Visionqueries: Visions of Inquiry- based Learning Points on the Qualitative Path Sharon L. Comstock University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Inquiry is… “…something that students do, not what is done to them,” ( National Science Standards, p.2). “…practical inquiry tends to be concrete rather than abstract…. It strives as much for wisdom as for knowledge,” ( Mike Atkin, Professor of Education, Stanford University, Stanford CA “When my students come up with questions that anticipate, I know that’s ‘inquiry’,” ( Kathy Gabric, high school biology teacher, GK-12 Fellows Program).

Inquiry Realty: Location, Location, Location… Graduate Fellows In K-12 Education ( Funding agency: NSF ) University of Chicago Laboratory Schools ( Villa Park and Hinsdale Public Libraries

What is “GK-12?” Nation-wide, NSF initiative Advanced graduate students in Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Technology (SMET) disciplines SMET teachers in K-12 settings Technology-enriched classrooms, integrating computer-based modeling, visualization, and informatics Photo by S.L. Comstock

Computer scientists in pre-calculus and biology Molecular biologist in honors biology Biologists in advanced placement and regular biology Mathematicians in after- hours, vocational school math classes So, Who are the GK-12? Photo by S.L. Comstock

Methods in Qualitative Data Gathering On-site observation Structured formative online surveys ( on.html ) on.html On-site Video and photography Artifacts Unstructured interviews

Interpretative Art Case study as “bounded” object Ethnographically informed The holistic researcher Resulting narrative and creating of meaning Balancing paradox: participant/observer; teacher/learner; scientist/storyteller Photo by: S.L. Comstock

Evidence of Inquiry: Stories as “authentication” Becoming mathematicians : inquiry, play, and the vocational student The 18-foot rabbit: high school students taking next-steps in genetics Teaching as a learning process: getting beyond the “dawn of time.” Incorporating inquiry learning: influencing decision makers

Pages of Inquiry How do we use bioinformatics in biology classrooms? What effect does salting the roads during the winter have on lawns? History as inquiry: How is my May Project going? Poetry as Play: Creative process as inquiry

Aspects of Inquiry-based Learning Learner centered: Investigation of some question central. An ongoing problem is examined Teacher shifts to being a facilitator and “co- learner” in the educational process. Discussion among peers is key. Problem-based, project- based, and inquiry- based often used interchangeably to describe learning activities A “little inquiry”: Every teaching/learning partnership has some elements of inquiry imbedded

Visions of Inquiry Reaching beyond disciplinary boundaries: “If you partition a problem along discipline lines, your solution can be wrong,” Peggy Miller. Our roles as collectors of inquiry

Selected References Ceglowski, D. That’s a good story, but is it really research? Qualitative Inquiry; Thousand Oakes; June 1997; Vol. 3, Issue 2, pp Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (Eds.). Handbook of Qualitative Research, Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc. Glesne, C. & Peshkin, A. (1992). Being there: Developing understanding through participant observation. Becoming Qualitative Researchers: An Introduction. White Plains, NY: Longman,