INQUIRY LEARNING

DEFINITION:
Inquiry learning is an approach that provides learners opportunities to actively develop skills that enable them to:
locate
gather
analyse
critique
Apply
information in a wide range of contexts. as they develop understanding
GOAL
implementing inquiry learning is to move students towards independence as learners
Principle 1:
All learning activities should focus on using information-processing skills (from observations to synthesis) and applying the discipline "ground rules" as a means to learn content set in a broad conceptual context.
Principle 2:
Inquiry learning puts the learner at the center of an active learning process, and the systemic elements (the teacher, instructional resources, technology, and so forth) are prepared or aligned to support the learner.
Principle 3:
The role of the teacher becomes one of facilitating the learning process. The teacher also becomes a learner by finding out more about the learner and the process of inquiry learning.
Principle 4:
What is assessed is what is valued. Therefore, more emphasis needs to be placed on assessing the development of information-processing skills, nurtured habits of mind, or "ground rules" of the discipline, and conceptual understandings -- rather than just the content of the field.
Characteristics of inquiry-learning
 Inquiry learning emphasizes constructivist ideas of learning.
 Knowledge is built in a step-wise fashion.
 Learning proceeds best in group situations.
 The teacher does not begin with a statement, but with a question.
 The topic, problem to be studied, and methods used to answer this problem are determined by the student and not the teacher.
facilitation-plan creation
 Learning Objectives and Expected Outcome
 Habits of Mind/Ground Rules Being Emphasized
 Conceptual Theme Most Important to This Lesson
 Specific Content
 Sources and Resources Needed/Available
 Potential Roadblocks to Learning
 Inquiry Attributes Already Possessed by Learners
 Questions and Types of Questions to Be Raised and Explored
 Ongoing Assessment
 Professional Preparation
 Appropriate Sources and Resources
to Effectively Monitor Progress
 Long-Range, Medium-Range, and Short-Range Goals
 Plans to Help Advanced Learners Become Facilitators for Learners Needing Additional Help
How can inquiry-based learning involve parents and the community?
• an awareness stage
• a willingness to commit stage
• the commitment stage.
How do I assess students' progress?
 the development of information-processing and problem-solving skills (from observation and inference to synthesis and evaluation);
 the nurturing of habits of mind (from beliefs and opinion to respect for data and demand for verification);
 applying these attributes to learning content; and
 making sure the content is learned in a conceptual context of how the natural and human-designed worlds are organized, interrelate, communicate, and change.
the focus of assessment of inquiry learning
 The degree to which the processing of learning skills has been developed.

 The degree to which the habits of mind, or "ground rules" of disciplines, have been nurtured.

 The degree to which students have developed the content knowledge, set in a context of broad understanding.