Uploaded byBrenda Sherry
Inquiring minds want to know
This document discusses the elements of inquiry-based learning. It begins by asking what the critical elements of inquiry are and provides an overview of different types of inquiry approaches like project-based learning, guided inquiry, and open inquiry. It then discusses elements that must be considered when planning inquiry-based lessons like tapping prior knowledge, generating intriguing questions, developing an investigation plan, analyzing resources, drawing conclusions, and reflecting. The document also discusses what inquiry looks like in different subject areas and emphasizes building a learning community focused on evidence, viewpoints, connections, imagination, and relevance.
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Inquiring minds want to know
- 1. Inquiring Minds Wantto Know:Inquiring Minds Want to Know: What are the critical elements ofWhat are the critical elements of inquiry?inquiry? LC ConferenceLC Conference Sept 27, 2013Sept 27, 2013 ALL RESOURCESALL RESOURCES tech2learn.wikispaces.comtech2learn.wikispaces.com twitter: @brendasherrytwitter: @brendasherry email:email: brenda.sherry@ugdsb.on.cabrenda.sherry@ugdsb.on.ca website: brendasherry.comwebsite: brendasherry.com
- 2. Project-based Learning Inquiry-based learning GuidedInquiry Knowledge Building Problem-based Learning Open Inquiry Coupled Inquiry Structured Inquiry by tambakothejaguar on flickr
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- 4. • Is itreally inquiry? • What elements must I think about while planning? • How do I make sure everyone is learning? • What is the culture I need to build to ensure that successful inquiry happens ? Wondering...
- 5. John Dewey -1938John Dewey - 1938 Learners draw meaning by connecting oneLearners draw meaning by connecting one experience to another and to the future, andexperience to another and to the future, and by collecting and by reflecting on andby collecting and by reflecting on and organizing the ideas that emerge from theorganizing the ideas that emerge from the experiences.experiences. What are the implications for ourWhat are the implications for our classrooms?classrooms? What is missing?What is missing?
- 6. Your top 5elements of inquiry...
- 7. Common Inquiry Framework Tap into priorknowledge, background knowledge Generate intriguing problems and/or questions Develop a plan for investigation Select and analyze resources Organize info, draw conclusions and new understandings Share demonstrations of learning with others Reflect on process; Generate new questions
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- 11. What is PBL?Whatis PBL? From the Buck Institute atFrom the Buck Institute at www.bie.orgwww.bie.org focuses on the central concepts andfocuses on the central concepts and principles of a disciplineprinciples of a discipline involves students in problem-solvinginvolves students in problem-solving investigations and other meaningful tasksinvestigations and other meaningful tasks allows students to work autonomously toallows students to work autonomously to construct their own knowledge, andconstruct their own knowledge, and culminates in realistic products.culminates in realistic products.
- 12. What is PBL?Whatis PBL? (cont(cont’d)’d) George Lucas Educational Foundation at Edutopia.orgGeorge Lucas Educational Foundation at Edutopia.org is curriculum fueled and standards basedis curriculum fueled and standards based asks a question or poses a problem that eachasks a question or poses a problem that each student can answerstudent can answer asks students to investigate issues and topicsasks students to investigate issues and topics addressing real-world problems whileaddressing real-world problems while integrating subjects across the curriculumintegrating subjects across the curriculum is a method that fosters abstract, intellectualis a method that fosters abstract, intellectual tasks to explore complex issues.tasks to explore complex issues.
- 13. What is PBL?Whatis PBL? (cont(cont’d)’d) Linda Darling-HammondLinda Darling-Hammond PBL involves completing tasks that typically result in a realisticPBL involves completing tasks that typically result in a realistic product, event, or presentation to an audience.product, event, or presentation to an audience. central to the curriculumcentral to the curriculum organized around driving questions that lead students toorganized around driving questions that lead students to encounter central concepts of a disciplineencounter central concepts of a discipline focused on a constructive investigation that involves inquiryfocused on a constructive investigation that involves inquiry and knowledge buildingand knowledge building student-driven, in that students are responsible for makingstudent-driven, in that students are responsible for making choices &for designing &managing their workchoices &for designing &managing their work authentic, by posing problems that occur in the real world andauthentic, by posing problems that occur in the real world and that people care aboutthat people care about
- 14. What is PBL?Whatis PBL? (cont(cont’d)’d) Susie Boss and Jane Krauss (ISTE, 2007)Susie Boss and Jane Krauss (ISTE, 2007) Projects form the centerpiece of the curriculum - theyProjects form the centerpiece of the curriculum - they are not an add-on or extra at the end of a "real" unit.are not an add-on or extra at the end of a "real" unit. Students engage in real-world activities and practiceStudents engage in real-world activities and practice the strategies of authentic disciplines.the strategies of authentic disciplines. Students work collaboratively to solve problems thatStudents work collaboratively to solve problems that matter to them.matter to them. Technology is integrated as a tool for discovery,Technology is integrated as a tool for discovery, collaboration, and communication, taking learnerscollaboration, and communication, taking learners places they couldn't otherwise go and helping teachersplaces they couldn't otherwise go and helping teachers achieve essential learning goals in new ways.achieve essential learning goals in new ways. Reinventing Project-Based Learning: Your Field Guide to Real World Projects in the Digital Age
- 15. Seymour Papert andHard Fun! • kids like hard fun, important work, challenges • kids need to see us learning • kids can think like mathematicians, scientists, artists
- 16. What does inquirylook like in science? • search for accurate and replicable evidence • confirming or refuting a hypothesis • drawing conclusions about a truth • identifying misconceptions by going beyond observations to investigate fallacies
- 17. What does inquirylook like in math? • problem-solving and reasoning • looking for patterns and relationships in the physical world • more involved with accuracy and logical thinking rather than point of view
- 18. What does inquirylook like in history or social studies? • assess evidence for point of view • assess evidence for social and historical point of view • finding multiple truths • representative of different perspectives and time periods • understanding your own personal bias
- 19. What does inquirylook like in language arts? • interpretation of evidence • weighing social context • determining point of view and author’s purpose • synthesizing and making inferences • questioning
- 20. Crowdsourcing the Wisdom inthe Room
- 21. Continua to Considerfor Effective PBLContinua to Consider for Effective PBL Peter Skillen & Brenda Sherry, 2012Peter Skillen & Brenda Sherry, 2012
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- 26. How do wemake sure everyone is learning?
- 27. Developing a communityof thinkers Habits of Mind from Deborah Meiers - Mission Schools Evidence: How do we know what's true and false? What evidence counts? How sure can we be? What makes it credible to us? This includes using the scientific method and more. Viewpoint: How else might this look if we stepped into other shoes? If we were looking at it from a different direction? If we had a different history or expectations? This requires the exercise if informed "empathy" and imagination. It requires flexibility of mind. Connections/Cause and Effect: Is there a pattern? Have we seen something like this before? What are the possible consequences? Conjecture: Could it have been otherwise? Supposing that? What if ? This habit requires use of imagination as well as knowledge of alternative possibilities. It includes the habits described above. Relevance: Does it matter? Who cares?
Editor's Notes
- #2 Welcome introduction thanks for coming - You ’ ll find my resources and contact info at any of these spots -open websites - tech2learn - edutopia, buck institute, linoit
- #3 If you are feeling a little confused, join the club! It ’ s not surprising that we might be having trouble figure out what the essential elements of inquiry might be, because there seems to be a different version for every publisher out there!
- #4 I started teaching at a great time - the late 87 ’ s in TDSB and spent 20 years as a classroom teacher before moving into my current role as a Technology Coach with Upper Grand DSB in Guelph. I say that I started at a great time, because the focus was on activity-based learning, multiple intelligences theory was new, brain-based research was starting, we had big involvement in cross-curriculum planning, often with the help of a teacher library - Partners in Action document. We were people rich at that time, in TDSB at least, and I remember being involved in lots of projects focused on how pedagogy should impact our instruction - and a big focus on students at the centre and creating environments that foster curiosity
- #5 I am always learning about what inquiry is and what it isn ’ t - I ’ m always transferring what I know, but because I ’ m in a coaching role, I ’ m often encouraging people to jump in and try it as a teacher inquiry. I find that the biggest hurdle is becoming comfortable with the fact that you don ’ t always know where it ’ s going to go. You give up control - but you get one of two things back - incredible engagement from kids and a shift in the culture of the classroom from teaching them to learning together. On the flip side, you also get some kids (often the ones with top marks) not wanting to participate - they ‘ get ’ how to succeed in school - don ’ t want you to change the game.
- #6 In the beginning - there was Dewey. Starting in 1918 he began to talk about changing education and I think it ’ s rather funny that we are talking about the ‘ new ’ inquiry models when we didn ’ t really realize his vision even back then.
- #7 Our challenge right now before we look at some already created criteria of inquiry is to identify our own top 5 - if you go over, we aren ’ t going to mind...but join with one or 2 people near you and have a go at this - be prepared to share what you come up with on a linoit -
- #8 Most models of inquiry follow a cycle similar to this one. It is MESSY and recursive.
- #9 Interestingly, if you ’ ve had a chance to get into the new support document, The Adolescent Literacy Guide, you will have seen this graphic which fits nicely into an inquiry framework as well.
- #12 I realize I ’ m breaking rules around text on slides here but I want you to compare a few of the common models of one of my favourite kinds of inquiry, called Project-based learning.
- #13 Edutopia.org - tell GLEF story and mention as a great place to find project ideas
- #15 What makes some of these models different from the one we created? I like PBL because it makes me feel tied to the curriculum and I can plan that well, it gives kids lots of choice and it infuses technology in a way that allows for both authentic products and interesting connections to beyond the classroom.
- #16 Someone who has really influenced my thinking about so many things in terms of pedagogy - is Seymour Papert. He was a student of Piaget ’ s and a mathematician who created the computer program for children called LOGO. I had the greatest time programming with my Grade 1s using MicroWorlds Jr a version of LOGO created in Montreal by a company called LCSI - Papert was on their Board of Directors. - this is the old interface here, but basically it ’ s an iconic computer language that allows students to program, create procedures, sub-procedures ets. If you are familiar with Scratch from MIT you ’ ll know that Mitch Resnick, who created Scratch was a student of Papert ’ s. Big Ideas from Papert: 1) Kids like hard fun - they want to do important work, they like a challenge - GBL folks are telling us this too. - Kids like the right amount of challenge - and we know this of course as the Zone of Proximal Development - the edge of your competence. They like not knowing all the answers, they like it when we nurture the ‘ urge to know ’ 2) Kids need to see us learning - carpenter story 3) Kids can think like mathematicians, scientists, artists,
- #17 - search for accurate and replicable evidence in order to confirm or refute a hypothesis and draw conclusions about a truth - importance of identifying misconceptions by going beyond observations to investigate fallacies.
- #18 - focus on problem-solving and reasoning - students are looking for patterns and relationships in the physical world - more involved with accuracy and logical thinking rather than point of view and context
- #19 - diagram from the revised Ontario 1-8 Social Studies, History, Geography curriculum - gather and organize, formulate questions, communicate, evaluate and draw conclusions, interpret and analyze
- #22 Trust - how much inquiry has been done by this group? How long have they been with you? Special needs to consider in the group Questioning - explain the 2 elements within questioning - qcharts - fat and skinny questions Collaboration - cooperation - anyone could do my job, collaboration - unique talents and skills make our group different Content - Government unit - How is our classroom like the government? Knowledge - how do we move from the retelling to deeper learning and making sure kids are constructing knowledge Purpose - authentic audience - solving unknown problems
- #23 David and Norma Thornburg - David is founder of the Thornburg Centre - long time edtech guru and if you attended ECOO a few years ago you ’ ll know that he was our opening keynote - do you know Shazam? His son created that Data, Information, Knowledge and Understanding - teacher ’ s role is different now
- #25 LC Project on placed-based tours
- #26 teacher who worked on PBL in an AQ course I teach - also took a course from PBLu.org
- #27 Tiptoe back through sites and content Making culminating tasks contingent on the work of others Lots of discussion and sharing - time consuming Documentation boards
- #28 Habits of mind in a whole school approach...this could be something they do as well. Define the kinds of habits of mind they want to cultivate and then integrate them throughout the school.