Introduction to Inquiry
Origins of Inquiry
Inquiry Based Learning is neither new, nor revolutionary. Its roots go as far back as Socrates when he challenged his students to think and debate. Later, Constructivist theorists such as Piaget and Dewey began to develop structures of learning that differed from didactic, teacher driven learning that emphasized rote memorization and practice.
It has been found that humans are programmed to learn best and remember what they have learned when there is personal meaning and context to what they have learned. Inquiry learning builds a framework that draws the learner into the subject and deepens and contextualizes their learning.
Once students have contextualized their learning, they will begin to develop new levels of understanding. As they become more comfortable with the Inquiry Approach, their learning can become much more complex and connections can be made throughout and between subject areas.
Inquiry Based Learning is neither new, nor revolutionary. Its roots go as far back as Socrates when he challenged his students to think and debate. Later, Constructivist theorists such as Piaget and Dewey began to develop structures of learning that differed from didactic, teacher driven learning that emphasized rote memorization and practice.
It has been found that humans are programmed to learn best and remember what they have learned when there is personal meaning and context to what they have learned. Inquiry learning builds a framework that draws the learner into the subject and deepens and contextualizes their learning.
Once students have contextualized their learning, they will begin to develop new levels of understanding. As they become more comfortable with the Inquiry Approach, their learning can become much more complex and connections can be made throughout and between subject areas.
What is Inquiry?
Why is it important to provide opportunities for students to engage in inquiry?
- In the 21st century, information is at our fingertips. By providing students the opportunity to engage in inquiry-based learning, we give them the skills to locate, access, assess, understand, synthesize and evaluate information in a real world way. These are skills that they will have to use for the rest of their lives.
- Authenticity. Inquiry based learning's foundation is based in the students' own curiosities and questions. These are genuine things that students want to learn rather than what they are forced to learn.
Inquiry is not:
Why Involve your Teacher-Librarian with your Inquiry Project?
Inquiry Learning beyond high school,
- giving students free reign over all aspects of learning. The teacher still acts as a guide using their understanding of the big ideas to move students in the direction of deeper understanding and helping them to move their ideas forward.
- necessarily embedded in all learning opportunities call for an inquiry approach. Inquiry is merely one tool in the teacher toolbox. Often base concepts need to be taught in a teacher-directed manner in order to provide the foundation for the inquiry to proceed.
- limited to a single research project that lays out specific information that students must seek out to answer predetermined questions. Inquiry is allowing students to answer "non-googleable" questions.
Why Involve your Teacher-Librarian with your Inquiry Project?
- Inquiry-based learning is student centred, and by it's nature benefits from more than one teacher poised and ready to help out with trouble shooting, answering questions and work with students on their research and their project designs.
- Teacher-librarians are experts in research.
- Teacher-LIbrarians are trained in Inquiry-based learning and Co-operative planning.
- Teacher-Librarians can assist in organizing field trips to museums and other pertinent sites.
- Teacher-Librarians are part of a the school's team and bring their expertise into the mix to help students develop the necessary skills that enable them to learn how to learn.
- Students are often less inhibited when asking Teacher-Librarians for assistance.
- Having another set of eyes and ears in a busy classroom always helps.
Inquiry Learning beyond high school,
- As educators, one of our main goals is to prepare our students to be productive members of society. A strong understanding of inquiry-based learning will give those students the skill set they will need to learn and grow in the 21st Century, technology based world.
- More and more post secondary institutions are embracing inquiry-based learning and are stressing problem solving and innovation, such as: McMaster, Queen's and Quest. Having a strong background in inquiry will enable our students to be successful learners in both the academic world and beyond into the work world.
Resources:
Alberta Assessment Consortium. aac.ab.ca. 2016
Banchi, Heather, and Randy Bell. "The Many Levels of Inquiry." Science & Children 46.2 (2008): 26-29. National Science Teachers
Association. Web. 3 May 2016. <http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/lessons/files/2013/05/The-Many-Levels-of-Inquiry-NSTA-
article.pdf>.
BCTLA Info Lit Task Force. The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for Information Literacy and the 21st Century Learner. British
Columbia Teacher Librarians Association. January 2011. Web. 6 May 2016.
http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/Points%20of%20Inquiry/PointsofInquiry.pdf
Inquiry-Based Learning Capacity Building Series Secretariat Special Edition.32 (2013): 1-8. Ontario Ministry of Education. Ontario
Ministry of Education. Web. 3 May 2016.
<http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_InquiryBased.pdf>.
Levi, P., O. Aiyegvayo & S. Little. "Designing for Inquiry Based Learning With the Learning Activity Management System." Journal of
Computer Assisted Learning. 25.3: 238-251. June 2009. Web. 6 May 2016. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com>
"What Is Inquiry?" Galileo.org. Galileo Educational Network, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016. <http://galileo.org/teachers/designing-
learning/articles/what-is-inquiry/>.
Banchi, Heather, and Randy Bell. "The Many Levels of Inquiry." Science & Children 46.2 (2008): 26-29. National Science Teachers
Association. Web. 3 May 2016. <http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/lessons/files/2013/05/The-Many-Levels-of-Inquiry-NSTA-
article.pdf>.
BCTLA Info Lit Task Force. The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for Information Literacy and the 21st Century Learner. British
Columbia Teacher Librarians Association. January 2011. Web. 6 May 2016.
http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/Points%20of%20Inquiry/PointsofInquiry.pdf
Inquiry-Based Learning Capacity Building Series Secretariat Special Edition.32 (2013): 1-8. Ontario Ministry of Education. Ontario
Ministry of Education. Web. 3 May 2016.
<http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_InquiryBased.pdf>.
Levi, P., O. Aiyegvayo & S. Little. "Designing for Inquiry Based Learning With the Learning Activity Management System." Journal of
Computer Assisted Learning. 25.3: 238-251. June 2009. Web. 6 May 2016. <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com>
"What Is Inquiry?" Galileo.org. Galileo Educational Network, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016. <http://galileo.org/teachers/designing-
learning/articles/what-is-inquiry/>.