Kath Murdoch Parent Coffee ISM Sep 2013

© Kath Murdoch 2009© Kath Murdoch 2009

The Inquiring SchoolThe Inquiring School

Presented by Kath MurdochPresented by Kath Murdoch

[email protected]@netspace.net.au


What IS inquiry learning?What IS inquiry learning?

Inquiry is an approach to learning that in essence, involves Inquiry is an approach to learning that in essence, involves students in the students in the investigationinvestigation of questions/problems/issues of questions/problems/issues of significance. Through inquiry, we seek to develop of significance. Through inquiry, we seek to develop studentsstudents’’ competenciescompetencies as skilled learners and equip as skilled learners and equip them with a set of transferable them with a set of transferable skillsskills and and dispositionsdispositions. . Inquiry is an Inquiry is an activeactive, , learnerlearner and learning centred and learning centred methodology which aims to develop methodology which aims to develop deep understandingdeep understanding - not surface - not surface ‘‘coveragecoverage’’. This inquiry model is also . This inquiry model is also integrativeintegrative in nature - linking learning across disciplines. in nature - linking learning across disciplines.


In an inquiring classroomIn an inquiring classroom

Teachers help students come to Teachers help students come to understand themselves as learners. understand themselves as learners. Students are aware of what they are Students are aware of what they are ‘‘doingdoing’’ as learners and how they can as learners and how they can improve their learning. improve their learning.


The inquiring classroomThe inquiring classroom

Using inquiry Using inquiry across the across the curriculum - as a curriculum - as a ‘‘way of beingway of being’’ in in the classroomthe classroom

Designing Designing focussed, focussed, sustained units of sustained units of inquiryinquiry


So….a school is an So….a school is an ‘‘inquiry schoolinquiry school’’……

WhatWhat’’s going on? What would s going on? What would you expect? What are teachers you expect? What are teachers

doing? What are kids doing? doing? What are kids doing? What do you see and hear? What do you see and hear?


ItIt’’s not a recipe….s not a recipe….

Each schoolEach school’’s needs are different. There is no one s needs are different. There is no one kind of kind of ‘‘mapmap’’ that will suit all schools. that will suit all schools.

Factors determining the nature of whole school Factors determining the nature of whole school plans include: size of school, community profile, plans include: size of school, community profile, stability of staff, confidence with inquiry, existing stability of staff, confidence with inquiry, existing curriculum and resources. curriculum and resources.


What does it mean to be What does it mean to be an inquiring school? an inquiring school?

What are the features?What are the features?

WhatWhat’’s the evidence?s the evidence?

How do we get there?How do we get there?


In an inquiring school…In an inquiring school…

Students work as investigators. They are actively Students work as investigators. They are actively involved in their learning. Their learning is driven involved in their learning. Their learning is driven by rich questions and, in exploring these by rich questions and, in exploring these questions, studentsquestions, students’’ develop a rigorous set of develop a rigorous set of skills and understandings. Students are highly skills and understandings. Students are highly engaged and knowledgeable about learning and engaged and knowledgeable about learning and about themselves as learners.about themselves as learners.


In an inquiring schoolIn an inquiring school

Teachers Teachers see themselves as learners.see themselves as learners. They are They are continuously inquiringcontinuously inquiring into their practice and into their practice and work collaboratively to deepen their work collaboratively to deepen their understanding of teaching and learning.understanding of teaching and learning.

Teachers Teachers see studentssee students as active, capable as active, capable learners and seek to build the knowledge, skills learners and seek to build the knowledge, skills and dispositions that enable students to become and dispositions that enable students to become increasingly independent. increasingly independent.


Student VoiceStudent Voice

1. 1. Students’ voicesStudents’ voices are included in planning. are included in planning. Students influence the direction of their learning. Students influence the direction of their learning. This happens both at whole school planning level This happens both at whole school planning level (topic selection) and within the units themselves. (topic selection) and within the units themselves. Students do not always learn about the same Students do not always learn about the same thing at the same timething at the same time


Big PictureBig Picture

2. There is a shared,2. There is a shared,’’ big picture big picture’’ framework framework guiding the inquiry program – not just guiding the inquiry program – not just ““topicstopics””. . Teachers are aware of the broader conceptual Teachers are aware of the broader conceptual threads that underpin inquiries from P-6 and threads that underpin inquiries from P-6 and these are discussed in planning. Ideally, students these are discussed in planning. Ideally, students are also introduced to these broad themes. are also introduced to these broad themes. Whilst the conceptual basis is defined, not all foci Whilst the conceptual basis is defined, not all foci for inquiry are predetermined. for inquiry are predetermined.


Learning to LearnLearning to Learn

3. Over P-6 students develop a set of 3. Over P-6 students develop a set of generic skills generic skills and strategiesand strategies they can transfer across they can transfer across contexts. There is a clear focus on learning to contexts. There is a clear focus on learning to learn. Students and teachers are conscious of the learn. Students and teachers are conscious of the ‘‘tool kittool kit’’ they are developing as they move they are developing as they move through a unit, a year and 7 years of inquiry.through a unit, a year and 7 years of inquiry.


Community LinksCommunity Links

4. Inquiries are often linked to real issues in the 4. Inquiries are often linked to real issues in the local and global community. Learning contexts local and global community. Learning contexts are are authentic and purposeful.authentic and purposeful. The actions The actions students undertake focus on students undertake focus on ‘‘making a differencemaking a difference’’ to themselves and their community (local and to themselves and their community (local and global). The inquiries have meaning within the global). The inquiries have meaning within the context of that school. context of that school.


The human mind is better equipped to The human mind is better equipped to gather information about the world by gather information about the world by

operating within it than by reading operating within it than by reading about it, hearing lectures on it, or about it, hearing lectures on it, or

studying abstract models of it.studying abstract models of it.

Abott and Ryan, 1999Abott and Ryan, 1999


Collaborative PlanningCollaborative Planning

5. Teachers 5. Teachers plan collaboratively and in an plan collaboratively and in an ongoing, reflective way. They meet regularly to ongoing, reflective way. They meet regularly to consider how the inquiry needs to continue consider how the inquiry needs to continue according to the needs and interests of the according to the needs and interests of the students themselves as well as planned students themselves as well as planned intentions. Planning is recursive and ongoing. intentions. Planning is recursive and ongoing.


A model for inquiry based planningA model for inquiry based planning


Sequencing the inquirySequencing the inquiry


Understanding of InquiryUnderstanding of Inquiry

6. 6. Students have a clear understandingStudents have a clear understanding of the of the process of inquiry itself and the tools and process of inquiry itself and the tools and strategies available to them as investigators. strategies available to them as investigators. They can explain and apply it. The process is They can explain and apply it. The process is visually available to students and they have visually available to students and they have opportunities to demonstrate their understanding opportunities to demonstrate their understanding of it. Teaching is of it. Teaching is explicit.explicit.


Integration of curriculumIntegration of curriculum

7. The curriculum is often 7. The curriculum is often integratedintegrated through through inquiry. Strong connections are made between inquiry. Strong connections are made between learning areas. Teachers plan with a view to learning areas. Teachers plan with a view to helping students see the way learning is helping students see the way learning is connected. The timetable is not fragmented and connected. The timetable is not fragmented and piecemeal. Inquiry is a methodology used across piecemeal. Inquiry is a methodology used across the day - not just in the day - not just in ““unitsunits””


Quality classroom practiceQuality classroom practice

8. 8. Classroom practiceClassroom practice is student-centred. is student-centred. Teaching promotes self management, Teaching promotes self management, collaboration and higher order thinking. Teachers collaboration and higher order thinking. Teachers have a repertoire of methodologies for working have a repertoire of methodologies for working with students. Individual and small group with students. Individual and small group teaching is the norm. Teachers know how to teaching is the norm. Teachers know how to engage students in investigation and higher order engage students in investigation and higher order thinking. thinking.

Education

Kath Murdoch Parent Coffee ISM Sep 2013