Culture of InquiryWorking within a culture

of inquiry will offer us the opportunity to enliven professional discussion about pedagogy and curriculum that will impact on improved teaching and learning

Two reasons why

• First we must have the capacity to be always deepening our understandings of teaching and learning through reflection and inquiry

• Second, if the task of educators is to develop in our students the learning dispositions and capacities to think critically, flexibly and creatively, then educators too must possess and model these capacities

“Educators are understood

as people who learn from teaching rather than as people who have finished learning how to teach”.

Linda Darling-Hammond (2000)

What is Inquiry ?

Inquiry should not be seen as an add-on or a project, but rather as a way of professional being for the educator of the 21st century

Inquiry

• is a process of systematic, rigorous and critical reflection about professional practice

• can be undertaken individually• is most powerful when it is collaborative.• involves educators pursuing their ‘wonderings’

(Hubbard & Power, 1993), seeking answers to questions or puzzles that come from real-world observations and dilemmas

from A culture of inquiry by Professor Alan Reid.

Why, where and how can we use Teaching as Inquiry?

•During a lesson•Reflecting on a lesson•Planning a unit•Evaluating a unit•Planning/evaluating a year’s/5 yr programme of teaching and learning•Planning/evaluating annual department goals / strategic planning

Inquiry is not a ‘thing’, such as a model or series of steps or

procedures. It involves logical problem-solving

processes,It involves intuition, passion and emotion.

It is a holistic way of working and responding

Effective pedagogies

WHY…What is

important and how do

I know

WHOWHO

HOW..what are the

strategies…pedagogical

choices WHAT…The what, and what

happened as a result

4. What happens as a

result in terms of student learning

1. What do we need to know about the WHO?

2. What is important in

terms of valuable knowledge

3. What strategies will service those

outcomes

Creating a 21st Century learner

Focus on high level thinking in the classroom

Why choose high level thinking?

To create a 21st Century Learner -NZC as a key competency -NCEA at merit/excellence drops out of AO’s and assesses levels of thinking

Let Us Look at Teaching as Inquiry In the Classroom

Where do you start?

Demonstrate understanding of how different disciplines influence a technology development. 91051 (1.8

The technological development explored must clearly draw from two or more disciplines and involve collaboration between individuals. Examples of technological developments include but are not limited to – refrigeration, bicycles, virtual reality, world wide web (www), smart materials, functional foods, flat pack furniture, remote control.

Investigate the implications of the properties of metals for their use in society. 90946

This investigation involves collecting information about the implications of the properties of metals for their use in society. The information could come from a variety of sources such as direct observations, collection of experimental data, resource sheets, photos, videos, websites and reference texts.

Use information literacy skills to form conclusion(s) 90853

Use information literacy skills means completing a systematic exploration into a valid area for inquiry in order to form conclusion(s). The steps taken include:framing the inquiry within an authentic and relevant context based on carefully considered information needs. This may include identifying an area or direction for investigation, or posing a question(s)selecting and using appropriate strategies for locating and processing informationevaluating the reliability and usefulness of selected information in relation to the inquiry.

Demonstrate understanding of how different disciplines influence a technology development involves

•identifying the knowledge and practices drawn from the disciplines•identifying how individuals from the disciplines collaborated during the technological development•describing the impact of knowledge, practices and collaboration on the technological development.

http://www.techlink.org.nz/Case-studies/Technological-practice/Materials/Te-Rewa-Rewa-bridge/index.htm

Iconic Te Rewa Rewa

http://youtu.be/PI_alkCiC8U

Using the Teaching as Inquiry model what strategies can we use to help out students demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the impact of knowledge, practices and collaboration on the development of the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge.

A vocabulary learning sequence

• Inquiry to identify existing knowledge and needs.

• Explicit instruction • Repeated opportunities to practice –

both receptive and productive • Metacognition e.g.

• Memory strategies• Word-solving strategies

• Inquiry into effectiveness of teaching sequence, and planning next steps.

Audience and purpose

Why would a technology/ science/ english/languages teacher want his/her

students to read this text?

Background knowledge

•What prior knowledge will be important to activate?•What prior knowledge might get in the way of the reading purpose?•What gaps in prior knowledge might disrupt meaning-making?

Ideas

What are the main ideas you want students to take from this

text?

Traffic Light ActivityGreen: all words you are very

confident you know the meaning of

Orange: words you have seen before but are a little unsure about their meaning

Red: words that are completely new to you

Summarising in your own words

Jot down 20 important words from the articleNow choose the 6 MOST important wordsNow use those six words to sum up the article in a couple of sentences

Implied links

Challenges WCE faced began with timing the purchase of the steel during a time when international prices were soaring. WDC took a risk and bought the arch, toe and heel tubes before the design detail was completed.What is the relationship between the first & second sentence?

Ingenious engineering provided the solution. To launch it across the river the bridge was winched up, supported on the cleaned carriages of two old excavators, then three cranes lifted it onto the abutments.What is the relationship between the first & second sentence?

Nominalisations

Translate into scientific language

The makers of the bridge had to ask lots of people what kind of bridge they wanted in their town.Heaps of different people worked together to plan and build a bridge.Not only is the bridge really strong, it looks cool too.

Sentence completion

The handrails make the bridge stronger. Every other element also has a similar ____________________ .The bridge designers consulted many different people in the community. _________________ took many months to complete.

Translate into everyday language

•The arches spring from two concrete abutments and one end moves on elastomeric bearing pads.

•Fitzroy Engineering was well placed to fabricate the superstructure.

Brainstorm in groups

What focus inquiry strategies could you have carried out prior to delivering a unit of work leading to one of these standards?

What other teaching strategies could you have used to promote higher level thinking within this unit of work

Learning inquiryWhat happened as a result of the teaching and what are the implications for future teaching?

Data Evidence

What evidence could you collect – before, during

and after the teaching and

learning?

So what?

Is there something that needs changing?

What are the next steps for learning

Next Steps

Pick a lesson or a unit that you have taught and evaluate it using the Teaching as Inquiry model orPick a lesson or a unit that you are going to teach and use the Teaching as Inquiry model to develop it.

Briefly report back on what you have doneWhat your next steps are (ie: what you are

going to go away and do next/by when

Have We Got There?

•Do we understand more about the Teacher as Inquiry Model?•Can you apply this model to a “big idea” in your subject?•Can you apply this model to a unit and/or lesson in your subject?