Inquiry Based Learning Study of Religion Inquiry Based Learning

Inquiry Based Learning An old adage states: "Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.” You construct new knowledge as you develop skills and attitudes that permit you to seek resolutions to questions and issues It avoids the old habit found in schools/universities where students tend to listen and repeat the expected answers. It’s autonomous learning – able to think for yourself and find the answers you’re looking for. Maybe even come up with knowledge that no one else has ever discovered. You’re at the forefront of learning!

Making sense of our world How societies and individuals in society constantly generate and transmit knowledge

Application of the inquiry While much thought and research has been spent on the role of inquiry in science education, inquiry learning can be applied to all disciplines. Individuals need many perspectives for viewing the world. Such views could include artistic, scientific, historic, economic, and other perspectives. Inquiry learning has certain specific "ground rules" that insure the integrity of the various disciplines and their world views.

Been there, done that SOR focuses on Inquiry in its assessment but it’s what you’ve done lots of times before: There’s framing the question Investigating what you’ve decided to focus on It’s using reasoning (analysing, evaluating, evidence) Judging comes next. You synthesise material, make decisions and draw conclusions and advocate a position.

Benefits An important outcome of inquiry should be useful knowledge about the natural and human-designed worlds. How these worlds are: organised change interrelate And how we communicate about, within, and across these worlds

The Elements of Inquiry you’ll have experienced before… Framing the inquiry: Working out fact and opinion Outlining and defining Observing Identifying key points of investigation

The Elements of Inquiry you’ll have experienced before… Investigating: I.D. appropriate resources Establish validity of sources Formulate research question & develop ideas for an hypothesis Gather, organise, select sort, present data and evidence Investigate & research issues for hypothesis

The Elements of Inquiry you’ll have experienced before… Reasoning: Speculate about sources (corroborating evidence/picking out the bias) Move towards providing explanations and interpretations of religious beliefs, values, practices, events Shape and reshape hypothesis

The Elements of Inquiry you’ll have experienced before… Judging: Draw conclusions Justify your hypothesis Decide whether further investigation is necessary Present decisions and conclusions Determine possibilities of informing, educating, mobilising, mediating or resisting (advocating a position)

But for now… Look at some articles to work out fact and opinion Get you to make your own observations Set up some questions you would like to make as the basis of inquiry