Inquiry Units

Theory, Skills and Assessment

Delwyn L. Harnisch, UNL, Lincoln

Inquiry Units Require

• Reasoning Strategies

• Problem Based Approach

• Real-Life Connections

Reasoning Strategies: Questions

What kinds of work require reasoning?How do we design work that requires

reasoning in different content areas?How do we know when students have

reasoned well?

Reasoning in areas of academic work

Where Students pose questions or identify issues and through research, search for answers

Where students interpretTexts and data

Where students Search for ways to reach goals and Overcome obstacles

Where students use imagination and discipline to design novel andexpressive products

Inquiry Process: Skills

• Find and pose relevant and meaningful questions

• Detect and describe patterns and formulate theories, hypotheses and conjectures

• Develop and implement plans for researching theories, hypotheses and conjectures

• Reach a well-supported conclusion that speaks to original question

Inquiry Rubric

• Work is based on meaningful question.

• Work is Centered Around Well Formed Hypothesis or Conjecture.

Low High1 2 3 4

Low High1 2 3 4

Inquiry Process Rubric

• Work demonstrates good knowledge of inquiry.

• The Conclusions of the work are well-supported by available evidence.

Low High1 2 3 4

Low High1 2 3 4

Analytic Thinking Skills

• Sequencing: Ordering elements in time and space

• Debug and Repair: Locate errors and explain and correct them

Analytic Thinking Skills• Compare and Contrast: Analyzing

similarities and differences and their effects

• Support and Refute: Collecting evidence to prove or disprove a hypothesis or conjecture

Analytic Thinking Skills

• Causal Explanation: Develop causes for a given event

• Classification: Organizing items, ideas, events, characters or objects into groups distinguished by their common traits

Analytic Thinking Skills• Systems Analysis: Analyzing parts of a

system, their interrelationships and ways they can be affected by changes in context

• Speculation: Change an element of situation and think about short and long term effects

Analytic Thinking Skills

• Point of View: Emphasize and analyze different perspectives of story or event

• Metaphorical Analysis: Compare idea, event, character, situation, concept with something that appears totally different

Analytic Thinking Skills

• Decision Making: Analyze past or present situation requiring decision and establish criteria, explore criteria, and make supported decision

Analytic Thinking Skills• Design Analysis: Questions:

– What are its parts?– What is its purpose and how to its parts fulfill its

purpose?– What are the strengths and weaknesses of this

design?– How might the design be altered to improve

effectiveness or to fit a new purpose or situation

Analytic Thinking Strategies MatrixST

Sequencing

Debugging and Repair

Point of View

SF

Compare and ContrastSupport and RefuteCausal ExplanationSystems Analysis

Decision Making

ClassificationSpeculation

Metaphorical AnalysisDecision Analysis

NT NF

Problem Solving: Key Elements

• Type of problem posed

• Strategy to solve the problem

Problem Solving: Types of Problems

ST-Routine Problems

Drill and exercise.Very close to the worktypically assigned inclassrooms and textbooks

SF-Application Problems

Create real world settingrequiring students to usethe techniques found inthe discipline (e.g. Mathematics)

NT-Non Routine Problems NF-Open Ended Exploratory Problems

Significant shift in the nature or context of the problem making the path to the solution ambiguous and unclear

Set up a situation for students to investigate and test conjectures using techniques necessary to model, represent and make predictions

Phases of Problem Solving

Understanding the

Problem

ReviewingDevising a Plan

of Attack

Carrying Out the Plan

“Teachers who teach creativeProblem solving strategiesImprove learning by providingStudents with general purpose Problem-solving toolsAppropriate for a variety ofSituations.” -J. McTighe

Understanding the Problem

• Language and vocabulary

• Initial conditions and constraints

• The goal

• Make comparisons with similar problems

Devising a plan of attack

• Explores a number of possible solutions• Makes prediction or estimate of solution• Uses objects to represent problem• Acts out problem physically• Draws diagram or picture• Uses graphic organizers, charts, tables, lists• Simplifies problem and solves that version• Works backward from goal to start

Carrying out the plan

• Selects solution and pursues it

• Perseveres with a plan

• Abandons unsuitable strategies after reasonable time

Reviewing

• Checks accuracy of solution against previous estimate

• Engages in reflection or metacognition

• Able to recall and re-use strategy

Problem Solving & The Eight Intelligences

• Verbal Linguistic– Write about problem

and how to solve– Discuss solutions– Explain different ways

to solve problems

• Visual Spatial– Make visual pictures to

show steps in problem solving

– Create collages to illustrate events in solving a problem

– Mind Map problem solving steps

Problem Solving & The Eight Intelligences

• Logical Math– Compare and contrast

alternatives – Analyze causes and

effects– Look for patterns in

problems and rank order factors

• Intrapersonal– Keep a personal

feelings journal– Evaluate personal

strengths in resolving conflicts and reflect on steps in solutions

Problem Solving & The Eight Intelligences

• Bodily Kinesthetic– Act out scenes from

problem solving scenarios

– Create human sculptures to illustrate solutions

– Create/Play cooperative active games

• Musical Rhythmical– Create raps for anger

management steps– Learn concepts

through songs– Play musical

instruments to represent feelings

Problem Solving & The Eight Intelligences

• Interpersonal– Facilitate the

mediation process with others

– Help others deliver “I Messages”

– Act out a different perspective to a problem

• Naturalist– Brainstorm solutions

and categorize them– Develop system of

responses to particular situations

Problem Solving Strategies in Mathematics

• Searching for patterns• Drawing a picture• Making a chart or graph• Extending patterns• Using simple equations• Working backwards• Constructing a table

• Estimation• Simplify the problem• Breaking the problem into

parts• Finding a similar pattern• Mathematical modeling• Using algebraic equations

Problem Solving RubricCRITERIA Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Identifying the Problem

•Partial explanation of the problem

•Complete explanation of what the problem is about

•Complete explanation of what the problem is about

•Complete explanation of what the problem is about•Identifies relevant and irrelevant information•Males reasonable assumptions

Planning to Solve the Problem

•Uses limited number of strategies•Uses same strategy most of the time

•Identifies variety of strategies but needs help in choosing appropriate strategy

•Identifies variety of strategies but chooses appropriate strategy

•Compares a variety of strategy and chooses most effective•Develops unique strategies

Solving the Problem

•Uses one strategy most of the time requires assistance

•Uses the strategy to follow through to the solution

•Applies strategies singly or in combination

•Applies alternative strategies to improve the solution

Looking Back •Requires prompting and assistance to determine reasonableness of solution

•Judges reasonableness of solution when directed to do so

•Judges frequently reasonableness of the solution

•Continually monitors the success of strategies selected

Use of Technology

•Uses technology as directed by teacher

•Uses appropriate technology with occasional assistance

•Independently uses appropriate technology as an aid

•Uses technology effectively and innovatively

Communication •Partially explains results with prompting and questioning

•Partial explanation with some clarity evidence of understanding

•Complete response with clear explanation

•Uses clear, coherent and insightful explanation

Persistence •Stays on task for a short amount of time•Needs frequent encouragement

•Stays on task •May need encouragement

•Stays on task •Stays on task•Takes appropriate risks

Creative Thinking: Elements

Genre

Process

Quality

Creative Thinking: Genre

• Awareness and knowledge of how to apply the basic forms or genres within a field of study

Creative Thinking Genres

• Visual Arts– Landscape– Collage– Portrait– Cartoons– Advertising – Poster– Scene

• Language Arts– Short Fiction– Ode– Sonnet– Haiku– Personal Essay

Creative Thinking Genres

• Music– Song– Sonata– Aria– March

• Science– Natural history– Environmental study– Chemical analysis– Animal Behavior

Creative Thinking Genres

• Physical Education– Folk dance– Ballroom dancing– Tap– Ballet– Gymnastics– Floor work

• Mathematics– Modeling– Exploratory problems– (Foundations)

• Foreign Language– Translations of poetry– Translations of fiction– Translations of

Philosophy

Creative Thinking: ProcessSearching for new ideasEstablishing a purposeUsing sketchingBrainstormingNote takingDrafting early workRevisionReflection

Creative Thinking: Quality

Characteristics of High Quality Work

The work displays a high level of technical mastery

The work displays a highlevel of organization

The work displays a clearsense of purpose

The work displays a highdegree of originality

Using TechnologyFNO: http://www.fno.org/mar2000/whenbook.html

Inquiry Units: Problem Based Approach

• What is Inquiry?

• Inquiry Approach Develops skills in:– Thinking – Research, Information, data gathering– Problem solving / decision making– Independent, self directed process– collaboration

• Goals and Principles

Designing Learning Tasks

Basic Inquiry Model (Inquiry Page)Initial Experience Divergent

Inquiry Question Convergent

Alternatives Convergent

Data

Synthesis Convergent

Assessing the Conclusion

Expressing the Conclusion

Evaluation

Exploratory activities introduced (Brainstorming)

Focus: Pupil poses suitable question around which study will develop.

Factors: Pupil suggests range of reasonable alternatives to answer question

Data: Pupil Collects information on each alternative

Consideration: Pupil arrives at conclusion by deciding on basis of accumulated information which alternatives give(s) BEST answer

Pupil ascertains whether conclusion adequately answers original question

Communication: Pupil organizes clear expression of conclusion

Evaluation: Pupil assesses appropriateness of conclusion and itsExpression in light of original question

Models of Real-World Connections

• Project or Problem Learning

• Case studies

• Integrated learning (Visualization)

• Role plays and simulations

• Community service learning

• Real world research

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/resources/classroom/connect/connect.pdf

Connect

Inquiry Learning Resources

Web Resources

• http://ra.terc.edu/publications/Alliance_Access/Vol3-No3/inquiry-learning.html