221+Agenda+-+11.20.14

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")

When I first started reading the articles about inquiry based instruction, I was wondering how I would be able to apply this method to math. The articles didn't particularly spark my interest and I wasn't connecting with the material. It wasn't until I watched the TED talk video about the math teacher who supports inquiry-based instruction that I began to see the benefits specifically in math. He talked about how math textbooks are notorious for giving too much information, too much structure, and force students to process problems in only one correct way. His explanation made me think about the negative attitudes students have towards math and wonder if those attitudes could be changed if an inquiry-based approach to math was more common. Instead of having questions that structure each step for students, why not have them create their own steps? This way they have to engage with the problem, identify what is being asked of them and then use reasoning to determine the steps necessary to find an answer. Looking at Bloom's Taxonomy, I think often times only KNOWLEDGE, COMPREHENSION, and APPLICATION are utilized in most math settings. With inquiry-based learning, the other levels of Bloom's can be reached as students ANALYZE the problem at hand and SYNTHESIS previously learned knowledge to apply it in a new way. The possibilities of inquiry-based learning in math excite me because of the deeper learning that can occur and the freedom it can allow in a subject that is so often characterized as being black and white. user:Mgreen141

I think inquiry-based instruction is a great way to teach students, because not only does it encourage students to collaborate and work together, it also gives students ample opportunity to lead their own learning. Although there is scientific evidence that disproves the effectiveness of this strategy, I think it also depends a lot on the teacher and how they implement this teaching strategy. Of course if a teacher gives students a problem they've never seen before without giving them any information on how to solve it, or what they are even trying to solve, then obviously the chances of them getting it right the first time are going to be minimal; however, they still get the chance to analyze the problem and figure out what they can for themselves, which encourages critical thinking, a major goal of inquiry based instruction. Another thing I really like about this teaching method is that it correlates with differentiation really well and it also allows for other teaching strategies to be used, such as discussion based instruction and collaborative learning. Inquiry correlates with differentiation because it allows students of different developmental levels to work together and learn from each other and it can be used across a wide range of topics and subjects, and it correlates with collaborative learning because it encourages deeper thinking and learning through a process of students working together to solve complex problems. I also like that it gives students a chance to use their strengths in order to solve problems, because it helps build their self esteem and confidence. Some questions I have about inquiry based instruction is how to implement it in classrooms that are not mathematically or scientifically structured, and would they use the same method (scientific method) to go about solving problems or critically thinking?  - cnye5 "Inquiry-based" instruction is "a teaching method that combines the curiosity of students and the scientific method to enhance the development of critical thinking skills while learning science." There is one inquiry-based model that falls under the umbrella of inquiry-based instruction that I really like. The first step is asking a question. The second step is investigating the answer to the question. The third step is using evidence to describe, explain, and predict. The fourth step is connecting evidence to knowledge. The fifth step is sharing findings. There are several characteristics of effective inquiry-based instruction. First, the questions must be very well thought out. They must be thoughtful, intelligent, and force students to think. Students must work cooperatively in order to figure out the answers to the questions. This means that work is split evenly, that students stay on task and respect each other, etc. The most obvious characteristic of less-effective inquiry-based instruction is having bad questions. Inquiry-based instruction is led by the questions, so the questions must be well thought out so that the lesson can be successful. I can definitely imagine myself using inquiry-based instruction in my content area. I think that it can be meaningful for the students while also being very fun. First, I would split up the class into groups of five. Then, I would present the class with a question, and I would give each group five minutes to answer it. I would continue to ask questions for the remainder of the period. user:channa5

From the reading, videos, and research that I did on Inquiry-Based Instruction, I personally think it is a wonderful way to teach students. Although I have always responded well to Direct Instruction and other teacher-heavy instructions, I believe inquires allow for much more critical thinking, which in turn makes it easier for students to remember the information long-term. Direct Instruction was always fast and I really enjoy teacher-led instruction because I think I liked someone telling me exactly what I need to know and what is "important." However, I think that in general students learn better thinking and life skills by having to explore the information and not by having it all told to them as facts. I remember doing inquiries in school and even though I didn't always enjoy them at first, eventually I was captivated and I usually learned more during discussions and activities where I had to explore and think critically than when I listened to a lecture. I think it is more important to teach students to think critically and learn to discover information for themselves. It's important to learn not to take everything a teacher says as fact. If students learn to explore, ask questions, and work hard to answer their questions than I think they will have a better work ethic than students who have only been lectured to. At first glance, I was thinking that Inquiry-Based Instruction could only be applicable to science lessons. However, when I watched the English video, I realized that this instruction could be applied to an English lesson, although I sort of don't see the difference between discussion and inquiries when it comes to English. I think Inquiry-Based Instruction is important and should be implemented into classrooms of every kind. But, I don't think that classes should be 100% inquiry-based because there are some things that are just fact and don't need to be discussed. Some things just need to be told to students and memorized. Also, I do think there are times when it's important to have teacher-led instruction because that's why teachers are there...to teach. I think there are times for students and time for teachers to lead the discussion or the lesson. In my opinion, there should be a balance. user:JennJoralemon

I really love the idea of Inquiry-based instruction for students, because of the ownership that involves students in their learning and their metacognitive processes. It's a systematic approach to teaching and learning that puts the student in a position of accountability and curiosity. I think that it uniquely provides ways for students to really deeply engage with material on a level that developmentally matches their abilities and interests, and provides the teacher and classroom some flexibility as far as strategies go. However, I was also really interested by the article that was critical of inquiry-based instruction, "Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of a Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Learning." It dealt with many of the arguments against inquiry-based instructional strategies that actually made a lot of sense. The author struggled with the fact that long-term and short-term memory are influenced by learning, but in different ways. Long-term learning isn't as impacted by inquiry-based learning, because it isn't as efficient a process. The author claims that "Minimally guided instruction (i.e., inquiry-based instruction) appears to proceed with no reference to the characteristics of working memory, long-term memory, or the intricate relations between them." Later he says that "Inquiry-based instruction requires the learner to search a problem-space for problem-relevant information. All problem-based searching places heavy demands on working memory. Furthermore, that working memory load does not contribute to the accumulation of knowledge in long-term memory because while working memory is being used to search for problem solutions, it isn't available and can't be used to learn." This is an interesting claim because in many of the Teaching Channel videos, the instructors have found ways to make connections for and with the students that develop their learning and knowledge in various ways, using discussion as a vehicle for their exploration. I found that personally, I thought that the inquiry approach might work best with science-related courses, but even in English and History the inquiry approach, where students have to express and defend their opinions and those must be backed up by text and informed by others' arguments, the method still stands as a valid teaching strategy. That being said, I believe that the author of the critical text makes a good point when he says that some form of direct instruction beforehand is necessary to frame and scaffold students' learning. For example, if you're doing a 7th grade science unit on stars, you can't just say, "Ok, learn everything you can about stars." They will run up against physics and math that are way beyond them, and may discourage them from learning more about astrophysics and astronomy. Instead, it would be wise to frame their learning by giving a little lecture or hook introduction that will make them knowledgeable about what they're being asked to do - "Here's the function of stars. Our sun is a star. They're enormous and give off a lot of energy. Stars are born and die every day. Etc." I realize that many constructivists or advocates of inquiry-based instruction say that directed instruction can interfere with a students' learning, but I think that is not a useful guiding principle for younger grades. Younger kids need a framework for their learning. People who are older, like college students, can probably more reasonably expected to take a project and run with it sans much prior explanation, but even so it's a useful tool for understanding basic principles of what you're teaching. user:Mackenzie_D

What I really liked about Inquiry Based learning was a comment made in the hour long video on the Teaching Channel- the teacher said that she is having the students re-read and re-think. I liked this simple definition of inquiry based learning because I think it summarizes the goal of inquiry based- to examine something in a way that changes the way you look at it. This aligns with the components of I.B. that we learned about such as "question, observe, apply" and "engage, explore, explain, elaborate, extend, and evaluate". All of these components, or "5 E's", are path ways for people to re-read (or re-examine) and then re-think. As always, I had to think for a bit to connect this type of lesson to music. But, that great little re-read re-think reminded me of a time in choir last month when we spent about 10 minutes listening to 5 different recordings of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from the Messiah. After each song group, our conductor asked us what we thought, heard, observed, and compared in each of them. At the end, we shared our likes and dislikes and came up with a pretty good combination of descriptions on how we wanted to sing the chorus. When we stood to sing, we applied those descriptions and vois-la, the chorus finally sounded unified. With a song as popular and widely sung (and badly sung) as the "Hallelujah Chorus" it was important for us as a group to re-read and explore a bunch of different interpretations of the song before we could re-think how WE wanted to perform it. It was an instant fix. In this example, we engaged in recordings, explored options, explained our opinions, elaborated on what we could do, and then evaluated how we sounded. In my class, I.B. lessons or learning will come in handy when I am having my students practice self-diagnoses and self-evaluation. Also, practicing going deeper with the text (song) by re-examining what we are doing as a choir will also be good. user:staciac

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 Inquiry-based learning requires students to actively use their hands and minds, and as a result, students are able to assemble ideas to create their own knowledge and understanding. =====

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Teachers play an important role in the inquiry process, like starting the inquiry process, promoting student dialog, transitioning between small groups and classroom discussions, intervening to clear misconceptions or develop students' understanding of content material, modeling scientific procedures and attitudes, and, utilizing student experiences to create new content knowledge.These all contribute to the success of the inquiry process.=====

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I like the idea of developing the student's own voice. The teacher is providing a safe environment for the students to speak out and have a sense of authority when they talk. It also helps the students build respect for one another. This all helps in the student increasing their own voice and not being ashamed to speak out and voice their opinion. It also allows them to build their confidence and promotes a diversity of voices. This is probably by far my favorite style since it truly helps the student grow. user:dcisherwood=====

Inquiry based learning has always been one of my favorite methods, because I can distinctly visualize its relevance for every subject. unlike some of the other methods of teaching we've learned about so far, I think that inquiry based learning can be applied realistically almost everywhere. (I think because I experienced so much of this method in my education growing up, i might be pretty biased). One of the things i though was most interesting as I read through the articles on the wiki was that the structure itself is described as systematic - there are five steps, that happen in order. But in the article about the E's, they were described as fluid. I thought this was particularly interesting, because it shows that although there is a specific structure, it doesn't have to FEEL structured and rigid. The point of inquiry based instruction is that students can do most of their own critical thinking and evaluation, and can do that in a context with a pace that seems natural. I think I am most excited to try and use this teaching method in my future Spanish classroom, because so much of what students get excited about can be incorporated into the curriculum. Letting students have their own voice when it comes to their interests and giving them the space to let them be an expert can be so critical to wether or not a student engages with the material. I really love the idea and process of inquiry based instruction, and I think it will be one of the most meaningful types of teaching I do, (if I can learn to do it well!) user:HTye


 * Target:**
 * **I can explain characteristics of effective inquiry-based instruction**

9:00 - 9:40 - Debrief and review (Audrey)
 * Notetaker: Stacia
 * Reviewer: Hailey

9:40 - 10:10 - Inquiry-Based Instruction Discussion

1. Start with a good question.
 * "The Bones" Structure of Inquiry-Based Instruction **

2. Investigate.

3. Create.

4. Discuss.

5. Reflect.

10:10 - 10:45 - Inquiry Project (take a break sometime in the middle)

**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:** []


 * You'll need to make a copy and rename!

**Resources to start with. . . (representing various positions)**

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 * 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.


 * Present billboards & reflect on the process **

11:45 - 11:30 - Learning conversations (cont)
 * Closure and Reflection


 * Housekeeping:**
 * Inquiry-Based Activity Guide - Due Dec 4
 * [[file:Inquiry Activity Guide.docx]]
 * Teaching Demos - Dec 4
 * Audrey
 * Hailey
 * Alex


 * EdTPA Major Assessment Components
 * "Context for Learning" for one of your Garry classes
 * Two connected lesson plans using lesson design template (the observed lesson you taught at Garry plus a lesson that could come right before or right after that lesson); Be sure you align with the central focus! You must also demonstrate at least two __different__ instructional strategies.
 * Responses to EdTPA Task 1 planning commentary questions 1, 2, 3, 5
 * Scored on the Task 1 rubrics
 * Timeline for EdTPA Major Assessment
 * Context for Learning - Nov 20
 * Second lesson plan - Nov 25
 * Draft of commentary (must have at least 2 questions thoroughly answered) - Dec 2
 * Final product - Dec 11

NOTES! Direct instruction- Dependent on the teacher and often highly pre-planned and fixed content Text based- Highly organized (high on the y-axis) but in the middle between student and teacher Discussion based- More open ended (negative y-axis) and student led Differentiation- student centered and mostly pre-planned Inquiry- Very open ended and more student centered Cooperative- Slides on y-axis on the student centered side
 * Lesson Plan Reviews

>
 * The Bones of Inquiry
 * 1) Good questions: thoughtful, open ended and not google-able, both teacher and student created, reasonable and focused, give them a starting point for researching
 * 2) Investigate: give them a starting point, teach them how to find the correct information
 * 3) Create: something to be produced after learning
 * 4) Discussion: To monitor learning, discover what they are learning, correct the misunderstandings
 * 5) Reflection: comparing it to what they previously thought, how it has changed their mind set, real life connections, moving beyond the content and thinking bigger