Based on John Dewey's philosophy that education begins with the curiosity of the learner

Works well with many educational techniques including multiple-intelligence, cooperative learning, and constructivism

Can be implemented during any activity and with any subject or grade level

Focuses on information-processing and problem-solving skills

More emphasis on "how we come to know" and less on "what we know."

Students learn how to continue learning.

Inquiry-Based Learning

Janetta GartonTechnology Curriculum Director

Willard R-II Schoolhttp://www.willard.k12.mo.us/co/tech/inquiry.htm

Inquiry-Based Learning has 5 common components QuestionsStudent EngagementCooperative InteractionPerformance EvaluationVariety of Resources

Lesson begins with a question

Essential questionThe teacher asks an essential question Stimulates investigation and sparks curiosityCan be asked over and over, no one right answerAnswer must be invented or constructedFrom the top of Bloom's Taxonomy

Requires students to EVALUATE (make a thoughtful choice between options, with the choice based upon clearly stated criteria)

Requires students to SYNTHESIZE (invent a new or different version) Requires students to ANALYZE (develop a thorough and complex understanding through

skillful questioning)General in nature and lead to more questions

Example Essential QuestionsMust a story have a moral? Were mathematical theorems invented or discovered?

Subsidiary/Unit QuestionsDeveloped by students and teacher to find an answer to the essential questionTopic orientatedSpecific

ExampleEssential Question: Do we have to fight wars?Unit Question: What events lead to the Civil War?

Teacher is facilitatorStudents

carry out activities using materials, observing, evaluating, and recording information sort out information and decide what is important see detail detect sequences and events notice changedetect differences and similaritiesare creating a unique product that shows their understanding

Students are asked to work in pairs or groups discussing ideas

Not a competition. Answers come in all shapes and forms.

Students create an end product to communicate their knowledge, slideshowgraph poster song mural

Scoring Guides students see SG prior to creating

product

textbooks reference booksmagazinesweb sites videos podcastspostersexperts

Traditional LessonStudents will be taught the 3 types of rocks

(sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic) using a textbook.

Students will then create a flipbook of the three types of rocks that includes definitions and examples.

The Inquiry-Based Learning VersionEssential Question: What patterns exist under the

earth's crust?Student Engagement: Students observe rock

samples detecting differences and similarities, sorting and recording information

Cooperative Learning: Students will work in research groups

Performance Evaluation: Students will publish a multimedia slide to be shared with their classmates, scored with a scoring guide

Variety of Resources: textbook, Internet, CD-ROMS, and rock samples.

Graphics courtesy of lumaxart via Flickr

www.flickr.com/photos/lumaxart/thegoldguys.blogspot.com

www.lumaxart.com