Weekly Essential Question:
What is Inquiry-Based Instruction?
Key Questions:
Why use Inquiry-based Instruction?
How is Inquiry-Based Instruction different than Problem-Based?
What are the key elements of IBI?
Key Takeaways:
Mr. Seaman's Interview
- scaffold questions for students, ask yourself "Are the students headed in the right direction?"
- students must find answers to said questions
Readings
- students are working with each other to conduct experiments
- hands-on!!!
- I really liked the descriptions of the Six Stages of the Inquiry Cycle
- Inquisition
- Acquisition
- Supposition
- Implementation
- Summation
- Exhibition
- "knowledge in action" is an exceptional description of IBI
- I think this is really important. Students have learned something in the area of plant science, and then there is a problem with some greenhouse plants. The students need to be able to actively use that knowledge to figure out why there are problems with those plants.
- In the Thoron reading, a study on implementing inquiry was conducted. One of the participants said, "As the teacher you have to be willing to give up being the center of attention..."
- I don't know about other teachers but I'm not teaching to be the center of attention. I am there to teach the students. I don't want to be thought of as the center of attention (although I know I am in some ways as most of their attention is on me). I do see the point in what this participant said; I think that it may be hard to just facilitate rather than be in front of the students teaching them something. It is hard to change from something everybody is used to.
I truly believe students have to learn problem solving and critical thinking skills in order to go out into the world. Because of this, my goal is to have a lesson for each unit that is high on the inquiry scale before the end of the spring semester.
References
Warner, A.J. & Myers, B.E. (2011) What inquiry-based instruction? Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC07500.pdf
Warner, A.J. & Myers, B.E. (2014). Implementing inquiry-based teaching methods. Retrieved from https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/WC/WC07600.pdf
Alberta Learning. (2004) Focus on inquiry: a teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry-based learning. Retrieved from https://education.alberta.ca/media/313361/focusoninquiry.pdf
Thoron, A.C., Myers, B.E., & Abrams, K. (2011). Inquiry-based instruction: How is it utilized accepted, and assessed in schools with national agriscience teacher ambassadors? Journal of Agriculture Education, 52(1), 96-106. DOI: 10.5032/jae.2011.01096 Note: Retrieve online from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ955679.pdf
Sara, thanks for including an expert interview in your blog post! Because inquiry is a cycle, it is important to remember that each component needs to be addressed before moving on to the next one can successfully happen. When learning becomes student-centered, the process of inquiry can happen!
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