Evaluating and Reflecting
The inquiry process is not a linear process. Students may bounce around from one stage to another depending on their findings. They may explore an idea and start identifying resources and gathering information only to find that upon reflection, their idea needs to be tweaked or fundamentally altered in a way that puts them right back at the exploring stage.
Evaluation and reflection is an ongoing process that should be embedded in all stages of inquiry process. It will be different depending on which stage the inquiry is in.
Some sample questions students should be asking at each of the stages are:
Building Knowledge & Exploring Ideas
- What do I already know?
- What am I interested in learning?
- Is my question relevant?
- Will I be able to find information related to this topic?
- Where did I go to look for resources on this topic?
- What other places may provide better resources on this topic?
- What search phrases did I use to find resources on this topic?
- Did these search phrases provide good results?
- How can I modify my search phrases to provide better results?
- Is there an expert in the area that I can contact to assist me with my research?
- What did I do today?
- What did I learn today?
- What new questions do I have?
- What did I do well today?
- What could I have done better?
- What do I need to work on next?
- Do I need to adjust my inquiry question based on new information or a lack of available information on my topic?
- Have I recorded all of the information for each source I have consulted in my research?
- Have I taken notes in an ethical manner?
- Have I checked the copyright status of any images, video or sound clips that I may use in my final project?
- Have I remembered to include parenthetical references for anything that might cause my teacher to ask, "how do you know that"?
- Has my inquiry resulted in a deeper understanding of my topic?
- Is the form of expression chosen is reflective of and relevant to the topic?
- Who is my intended audience?
- What is the best form of expression for my inquiry project output?
- How do I feel about the way my project was received by my audience?
- What could I have done differently to make my presentation/sharing session better?
- Was I engaged in the process?
- Did I use my time efficiently and effectively?
- What challenges did I face during the inquiry process?
- How did I respond to these challenges?
- What would I do differently next time?
- Am I satisfied with the outcome of my inquiry?
- Is the outcome of the inquiry what I envisioned when I started?
- Did this inquiry raise other curiosities or questions?