Skip to main content

Inquiry-Based Learning for Students

The Use of Inquiry Based Learning

What is Inquiry?
Inquiry-based learning provides opportunities for learners to have ownership over their learning and the processes and journey they carryout. Inquiry-based learning starts through exploration and questioning, then leading to investigating into thought provoking questioning, issues, problems and/or ideas. Through this process students are required to ask questions, gather relevant information, making decisions and taking action. The questions created by the learner is open-ended meaning their is no right or wrong answer. 

Why Inquiry?
Inquiry based learning develops higher level thinking outcomes, critical thinking about a problem, idea or question for example, and information literacy skills. Students also learn to problem solve, work collaboratively in small groups and develop lifelong learning skills. 

How has these readings and ideas challenged my thinking? 
These readings and ideas have made me think about how inquiry-based learning can better improve outcomes for all learners through developing a range of skills. Through reflection my knowledge has grown around the planning and implementation of inquiry within the learning environment. This approach is not about limiting students around what they should be delving into, instead should be given the opportunity to determine what they need to learn around a topic/idea. 
Students are able to review their inquiry throughout the whole process, looking at where they are at, re-read question identifying next steps.
Inquiry model is useful but shouldn't lead the inquiry process as it shouldn't be followed step by step. 
Students need to have some background knowledge around subjects before they inquire. 

What Next?
  • Develop a inquiry overview based on the Olympics with mentor. 
  • Identify strategies and skills required and scaffolding students through this (Guided inquiry). 
  • Support students to develop questioning around topic (Generally open-ended). "What do we need to find out?"
  • Develop activity that encourages students to identify what they know about that topic. 
  • Check to identify the knowledge students have around a subject (Olympics).
Examples/Resource Links to support student inquiry development

How will my teacher inquiry of student voice be integrated through student inquiry. 
Through student reflection based the skill that they reflect on, I will be able to identify my needs based grouping for the following lesson. 


Inquiry Based Research Links 




Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Culture

Culture  As a class we have been exploring culture and diversity. Each learner has been spending time exploring their ethnicity, religion, foods, traditional dances/music, iwi, country/ies of origin to help them better understand who they are. This has been a fantastic learning journey for all.  Students were shown a clip about what culture and diversity meant by taking notes. In groups students then needed to create a definition that they understood about what culture and diversity means. They needed to share this back with the class and explain their understanding about their definition.       Our reading workshops this term have been based on culture and understanding different cultural traditions and beliefs (Visual Arts, Music, and Foods for example). 

Inquiry T2 - Peer Tutoring

Through the rich seem reading, I identified that I wanted to explore peer tutoring. The purpose behind this is the hope to motivate students to be more invested in their learning to achieve their learning outcomes. Through discovering my new inquiry, my team leader and I looked at how this would link to improving outcomes for my target students (Year 8 Māori boys) in Literacy, how we could achieve this  and the purpose as to why this focus is important and beneficial to the learner.  The purpose (Why) The develop accountability and engagement.  How  am I going to achieve this?  Modelling peer tutoring strategies Unpacking terms of what makes a successful peer tutor, using the T.I.P Chart.  Providing meaningful feedback/feedforward.  What am I doing (Teacher Inquiry)?  Inquiry Question - How will peer tutoring motivate students to be more interested in their learning to achieve their learning outcomes with regards to l...

TAI 2018 - Question Development

Through collaboration and discussion with colleagues we identified a need or focus for myself to support me in being an effective leader to support student accelerations. Many ideas were shared, however this question was better suit. ' How can I develop my leadership to support and sustain student acceleration and ensure intervention coherence across school?'  So what does this question mean to me? For Acceleration to be successful across I need to develop my knowledge and understanding around how I can effectively lead my colleagues to ensure all students are successful achieving at a successful rate.I am able to effectively able to collaborate and listen to my colleagues when reflecting and sharing strategies or tools. How will I be successful? - Have a greater understanding of acceleration. - Ability to effectively lead colleagues through acceleration. - Understand the importance of coaching and its effectiveness.