Inquiry Learning in Science

What is Inquiry?

• a systematic search for the truth or facts about something <an inquiry into the origins of the universe>

• Synonyms delving, disquisition, examine, examination, exploration, inquest, inquisition, investigation, probation, probe, probing, research, study

• Related Words quest; audit, check; checkup, diagnosis, inspection; hearing, interrogation, trial; feeler, query, question; poll, questionnaire, survey; challenge, cross-examination, going-over, grilling, quiz; rehearing, reinvestigation; self-examination, self-exploration, self-questioning, self-reflection, self-scrutiny, soul-searching

What is Inquiry?

• A question based investigation where learning and understanding occur through discovery, application, and making connections.

Didactic

• a : designed or intended to teach • b : intended to convey instruction and information as

well as pleasure and entertainment <didactic poetry> • Synonyms didactic, homiletic , moralistic, moralizing,

preachy, sententious• Related Words dogmatic, prescriptive; admonishing,

admonitory, cautionary; advisory, enlightening, instructive; holier-than-thou, self-righteous

Didactic

• Sage on the Stage

What makes this teaching strategy successful?

What makes this teaching strategy successful?

• Taps into natural curiosity• Its FUN!• Analogous to scientific method• Give me a fish and I’ll eat for a day…• Humans want to organize, understand and

predict their world – inquiry is part of human nature

What makes this teaching strategy successful?

• Asking your own questions requires you to be engaged

• Promotes recall, connection, application and expansion

• Students become vested in and claim ownership of their learning

• Creates science literate learners who are aware of how science knowledge develops and the roles of evidence and questions, etc.

What does Inquiry look like?

• Asking questions - students asking their own questions

• Thought development as opposed to factual memorization (sound fundamentals help)

• Activation of curiosity• Production vs. reproduction• Connecting evidence to explanation• “Walking through” students’ ideas with class

What does Inquiry look like?

• Teacher facilitates and guides during investigations, does not spoon-feed, lets students struggle

• Artifacts and resources for students to investigate• “Off the leash”, teacher trusts students will learn• Worksheet activity, Challenge, Open Exploration • More than just “doing activities” or “hands on”• May be noisy!• Collaboration across classroom

What does Inquiry look like?Teacher

TOTeacher

How do we find the time?

• We feel we have to “get through the book”.• We cover a lot, but have students really

learned the content?• Its not about squeezing in hands-on

enrichment activities after taking notes, completing worksheets, etc. – its about modifying how students learn in class.

How do we find the time?

• But aren’t notes and practice sheets important?• YES – and they are also great homework

exercises!• There are ways to make homework count…• Because IBL is most effective in groups where

ideas can bounce, we want do it during class – that’s not to say that students can’t carry out investigations on their own at home.

Cultivating the right environment

• Inquiry processes require students to propose or submit their ideas to the group for review.

• If students encounter negative/discouraging feedback they will be less likely to venture out and embrace inquiry learning.

• We must foster a deep sense of respect where all ideas, regardless of accuracy, are considered in a positive manner.

Cultivating the right environment

• Hold back the facts!• Resist the temptation to “spoon-feed”• Some students are not used to so much

freedom and will become anxious or stuck• Teacher should guide these students by asking

them what kinds of questions they have or what they would like to learn

Modifying existing lessons to include elements of Inquiry

• KWL charts• Turn and talks• Take the section headings from text and make

them questions for students to wonder about• Try to include artifacts that can help

encourage wondering• Start with exciting video clip or audio to

generate curiosity

Modifying existing lessons to include elements of Inquiry

• Morph the main concepts into discovery opportunities (gravity lesson – Wallace)

• Share questions/ideas/discoveries with class – Record on board, Google Doc or Wikispace– Class discussion

• Share conclusions• Save notes/practice work for later• http://www.learner.org/workshops/inquiry/re

sources/implement2.html

Allowing students to fail

Allowing students to fail

• A very important aspect to IBL is failure.• You always pass failure on your way to success.

~Mickey Rooney• There is no failure. Only feedback. ~Robert

Allen • What if after all our searching we fail to find life

of any kind beyond our world?• There are defeats more triumphant than

victories. ~Michel de Montaigne

Summary

• IBL does not consist solely of hands on activities – IBL is a teaching/learning method with many aspects

• IBL works because students take ownership and become engaged, vested thinkers; its natural and FUN!

• IBL can appear in a variety of ways, however all implementations maintain commonalities:

Summary

– Question based, student driven, collaborative, thought provocation/development, resource utilization, sharing out

• IBL most effective in class in groups, but entire class often collaborates

• A respectful environment is critical to IBL• Teachers need to allow students to be

accountable, for both successes and failures

End.