A series of slides I used to present conceptual learning and inquiry at the RSCON online conference, October, 2013

1. STRATEGIES TO DEVELOP
CONCEPTUALLY FRAMED
INQUIRY & THINKING
Gareth Jacobson, PYP Co-ordinator,
American International School Dhaka

2. WHAT IS INQUIRY?
•
exploring, wondering and questioning
•
experimenting and playing with possibilities
•
making personal connections between previous learning and current learning
•
making predictions and acting purposefully to see what happens
•
reflecting on ideas and reappraising
•
researching and seeking information and knowledge
•
taking and defending a position
•
solving problems in a variety of ways
•
making connections through and between knowledge
•
forming generalizations and conclusions

3. HIGH TEACHER CONTROL
Students
make
choices
in
the
inquiry,
which
are
dependent
upon
guidelines
and
structure
given
by
the
leader.
Teacher
o=en
poses
the
problem
to
be
inves>gated.
Amount
of
structure
may
vary
depending
on
the
outcome
desired
and
assessments.
Laissez faire /
discovery inquiry
Anything goes, there is little visible traditional curricular
structure or guidance. Discoveries lead to new
inquiries, curriculum is emergent.
Guided inquiry
Students
make
choices
in
the
inquiry.
Student’s
choices
lead
to
deeper
understanding
guided
by
some
structure
given
by
the
leader.
Open inquiry
Teacher
asks
students
to
come
up
with
their
own
ques>ons,
experiment,
hypothesize
and
develop
their
own
conclusions.
Students
make
almost
all
of
the
decisions.
There
is
liCle
or
no
addi>onal
guidance
(example
–
PYP
exhibi>on).
LOW TEACHER CONTROL
HIGH STUDENT INITIATIVE
LOW STUDENT INITIATIVE
Structured inquiry

4. HOW CAN THE STRUCTURE OF
KNOWLEDGE HELP US PLAN FOR INQUIRY?
Theory
Principle Generalization
Concepts
Topic
Facts Facts Facts
see Lynn Erickson - Concept based curriculum & instruction - teaching beyond the
facts (2002)

5. PLANNING FOR INQUIRY
USING CONCEPTS?
• How
do you plan for inquiry in the classroom?
• Do
you use enduring understandings? essential questions?
learning objectives? Where do you start?
• Chat
discussion - please share your experiences

6. PLANNING FOR INQUIRY:
TOP DOWN OR BOTTOM UP?
“BIG PICTURE TO SMALL DETAIL”
Generalization / Enduring Understanding
Concepts
Groups of facts (themes / topics)
Individual facts
Prior
Knowledge
“Students generally construct meaning from the bottom
up, but as teachers we plan from the top down”

7. PLANNING FOR INQUIRY:
THROUGH BIG IDEAS
“BIG PICTURE TO SMALL DETAIL”
“Understanding the interdependence of the bodies systems can help us make
healthy choices”
Connection Function - systems, interdependence
knowledge of the major body systems
Individual facts
Prior
Knowledge

8. “PLANNING WITH THE MAGIC
CIRCLES”
Worthwhile
Important to Know / Do
Enduring Understanding
or
Essential Question
Wiggins, G & McTighe.J (1998) Understanding by design

9. “PLANNING FOR BIG
UNDERSTANDINGS”
t
At
iti
os
sp
di ng
d
i
an arn
s
le
de
u
it
f
ns
o
or
Worthwhile
At
t
it
ud
es
an
le d d
ar is
ni po
ng sit
Important to Know / Do
“Understanding the
interdependence of the bodies
systems can help us make
healthy choices”
SYSTEMS
INTERDEPENDENCE
FUNCTION
CONNECTION
io
ns
f
or

10. WHY TUNE IN TO THE CONCEPTS
BEFORE THE CONTENT
KNOWLEDGE?
• Frames
a big idea on which to “hang” further new knowledge
• Promotes
• Activates
curiosity
prior knowledge

11. “PLANNING WITH THE MAGIC
CIRCLES”
iti
t
At
os
sp
di ng
d
i
an arn
s
le
de
tu
i
inquirers
reflective
fo
ns
o
At
t
r
SYSTEMS
it
ud
es
making personal connections,
being curious
inviting causal reasoning
activating and evaluating prior knowledge
asking questions
an
le d d
ar is
ni po
ng sit
eq
u
en
ce
of
le
ar
n
pursuing hunches
inviting inquiry
finding out
directing learning
knowledge acquisition
asking and refining questions
in
g”
“S
en
u
eq
INTERDEPENDENCE
OF BODY
SYSTEMS
making connections with
and through knowledge
entertaining possibilities
forming generalizations
asking questions
ce
ns
f
or
curiosity
creativity
SYSTEMS OF THE BODY
“S
io
rn
ea
l
of
in
g”