Inquiry Learning

Slide 1: Inquiry Learning at BBI

Slide 2: What is Social Science? Why teach Social Science? What is Inquiry?

Slide 3: “We teachers and others are in the grip of an astonishing delusion. We think we can take a picture, a structure, a working model of something constructed in our minds out of long experience and familiarity, and by turning it into a string of words or actions, transplant it whole into the mind of someone else…” (John Holt, in Sotto q.v.)

Slide 4: What is Inquiry? Inquiry is based on John Dewey's philosophy that education begins with the curiosity of the learner. Inquiry uses a spiral path. Each step leads to the next:

Slide 5: Inquiry is learning that… • involves exploring the world • asks questions • makes discoveries • rigorously tests those discoveries in the search for new understanding and knowledge

Slide 6: Why use an Inquiry approach?

Slide 7: Memorizing information is not the most important skill in today's world. Information is readily available and can be copied! We need an understanding of how to find, make sense of, and use relevant information for specific purposes. Knowledge is now a process not a thing ‘Action is the proper fruit of knowledge’ Thomas Fuller

Slide 8: Why? We want our students to engaged in authentic and interesting learning experiences. We want them to create knowledge and understanding for themselves We want them to think!

Slide 9: Inquiry Learning • revises prior understandings and deepens our understanding of the world • develops observation, collaboration, reasoning and critical thinking skills • motivates • generates change

Slide 10: Inquiry Learning Real understanding, real knowledge comes through making connections between existing knowledge, new information and hands on application. Application should involve problem solving that is real or near real.

Slide 11: The project based tradition in our schools is the killer of thought.” Jamie McKenzie

Slide 12: In the past knowledge scarce society: In the absence of adequate information resources (students) were limited to generic low-level common thematic questions such as space, dinosaurs, the undersea world, the weather etc., the relevant resources being freely available in libraries. In today’s knowledge rich society: ..topics such as "space" become redundant, while questions such as "compare and contrast video footage from the earth and Mars and identify two significant similarities and differences. Using one of the differences which you have identified hypothesise as to why life is so prevalent on earth but appears to be almost non-existent on Mars”, become viable. Mark Treadwell - The Perfect (Education) Storm

Slide 13: Inquiry should • Centre around an area of passion - for the teacher and/or student • Be student directed - including student involvement in planning • Facilitate change • Initiate social action

Slide 14: When students have ownership over the process their learning becomes a meaningful experience.

Slide 15: B ecause inquiry begins with a meaningful problem or issue, the process engages students as they come to value the driving questions that motivate their inquiry process

Slide 16: It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question. Eugène Ionesco

Slide 17: Not all students learn in the same way A learning style has three main aspects • How you perceive information • How you process information • How you organise and present information

Slide 19: • Inquiry learning is difficult to do well. • Inquiry learning, done well, will require changes to classroom practice, school structures and procedures, school resources, and classroom programmes.

Slide 20: The knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students need for addressing real-life issues and in real-life contexts are seldom found within a single learning area. Draft Curriculum Framework MOE 2006

Slide 21: What is important for students at BBI to learn?

Slide 22: Suddenly knowledge is available to anyone who can spell Google Mark Treadwell

Slide 23: What is important for our students to learn? • reasoning • critical thinking • the ability to justify or refute our existing knowledge • problem solving • communication skills

Slide 24: Research Skills • Questioning skills • Using websites • Key words (Identifying and • Skimming and scanning and using) reading for detail • Searching the Internet • Taking notes • Using contents page and • Using thinking maps index • Citing references Learning to Learn Skills Presenting Skills • Goal setting • Use of ICT • Organisation and time • Use of software management • Layout and design • Tracking and asking for • Vocabulary studies assistance • Listening • Self and peer evaluation • Speaking • Public speaking • Discussion

Slide 25: Digital Age Literacy: Inventive Thinking: 21st Century Skills • Basic, Scientific and • Adaptability and Managing Technological Literacy Complexity • Visual and Information • Curiosity, Creativity and Risk Literacy Taking • Cultural Literacy and Global • Higher Order Thinking and Awareness Sound Reasoning Effective Communication: High Productivity: Teaming, Collaboration and Prioritising, Planning and Interpersonal Skills Managing Results Personal and Social Effective Use of Real World Responsibility Tools Interactive Communication High Quality, Meaningful Results

Slide 26: Scaffolding and support Inquiry learning is just a philosophy … unless the teacher provides structure, scaffolding and teaches the skills the student requires to achieve success. The teacher becomes a partner in the experiences and takes the vital role of a role model of quality learning.

Slide 27: BBI Inquiry Model Process