Hello fellow educators,
Welcome to my educational blog on
inquiry-based learning. Keeping in mind the new BC curriculum and its changing
nature towards the development of skills, such as critical and information
literacy, I find that as a 21st century educator it is imperative
that I employ inquiry-based learning within my classroom. This blog is merely a
starting point, for my colleagues to become more informed and familiar with the
inquiry-based approach. My aim is that by reading this blog, educators will
have a better understanding of inquiry, and how to employ it within the
classroom.
What is Inquiry Based
Learning?
Inquiry-based learning is a model of
teaching that takes on more of a student-driven approach to learning versus a
teacher-driven one (Harper & O’Brein, 2012). In this model students are
encouraged to learn by their own means, to take incentive, and to experience,
wonder, and create in order to truly understand their newly acquired knowledge
(Harper & O’Brein, 2012). In this model of learning the student does the
following: first identifies their prior knowledge, then asks some
student-driven essential questions about a topic of interest, investigates for
the answer, constructs new understanding, and finally shares this understanding
with his/her peers (Stripling, 2004). If done effectively the intellectual
exploration that comes with inquiry promotes students to develop new skills,
such as asking good questions (Donham, 2011). Students
can engage in figuring out what type of question to ask such as,
meaning-oriented, relational, value-oriented, and solution oriented (Donham,
2011). Additionally, if an inquiry framework, such as the points of inquiry
(later discussed in the blog) is utilized then students develop inquiry skills
that permits them to employ them in a real-world application (Donham, 2011).
Criteria for Inquiry Based
Learning
(Fontichiaro, 2015b)
Authentic Student Questions
versus Teacher Directed Ones
Students should be
given some time to explore topics, before they create an essential question for
their unit of inquiry (Fontichiaro, 2015b). This student-centered question should display
a higher-level of understanding of the topic (Fontichiaro,
2015b).
Open-Ended Conclusion versus Uniform Results
If students were allowed the opportunity to
create their own essential question, it would be a disservice to ask them to
report in accordance to a strict template (Fontichiaro, 2015b). Students should
not be creating identical presentations, but if there are certain technology or
writing objectives, then they need to be explained prior to the inquiry
project, so that they can refer to them (Fontichiaro, 2015b).
Critical Thinking and Comprehension Versus
Regulation
Information is like grape juice, while
inquiry is like wine (Fontichiaro, 2015b). It is therefore our job as educators
to provide enough check-in points to keep students on track (Fontichiaro,
2015b). Not all fruit makes wine, so sometimes as educators we need to redirect
the process to ensure students are truly comprehending what they are reaching (Fontichiaro,
2015b).
Synthesis over Summary
Synthesizing is putting ideas into one’s
own words, clustering the words into overarching themes, and weaving those
themes together into a cohesive new work (Fontichiaro, 2015b). Synthesizing is
different from summarizing because summarizing only requires a synopses, like
the traditional research method (Fontichiaro, 2015b).
Why Inquiry Based Learning?
The traditional research process, focuses
on superficial fact-gathering rather than developing and solving complex
questions, such as those our students will encounter in the real world (Donham,
2011). This type of process is called a “bird unit,” which follows a model of
locating information and then cutting and pasting it (Donham, 2010). What
students should be doing however, is taking the time to actually think, sort,
and ponder on their newly acquired knowledge (Fontichiaro, 2015 b). Students
are more likely to do this, through inquiry-based learning, if they are able to
choose a topic of interest, something they are curious about (Maloney, 2010).
This curiosity will drive their research and provide intrinsic motivation.
Furthermore, when engaged in inquiry-based learning not only are students
learning in depth about a topic of interest, but they are also developing
skills, such as accessing, analyzing, and apply information (Donhauser, Hersey,
Stutzman & Zane, 2014).
Checklist for Elements/Components in Inquiry
Barbara Stripling and Violet Harada, in
their article, “Designing Learning
Experiences for Deeper Understanding,” created the C.L.E.A.R G.O.A.L. S
guidelines as a blueprint for student leaning (2012).
u C= Content Learning Goal: What is the teacher’s goal for the content learning? What will
students learn at the end of the unit?
u L= Learners: What prior skills and/or experiences do students need to have to
successfully complete this unit? Do students already have what they need to
succeed?
u E= Essential Question: What big question drives the unit?
u A= Assessment: How will students demonstrate their content understanding? What
will they create?
u R= Resources: What resources and technology will the teacher and student find
exciting and relevant?
u G= Guiding Framework: How does this fit within the framework of inquiry that is central
to the Standards for the 21st Century Learner and the Common Core
Standards?
u O= Outcomes: What should students know and be able to do as a result of your
instruction? Which skills must students demonstrate at each targeted phase of
the inquiry process?
u A= Assessment: How will you know if students “got it” in terms of content
knowledge and inquiry skills?
u L= Learning Experiences: What learning experiences will enable students to successfully meet
the learning goals for both the content and skills?
u S=Scaffolding: How will you scaffold this activity to make it manageable? How will
your account for different types and levels of learners?
Guiding
Framework-Points of Inquiry Framework
There are many different frameworks for inquiry, but the
one I will be discussing is that of Barbara Stripling, called points of
inquiry.
Stripling’s Model of Inquiry (Stripling, & Harada, 2012)
Barbara
Stripling- Process of Inquiry
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Connection
Phase (Stripling,
2004)
Connect
to what they know and ideas from others. Connect via “text-to-self,” “text-to-text,”
and “text- to- world.”
Build
background knowledge to reveal interest.
Provide
context for learning via vocab.
The connection phase of the
inquiry plan addresses the L in C.L.E.A.R. G.O.A.L.S. because it addresses the prior
knowledge of the student. It is important because it helps to build
background knowledge to reveal the areas of interest, complexities, or a
frame of accurate information about a topic (Stripling, 2004).
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Wonder Phase (Stripling, 2004)
Ask questions directed
by teacher that tie to curriculum and prompt investigation.
Asks to make
predictions based on questions.
The
wonder phase addresses the E in C.L.E.A.R. G.O.A.L.S. because this is the place
where an essential question is formed. The wonder phase is important because
this is where students develop a sense of curiosity, which becomes an
important motivator to learning (Harper and O’Brien, 2012).
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Investigation Phase (Stripling, 2004)
Comprehending text and making meaning. Respond to the text by
taking notes in a variety of formats, compose reading responses, create
patterns of organization, monitor own comprehension, generate new questions
and predictions.
The
investigation phase is the R in the C.L.E.A.R. G.O.A.L.S. because it addresses
resources. It is during this stage that students begin to develop a greater
sense of themselves and develop skills such as critical literacy and
information literacy.
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Construct Phase (Stripling, 2004)
Think about ideas and
build new understanding of previous knowledge.
Verbalize what they
understand about topic after investigation.
The construction
phase is the O of the C.L.E.A.R. G.O.A.L.S. as this
is where students create the outcome/project of the unit. This stage is
important because it is during this phase that students are expected to think about answers and
ideas they have found, to start to build a new understanding and connection
to previous knowledge (Stripling, 2004).
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Express Phase (Stripling, 2004)
Students will express themselves based on audience.
The expression phase is important because here students
are synthesizing information and
putting it in their own words to create a cohesive project (Fontichiaro,
2015b)
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Reflect Phase (Stripling, 2004)
Think about their own product and phase.
The
reflection phase is important because this is where students think about the
biggest take away of the unit and also the implications of the research process
(Donhauser, Hersey,
Stutzman & Zane 2014). The purpose of reflection is for students to show
their thinking at various stages in the learning process ( Donhauser, Hersey,
Stutzman, & Zane, 2015)
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Essential
Question
The essential question drives inquiry, and so therefore
it is important that it be well developed. The criteria of a good essential question
is the following:
u Questions
should be a problem that needs to be solved (Wilhelm, 2012)
u The
question should require ongoing disciplinary debate and conversation, where the
question has potential to be revised, and re-designed (Wilhelm, 2012)
u The question
should matter to the student today and in the future (Wilhelm, 2012)
u The
question should identify
and examine theme in the curriculum to be addressed (Wilhelm, 2014)
u The
question should not be one that can be answered easily with a yes/no, or quick
google search (Wilhelm, 2014)
u The
question should not have a single right answer, but an answer that is justifiable
(Wilhelm, 2014)
u Question requires students
to make judgements (Wilhelm, 2012)
u Question should be
open-ended and arguable, linked to data, concise and clear (Wilhelm, 2012)
u Question
should give
inquiry frame, and focus (Wilhelm, 2014)
u Question
can be
answered through information retrieval (Wilhelm, 2014)
Assessment
Assessment for Learning
Assessment for learning (formative) is on-going feedback/
check-ins to help students keep track of their progress, and to also gently
push them to establish if they are actually understanding the content, or just
merely moving it around (Fontichiaro, 2015b). Through this process as educators
it is important to recognize that sometimes instead of finding answers
assessment will lead to more questions, and that is fine (Donham, 2010).
Some examples of formative assessment are as follows:
(Fontichiaro, 2011a)
u Quick-half
page student self-assessment
u Mini-conferencing
with teacher or teacher librarian
u Small
group peer conferencing
u Can
also use tools like Google Forms to get student to post reflections on
u Noodle
Tools.com
u Polls
Everywhere
Reflection
is also a form of formative assessment that demonstrates the student’s thinking
throughout the learning process (Donhauser, Hersey,
Stutzman, & Zane, 2015).
Assessment of
Learning
Assessment
of learning (summative) requires the teacher to provide a mark for both the
development of the skill, and depth of understanding of essential question.
Some examples of summative assessment are as follows:
(Fontichiaro, 2011b)
u Rubric:
provides criteria for assessment and should be given beforehand
u Checklist:
provides guidance on how to focus on work and encourages self-assessment.
Curation
of Useful Inquiry Charts/Tables
Example of Inquiry Based Unit Plan
Example of a unit plan on the Progressive Era using Stripling and
Harada’s C.L.E.A.R. G.O.A.L.S. (Stripling, &
Harada, 2012)
Name/Content Focus of Unit: Progressive
Era (1890s to 1920s) Subject / Grade Level: American History – Grade 8
AASL’s Standards for the 21st-Century Learner (AASL 2007):
▶Select a variety of credible
sources in di erent formats relevant to research needs (1.1.4) ▶Recognize that information has a social or cultural
context based in . . . point of view (1.1.5) ▶Explain the e ect of di erent perspectives (points of view) on the
information (1.1.7) ▶Analyze di erent points of view
discovered in di erent sources (2.1.1)
▶Draw conclusions based on explicit
and implied information (2.1.3)
Alignment to Common Core (2010):
▶Cite speci c textual evidence to
support analysis of primary and secondary sources (RH.8.1) ▶Determine the central ideas or information of a
primary or secondary source (RH.8.2) ▶Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or
purpose (RH.8.6) ▶Integrate visual information with
other information in print and digital texts (RH.8.7)
Context of Content Learning – C.L.E.A.R.
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Content Learning Goals:
▶Understand the context and essence of progressivism
(social, political, economic) and climate of reform from 1890s to 1920s ▶Understand social activism of Progressive Era
(including food and drug laws, censorship of motion pictures, eugenics or
birth control,
Prohibition, women’s su rage, expansion of education)
▶Understand political reforms of
Progressive Era (including exposure of corruption, movement toward
modernization, election
reform)
▶Understand economic policies of
Progressive Era (including federal income tax, increased government
regulation, growth of labor
unions, immigration)
Learners:
20 students with IEPs; 1 deaf student (lip reader); 12 ESL students
(Spanish, Russian, Chinese); wide range of literacy scores (average of scores
2.5 out of 4); almost all students completed 7th grade exit project in
science (with library skills instruction) last year
Essential Questions:
How did the reforms of the Progressive Era (and the resistance to
reforms) arise from the political, social, and economic environment of the
time?
Did the reforms implemented during the Progressive Era result in
successful economic, political, and social progress?
Assessment Product:
Students will work in small groups to select one side or point of view
toward a political, social, or economic reform of the Progressive Era. Each
group will develop a campaign to convince the public (their classmates) that
its point of view is the most valuable for social, political, or economic
progress (with careful a ention to historical accuracy of evidence to support
the point of view).
e campaign should include a soapbox/campaign speech, an editorial, and
web pages for the class wiki.
Resources:
Digital resources from the Library of Congress and National Archives
Books from the library collection placed on reserve
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Library Learning Experience – G.O.A.L.S.
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Guiding Framework of Inquiry
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Outcomes (Skills)
to be Taught
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Assessment of Skill
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Learning Experiences - Overview
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Sca olding to Provide
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Connect:
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Background information and discussion provided in classroom.
Students select the topic in the classroom for their investigations.
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Video documentary & classroom instruction on Progressive Era
Students given list of topics from which to choose.
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Wonder:
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In the classroom, teacher facilitates process of students generating
inquiry questions that can be used to guide their investigations.
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Template for generating questions provided to teacher by librarian.
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Investigate:
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Interpreting primary sources based on his- torical context
Evaluating point of view
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Graphic organizer that captures obser- vations, infer- ences,
analysis, and interpre- tation linked
to historical context
Evaluation sheet for each source
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Lesson on interpreting primary sources, with emphasis on how to do
close observation, draw inferences, analyze for main points, and then use
these points as evidence to build deeper understanding of the background
information gained in the classroom.
Lesson that outlines the steps to evaluat- ing point of view,
including determining the creator; analyzing the text for conclu- sions,
focus, opinion, and bias; comparing evidence with other sources; and drawing
conclusions.
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Links to primary sources Books on reserve
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Construct:
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Develop-
ing a line of argument with evidence
Organizing the layout of a webpage
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Point / Counter- point graphic organizer
Visual layout planning sheet
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is lesson is taught in the classroom by the classroom teacher.
Lesson on factors to consider in web page design: navigation, focus,
presentation
of information to show line of argument, visual appeal, layout, linking,
universal design guidelines
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Graphic organizer template is provided to the teacher by the librarian
Class wiki is set up by librarian with a template established for
group pages
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Express:
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Classroom teacher facilitates writing the editorial and the
soapbox/campaign speech in the classroom.
Students build their web pages in the library with guidance and
support from the librarian.
Groups present their campaigns during the Progressive Era Reform
Campaign days in the library.
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Re ect:
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In the library, class members vote on the reforms that they would or
would not have voted to implement, based on the e ectiveness of the campaign
presentations.
As a class, students re ect on the impact of Progressive Era reforms
and answer the essential questions.
Students re ect on the use of primary sources to gain an understanding
of multiple perspectives during an historical era. Students also re ect on
the impact of point of view on the evidence they nd and use in their inquiry
investigations.
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Lesson Delivery Phase
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Instructional Activity
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Introduction and Mini-lesson of Direct Instruction
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Show slide of Leveroni family, with mother and children aged 6, 7, 9,
and 10 making violets. Descrip- tion: “ ese children work on Saturdays, on a
ernoons a er 3 o’clock, and evenings until 8 or 9. Earn 4 cents a gross
making violets. Can make 20 gross a day when children work all day.”
Students use template to make observations and inferences about the
photo. Discuss their observa- tions and inferences. Why was this photo taken?
What point is the photographer trying to make? Why has this photo been preserved
as part of a collection at the Library of Congress?
Introduce skill of lesson: Identifying and evaluating point of view
Demonstrate by thinking aloud how the understanding of child labor
during the Progressive Era deepens when a primary source is evaluated for
point of view:
▶Determine creator
▶Analyze text for overall
conclusions and focal point of creator
▶Analyze text for opinion and leading language or
bias in focus/format
▶Compare conclusions, focus,
evidence of text with evidence from other sources and background
knowledge
▶Draw own conclusions about the
point of view of the text and its e ect on the information
presented
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Guided Practice
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Project an excerpt from Woman and the Republic: A Survey of the Woman
Su rage Movement in the United States and a Discussion of the Claims and
Arguments of Its Foremost Advocates by Helen Kendrick Johnson.
Read through the excerpt together to understand the main ideas.
Woman is to implant the faith, man is to cause the Nation’s faith to show
itself in works. More and more these duties overlap, but they cannot become
interchangeable while sex continues to divide the race into the two halves of
what should become a perfect whole. Woman Su rage aims to sweep away this
natural distinction, and make humanity a mass of individuals with an
indiscrimi- nate sphere. e a ack is now bold and now subtle, now malicious
and now mistaken; but it is at all times an a ack. e greatest danger with
which this land is threatened comes from the ignorant and persistent zeal of
some of its women. ey abuse the freedom under which they live, and to gain an
impossible power would fain destroy the Government that alone can protect them.
e majority of women have no sympathy with this movement; and in their
enlightenment, and in the consistent wisdom of our men, lies hope of
defeating this unpatriotic, unintelligent, and unjusti - able assault upon
the integrity of the American Republic.
—New York, March, 1897.
Work through the above process with the class to understand and
evaluate the point of view on woman’s su rage presented in the text.
Review the process and the impact of point of view on the information
presented.
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Independent Practice
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Provide students with URLs from the Library of Congress Progressive
Era thematic collection. For each topic, approximately 20 URLs (with photos,
ads, and text documents) are provided.
Each group investigates the resources on their list, determining the
ones that will be most useful for supporting their point of view.
Group members use a graphic organizer to record their decisions and
thoughts on each step of the point-of-view evaluation process, as well as
their notes and inferences about the evidence presented in the text.
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Reflection and Sharing
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Ten minutes before the end of class, group members gather to share the
evidence they have found and their thoughts about the point of view represented
by that evidence. Group members de- termine if they have a good understanding
of the process for evaluating point of view and ask for help from the
librarian if they have questions.
Group members determine a plan for their investigation during the next
two days in the library.
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Extended Learning:
Students research in the library for two additional days, taking
notes, evaluating point of view, and building a line of argument to support
their campaign.
For some topics, students will bene t from consulting political
cartoons. ey can be referred to the National Archives for a collection of
political cartoons: Teaching With Documents: Political Cartoons Illustrating
Progressivism and the Election of 1912 (h
p://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/election-cartoons/).
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Example of Inquiry Based Unit
Framework
(Donhauser, Hersey, Stutzman, & Zane,
2014)
Example
of How to Assess Research for Inquiry
(Assessing the research process, 2010)
Steps
To Designing Inquiry Unit
(School Library Media Activities
Monthly, 2008)
Connection to Course
In order for students to be successful in an inquiry unit
they need to have access to a computer and reliable internet. The reality
however, is that no two schools or districts are the same when it comes to
technology. Furthermore, not every student has access to a computer at home.
Due to this absence of technology there is an imbalance in today’s classroom,
often caused by a digital divide which emphasizes the different levels of
technology access available to students (Franklin & Stephens, 2009). This
digital divide further increases the participation gap which basically states
that the educational experience students receive is different on the basis of
students who have computers versus those who do not (Franklin & Stephens,
2009). For example, those who have a computer at home can complete assignments,
surf the internet, and develop technological skills (Franklin & Stephens,
2009). This imbalance calls for a differentiation of learning.
This made me think about the Room to Read organization
which under John Woods, takes on providing libraries and computer labs in
developing countries (Bernard, 2008). In fact, according to
the article, “Developing Countries and the Need for Virtual Libraries: Problems and
Prospects,” the authors stated that a survey
of the University of Libraries revealed that digital libraries in developing
countries were in deplorable conditions (Ogunsola & Okusaga,
n.d.). The issue being inadequate funding caused by acute inflation and
depression (Ogunsola & Okusaga, n.d.). The outcome was that students did
not have effective information services, and found it difficult to embark on
meaningful bibliographic awareness services (Ogunsola & Okusaga, n.d.).
This is the same struggle some of our students face here. I was shocked then to learn about the lack
thereof technology in the developing world, let alone right here at home. In
either case, I cannot deny that even in Canada we have inadequate funding
issues.
Work Cited
Harper, Jennifer and O'Brien,
Kathryn. (2012). How to put students in the driver's
seat. In Student-Driven
Learning: Small, medium and big steps to engage and empower students (pp.
9-14). Markham, ON: Pembroke Publishers.
Ogunsola, L., &
Okusaga, T. (n.d.). Developing Countries and the Need for
Virtual Libraries: Problems and Prospects. Retrieved February 22, 2019, from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.87.8922&rep=rep1&type=pdf
