1. Inquiry Learning Saint Patrick’s School

3. What is Inquiry? Inquiry learning is the process through which learners become Inquiry learning is the process through which learners become interested in an issue or problem, interested in an issue or problem, ask themselves questions about it, ask themselves questions about it, access relevant information, access relevant information, organise the results, organise the results, draw conclusions and draw conclusions and then present them in some way for others to comment on. then present them in some way for others to comment on. At Saint Patrick’s this process involves three strands:-

4. 1. Inquiry 1. Immersion – generating interest in an issue or problem 2. Questioning – setting up the questions for study 3. Accessing information to answer the questions – what is relevant to the study - becoming an expert 4. Organising the information – to help raise the level of thinking about the issue/problem 5. Drawing conclusions - about the issue/problem - creating a solution 6. Presenting the results for comment 7. Evaluating the process

5. 2. Thinking skills At St. Patrick’s School we tend to use At St. Patrick’s School we tend to use Edward de Bono’s thinking hats in Team 1 Edward de Bono’s thinking hats in Team 1 Bloom’s Taxonomy of thinking skills in Team 2 Bloom’s Taxonomy of thinking skills in Team 2

6. 2a Edward de Bono’s Hats

7. 2a Bloom’s Thinking Taxonomy

8. 3a ICT Skills

9. 3b ICT Skills This means that our children need to become well versed in computer skills to enable them to make the best use of the Internet to access the information that they need for their learning now and in the future! This means that our children need to become well versed in computer skills to enable them to make the best use of the Internet to access the information that they need for their learning now and in the future!

10. 3c ICT Skills The New Zealand Ministry of Education have stated that the aim of education in our schools should be: The New Zealand Ministry of Education have stated that the aim of education in our schools should be: “- to improve learner achievement in an innovative education sector, fully connected and supported by the smart use of ICT” “- to improve learner achievement in an innovative education sector, fully connected and supported by the smart use of ICT”

11. 3d ICT Skills As well as government commitment to this objective it has implications for schools in that they need to make sure that their children are provided with the opportunities to become “smart users of ICT”. As well as government commitment to this objective it has implications for schools in that they need to make sure that their children are provided with the opportunities to become “smart users of ICT”. We do not want to become little islands of obsolescence! We do not want to become little islands of obsolescence!

12. 4. Planning The handout is an example of planning a unit that incorporates the three strands involved in the Inquiry Process The handout is an example of planning a unit that incorporates the three strands involved in the Inquiry Process