An Introduction to Inquiry

Structured Inquiry Guided Inquiry Open Inquiry -teacher led provide problem, procedures and materials -typically all students are completing the same activity to achieve a desired set of results -students discover relationships based on data collected Guided Inquiry -teacher guides student towards desired knowledge -teacher gives problem, student finds answers -materials are generally provided but may not be the same for each group/individual Open Inquiry -student driven chooses problem, designs methods of investigation and reporting -based on ‘wonderings’ -teacher may or may not supply materials

The Benefits of Inquiry * increases accountability, independence and internalization of knowledge Guccione, L. M. (2011). In a world of mandates, making space for inquiry. Reading Teacher, 64(7), 515-519. Hribar, K. (2009). A journey toward inquiry: Implementing the standards in a fixed-schedule environment. Knowledge Quest, 38(2), 20-23. * allows students to develop their critical thinking skills and apply them to authentic situations Corlu, M. A. & Corlu, M. S. (2012). Scientific inquiry based professional development models in teacher education. Educational Science: Theory & Practice, 12(1), 514-521. * critical thinking, competency, collaboration, communication, and creativity are what students will need to succeed in the 21st century Jansen, B.A. (2011). Inquiry unpacked: an introduction to inquiry-based learning. Library Media Connection, 29 (5), 10-12. *retention rate of curriculum understanding is higher for students that participate in inquiry-based experiences than for students taught in a typical fashion Balım, A. (2009). The effects of discovery learning on students' success and inquiry learning skills. Eurasian Journal Of Educational Research (EJER), (35), 1-20. Kwon, O., Rasmussen, C., & Allen, K. (2005). Students' retention of mathematical knowledge and skills in differential equations. School Science & Mathematics, 105(5), 227-239. Mehalik, M. M., Doppelt, Y., & Schuun, C. D. (2008). Middle-school science through design-based learning versus scripted inquiry: Better overall science concept learning and equity gap reduction. Journal Of Engineering Education, 97(1), 71-85. Durham, Y., McKinnon, T., & Schulman, C. (2007). Classroom experiments: Not just fun and games. Economic Inquiry, 45(1), 162-178.

More Benefits of Inquiry *students are inspired to delve deeper into topics and increase their understanding, outperforming students in typical teacher-driven classrooms White, Barbara, Todd A. Shimoda, and John R. Frederiksen. 1999. Enabling Students to Construct Theories of Collaborative Inquiry and Reflective Learning: Computer Support for Metacognitive Development. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education 10: 151-182. Marx, Ronald W., Phyllis C. Blumenfeld, Joseph S. Krajcik, Barry Fishman, Elliot Soloway, Robert Geier, and Revital Tali Tal. 2004. Inquiry-Based Science in the Middle Grades: Assessment of Learning in Urban Systemic Reform. Journal of Research in Science Teaching 41 (10):1063-1080. Nystrand, Martin and Adam Gamoran. 1991. Instructional discourse, student engagement, and literature achievement. Research in the Teaching of English 25: 261–290. * inquiry-based teaching that is done well closes the achievement gap between high and low performing students Kahle, J. B., J. Meece, and K. Scantlebury. 2000. Urban African-American middle school science students: Does standards-based teaching make a difference? Journal of Research in Science Teaching 37 (9):1019-1041. Applebee, Arthur N., Judith A. Langer, Martin Nystrand and Adam Gamoran. 2003. Discussion-Based Approaches to Developing Understanding: Classroom Instruction and Student Performance in Middle and High School English. American Educational Research Journal 40 (3): 685-730. * students with learning disabilities, English Language Learners, and students with diverse cultural backgrounds, all benefit from the collaboration and more hands-on approach that accompanies inquiry Amaral, Olga, Leslie Garrison, Michael Klentschy. 2002. Helping English learners increase achievement through inquiry-based science instruction. Bilingual Research Journal 26 (2): 225-234. McCarty, T.L., Regina Hadley Lynch, Stephen Wallace, AnCita Benally. 1991. Classroom Inquiry and Navajo Learning Styles: A Call for Reassessment. Anthropology and Education Quarterly 22 (1):42-59. Scruggs, T. E. and M.A. Mastropieri. 1993. Reading versus doing: The relative effects of textbook based and inquiry-oriented approaches to science learning in special education classrooms. Journal of Special Education 27 (1):1-15. http://www.inspiredteaching.org/wp-content/uploads/impact-research-briefs-inquiry-based-teaching.pdf

How does this differ from inquiry?

Inquiry Cycle Upper Blue ES

What Inquirers Do * Make observations using their senses * Ask questions * Use tools * Draw pictures and write labels * Experiment and solve problems * Research ideas * Work with others * Communicate findings * Have patience

What Inquiry Teachers Do 1. They talk less.   2. They ask more.   3. They relate – with the heart as well as the head.   4. They let kids in on the secret – inquiry teachers have a transparent style.   5. Words like ‘might’ ‘could’ ‘possibly’ ‘wonder’ ‘maybe’ ‘we’ are heard far more often than ‘must’ ‘is’ ‘will’ ‘I’.      6. They check in with their kids – a lot.  They listen, observe and ‘work the space’.   7. They collaborate with their students. They trust them!    8. They use great, challenging resources.  9. They are passionate and energetic…about investigation, about the thrill of discovery, about seeing patterns and the learner ‘getting it’    10. They see the bigger picture – they have a good grasp of the significant concepts relevant to the focus of students’ inquiry.    11. They invite, celebrate and USE questions that arise from their students…to scaffold learning. 12. …Explicit teaching happens in response to what the teacher sees and hears.  Good inquiry teachers know how to get more kids thinking more deeply more of the time. ~Kath Murdoch What Inquiry Teachers Do http://inquiryblog.wordpress.com/2014/03/10/how-do-inquiry-teachers-teach-2/

Questioning – Sample Probes *That’s an interesting response…can you tell me more about that? *Why do you think that is true? *So how does that fit in/connect with what we have been talking about? *How is that idea different to some of the ones we have been exploring? *What does that remind you of? *Do you think that is always true? *What might someone say who disagreed with you? *What do you think helped you to come to that idea? Adapted from Kath Murdoch http://kathmurdoch.com.au/uploads/media/ThinkingAndQuestioning2011.pdf

Questions? Comments? Concerns?

Inquiry in Mathematics

Everyday Planning Pre-Made Lesson Plan What types of questions can I ask to provoke discussion and/or promote understanding? How can the students be more involved? Explore materials Collaborative activity Creative responses Co-create anchor charts

Once the lesson is done, have students decide on a definition for a defining attribute. Create a T-Chart of ways the shapes are the same and different Why tell them? They may have already come to this conclusion. If not, guide them there with questions.

Lego Activity

Questions? Comments? Concerns? inquiryandib.weebly.com