and get on their level. I personally consider myself as a traditionalist and believe that teaching should be more based on text-based, direct learning, and a little cooperative learning; when covering an historical event that may be found dry. I do, however, find this to be a great learning technique by having students collaborate and learn off of each other while the teacher can find out if his/her students are learning and making sense of the material. Besides history, I can also see this being used in English Language Arts, my other endorsement, and have students collaborate, answer open-ended questions about the novel that we may be reading about, and have them try to create an analysis. For example, reading a novel such as //Of Mice and Men// can be a great way to introduce this style of teaching by having students use the book by making an analysis in what John Steinbeck is trying to send to his readers. Some of the open ended questions can be compared to our society and have students reflect on those with Steinbeck's views of the American Dream and how he portrays it to be an illusion, no matter how hard someone works for it; and/or how the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and be robbed of their basic human dignity. All of this can be tied into inquiry teaching and can help students make sense of the material and why it matters so much to them. user:kevinrenner89

I found the inquiry based teaching model to be very interesting. There are a lot of positives from the students about this style of teaching. One of the videos that I liked was the science teacher who was working on a lab project in class. This is something that can easily be geared towards inquiry based study. I think that from this I have a rough idea of inquiry teaching. There were good videos of it, and the teachers discussing it and the 5 E’s made a lot of sense for me. It it really based on the scientific method which is what makes sense to me. I guess my one concern or question would be how this can look in our first year of teaching. I feel like this method can take up a lot of time in a classroom and go down an unwanted tangent, though I really like the related tangents of science classes. I guess my question is how do you break in a class to this style and set a direction. user:Tomas427

I definitely want to use aspects of inquiry-based instruction in my lessons however; I don’t know that I would want to spend most of my class time doing that. Also, it seems that this type of instruction works well with some subjects where understanding concepts or themes is the main goal. A class that needs students to understand formulas or basic facts may have a harder time incorporating this type of instruction. Unless the instructor is trained well in inquiry-based instruction there will probably be times the conversation just dies out. I can see the average teacher not being able to keep the conversation going for the whole the class period. Continuously asking open-ended questions is an art form.user:jordanashley016

Money--any current medium of exchange --can be stored (saved).

Basic Characteristics of Money:

1) It must be durable, which is why we don’t use wheat, corn, or rice. 2) It must be divisible, which is why we don’t use artwork. 3) It must be convenient, which is why we don’t use lead or copper. 4) It must be consistent, which is why we don’t use real estate. 5) It must possess value in itself, which is why we don’t use paper. 6) It must be limited in the quantity that is available, which is why we don’t use aluminum or iron.

ONLY gold and silver fit all seven characteristics.

Barter--a direct exchange of products between buyers and sellers --there is no recognizable standard of value --does not allow saving

**The groups’ jobs are to buy or sell their products to the best possible advantage

9:00 - 9:15 - Welcome and Review (Housekeeping: activity guides)
 * Notetaker: Jordan
 * Photographer: Mona
 * Reviewer: TJ
 * Snacks: Anny, Greg

9:15 - 9:50 - Teaching Demo #1

9:50 - 10:25 - Teaching Demo #2

10:25 - 10:35 - Break

10:35 - 11:05 - Inquiry-Based Instruction Discussion

11:05 - 11:40 - Teaching Demo #3

11:40 - 12:15 - Teaching Demo #4

12:15 - 12:45 - Lunch

12:45 - 1:45 - Inquiry-Based Instruction Activity

**Objective:**
 * SWBAT discern arguments and supporting evidence from a variety of resources related to a vexing educational issue
 * SWBAT articulate a well-reasoned stance related to a challenging educational issue


 * **Ask** - Why do students fail in school? What can educators do?
 * **Investigate**-
 * Divide up the resources. After reading your article, identify the key arguments in the article with evidence.
 * Discuss your findings as a group.
 * Find additional resources
 * Choose a position and support your position with evidence (facts/well-reasoned logic)


 * **Create** - A billboard advocating your position
 * **Discuss** - Share your positions
 * **Reflect** - On the project

**Link to research log:** https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R5MxQWcLMzXoPKUxMlPMRaBDB8h3zbAoeNmmnEPiM2M/edit?usp=sharing
 * You'll need to make a copy and rename!

**Resources to start with. . . (representing various positions)** [] [] - Is not working! [] [] [] [] [] [] [] []


 * A few research tips . . . **
 * For the most part, use only articles that are less than 3 years old (set these parameters when you google)
 * Recognize that this is a hot, complex topic; articles may be biased towards a certain position. Look for the bias.
 * Avoid websites that are inundated with ads.


 * billboards**


 * Reflections: **

1:45 - 2:05 - Classroom Management

2:05 - 3:05 - Lesson Plans and Lab Time


 * Housekeeping: **


 * For Thursday: **
 * Inquiry-Based Activity Guide (individual) - [[file:InquiryActivityGuide_revised.docx]]
 * Teaching demos
 * 1. Mo
 * 2. Greg
 * 3. Abbie
 * 4. TJ
 * 5. Ben
 * 6. Alec
 * 7. Henry
 * Draft of one lesson plan for final assessment and one commentary response. (See home page for directions.)

7/30/14

Notes

-Problems with wiki =( -plan for today -grades for instruction activities -chance to redo if less than 14 out of 15 -pay attention to who audience is for lesson instructions -pretend like your writing a recipe

DEMOS -Abbie and Mo -modern government simulation -quarantine activity -Paul and Alec -physics and gravity -drop ball through hole in earth -momentum -Jordan and Greg -marketplace -Mona, Alicia, and Krystal -sequencing words


 * always show and tell

LUNCH

Written discussion with group -discussion about online conversations -not organic -to formal feeling -time constraint -4 people enjoyed it -need for differentiation -nothing can replace human interaction -can’t put too many restrictions on conversations - “we don’t like pretend conversations” -at home online questions/debate -commitment to what you say with text


 * have a variety of conversation structures

Inquiry Based Instruction Activity -Why do kids fail in school? -What can we do about it? THESE FIVE STEPS: -ask -investigate -create -discuss -reflect

-reasonably structured -a product for inquiry -visual -labs report -text -play -discuss -content -research -assessment -specify criteria -do we have to grade everything we do? -individual or group inquiry


 * teach inquiry skills

__Lesson Plan__ -read models of lesson plan designs found on wiki -Context for learning -what type of classroom do you have? (imagine) -Standards -only two -common core -next generation -WA state standards -Learning target -only two -Academic language -best guess -Prior Knowledge -connections; what do they already know; what have you already taught them -home life connections -Lesson Rationale -Why do I have to learn this? -Evidence -assessment -Instruction strategies -brainstorm different activities

-Differentiation -imagine based off of your imaginary classroom

-Lesson Outline -recipe!! -outside reader -time stamp (choose hours and length of class) -what are the students doing? -note taking…etc… -imagine reactions and answers to questions

-two plans; two different instructional strategies -commentary

-DUE MONDAY BY 9:00AM -UPLOAD TO BLACKBOARD


 * don’t worry about reflection


 * REFLECTIONS/ FINAL ESSAY DUE MONDAY BEFORE NEXT CLASS STARTS