Inquiry Learning

The inspiration for this post came from reading Inquisitive Isabella to my 3-year old! She just loves Isabella (or Issy) the Inquisitive Ibis. Why? Because ...

Which teacher does not like an 'ideas ibis'? We love students with ideas, those with the propensity to think 'outside the box' and present a completely original interpretation of what has been presented in class. We work to promote all the characteristics of Susannah McFarlane's Inquisitive Ibis. We encourage inquisitiveness, new and inspirational ideas, initiative and teamwork... we even encourage them to use the internet - just like Issy Ibis!  All this so that our own Inquisitive Ibises investigate thoroughly and ingeniously "invent an immunisation" to rid other ibises of  "itching insects"!! Are these not the hallmarks of what a 21st century learner is? One who works collaboratively to build on their own knowledge and so become a world changer? One who is a critical thinker able to communicate understanding creatively?

Enter... INQUIRY LEARNING!

Inquiry learning is the cornerstone of all teaching and learning in Humanities and Social Sciences classrooms. Inquiry learning fosters the development of active citizens, keen participants and contributors to the world around them. Inquiry learning encourages students to question, explore and synthesise information presented to them rather than be passive recipients to everything they see and hear. We need the future generation to be one that does not accept mediocrity, who act ethically, we need them to call corrupt governments into account, we need our young people to act generously, intelligently and with integrity.

So, what is inquiry learning? Is it based on sound psychological or educational research? Is it one of the many new and shiny methods we, as teachers are 'forced' to employ?

In fact, Inquiry Learning is as old as the hills! It has its roots in the great teachers and philosophers of the ancient world. Socrates famously wrote "I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think." Socrates' worked alongside his students. He used dialogue whereby direct questions were posed which led students to see the world around them from their own schemas. Sharon Friesen with Candace Saar, in their website Galileo Educational Network elaborate on the questioning method Socrates used and I quote:

“Starting with the notion that the only thing he knew was he knew nothing, Socrates would engage in a systematic and disciplined questioning process to discover basic truths about the inner workings of the natural world and ethical questions related to such enduring concerns as the nature of justice. By posing such seemingly simple questions as “What is justice?,” Socrates showed that many commonly-held assumptions were flawed and even illogical.”

— Sharon Friesen et.al.

Jesus, the greatest teacher and philosopher consistently taught those around him through parables set in the experiences and the environments of the listener. For example, in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13, a farmer would know well that a seed which fell..

• on the path would be stolen by birds,
• on rocky places would struggle to establish strong root systems,
• among thorns would get choked by the thorny weeds and
• on good soil would flourish and bear fruit a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 

Jesus used this understanding of the natural world to teach his listener about the value of the seeds of His word and teaching. And so, to use constructivist terminology, the learner was able to refer to their own prior understanding of the world and build new knowledge into new schemas.

Inquiry learning is based on the theories of constructivism developed by Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and John Dewey.

Jean Piaget's cognitive constructivism espoused that learning takes places within the mind of a learner. For Piaget, students construct new knowledge based on pre-existing ideas and experiences. In doing so, students create new schemas which result in new and unique interpretation of issues in the world around them.

“Every function in the child’s cultural development appears twice: first, on the social level, and later, on the individual level; first, between people (interpsychological) and then inside the child (intrapsychological). This applies equally to voluntary attention, to logical memory, and to the formation of concepts. All the higher functions originate as actual relationships between individuals”

— Lev Vygotsky

Vygotsky saw learning within a social context, coining the phrase "zone of proximal development." Very simply, this means students learn in a social context where knowledge is acquired from those with greater knowledge and experience around them.

The inquiry learning process demands a great deal of time for students - to ask questions, research, organise information and present it coherently and finally reflect (including reflecting on how they learn i.e. metacognition). In the crowded curriculum, the million dollar question is: HOW?? There are tests to prepare for, reports to write, parent/teacher evenings etc etc...

Teachers need time to develop the means by which they can lead students to adopt an inquiring mind. Realistically, students can tap into these through the provision of graphic organisers which encourage critical thinking. Teachers need to provide students with visible thinking tools.

Enter Project Zero whose primary aim is to provide teachers with an excellent range of research based strategies they can use in the classroom. There are so many. Some are quite popular and well used such as 'Think, Pair, Share'. Click here to access some great 'oldies' and some 'newbies'!!

References:

Spronken-Smith, R. (n.d). Experiencing the Process of Knowledge Creation:  The Nature and Use of Inquiry-Based Learning in Higher Education. University of Otago, New Zealand.

{The Flipped Classroom}: Flip or Flop?

The Flipped Classroom is an approach to teaching and learning whereby 'traditional' lecturing takes place at home and hands-on activities take place in the classroom. The teacher records themselves delivering lectures which students view in their own time. As an alternative, teachers can direct students to watch brief presentations on You Tube by other experts. This gives students the opportunity to rewind, review, take detailed notes and reflect on the content. The Flipped Classroom is possible as a direct result of teacher and student access to technology. Experts of the Flipped Classroom approach recommend that students watch approximately three teacher-generated videos per week.

Proponents of the Flipped Classroom argue that this methodology allows for:

• The creation of flexible learning spaces in the classroom where differentiation can be employed;
• The implementation of flexible timelines and expectations;
• A student-centred approach where students are able to explore their subject in greater depth;
• Time for students to reflect and think about their learning and ask relevant, deeper questions;
• Student involvement in the construction of knowledge and higher-order thinking;
• The maximisation of class time where students are involved in active learning;
• Teachers to provide continual feedback to students and individual attention;
• Teachers to encourage inquiry.

Advocates of the Flipped Classroom argue that the flip leads to a “distinctive shift in priorities – from merely covering material to working towards mastery of it.” [Educause February 2012] For Dr R. Mumpel the Flipped Classroom brought about ‘profound’ change. He said: “It’s really changed the way I approach teaching, what I want to get out of teaching, and the enjoyment and reward.” Some initial research has found that the Flipped Classroom results in better knowledge retention, improved test scores and a reduction in absenteeism. Watch the greatest proponents of the Flipped Classroom, Jon Bergman and Aaron Sams talk about how classrooms can be flipped.

 A sceptic by nature, I have been finding it difficult to see the difference between the traditional homework of reading a text with the view of creating time for interactive class activities and having students listen to me at home. The Flipped Classroom model also relies on highly motivated students who love homework! Nonetheless, I have pushed through and tried a number of ways to flip.

In the first instance, I set my Year 9 class the task of watching a You Tube video of the Circular Flow of Income. (While I personally enjoy economics, teaching this concept can become tiresome.) Most of the students in my class completed the homework! This gave us time to play – literally. In small groups, students were asked to create a quick video of the Circular Flow by using my daughter’s Little People set and miscellaneous toys from her ‘shop’. This included cars, trains, the Little People and a number of raw materials such as tomatoes and finished products such as canned tomato soup. The outcome was not only filled with humour, students showed an understanding of the concept I had not seen when I employed more traditional methods of teaching the Circular Flow model. Subsequent test scores proved that student understanding was significantly more sophisticated.

 The second trial involved my Year 11 American History class. We had studied the 1929 Wall Street Crash and the causes of the Great Depression. Students then viewed oral history interviews from the Library of Congress, listened to music and speeches of the time. As students presented their findings on the impact of the Great Depression, I found their findings to have greater empathy, depth and included higher order thinking.

 When used appropriately and for suitable subject matter, the flipped classroom works. It works when there is careful preparation and planning. However, all too often the Flipped Classroom is overused and students are subjected to endless videos of their teachers. (I avoid subjecting students to more of me!) Good teachers will always avoid over-formulaic and static strategies. They will employ a variety of strategies to engage their students with the purpose of encouraging critical thinking.

 Used ‘sparingly’ these are some of the avenues I have used to flip my classroom:

• TED Talks with a simple summary sheet
• Webcasts from experts
• Interviews with politicians, academics, ordinary people with extraordinary experiences
• Short documentaries
• Lectures from iTunes
• Webinars

So, is the Flipped Classroom a flop? Yes and no!! When used with careful preparation and planning, with the promise of great classroom activities, the Flipped Classroom can work. However, over-use it, or use it incorrectly just because we have the technology at our finger-tips will lead to student dis-engagement.

{Communication}: Linking words and phrases in essay writing

Further to the post on essay writing, this one will focus on strengthening student expression. Students often find it very difficult to introduce a new idea or use clumsy language when dealing with quotes e.g. "it is quoted that...".
There are thousands of websites from thousands of education sites providing useful hints to students in an effort to assist in polishing student written expression. However, it is hard to see students crawl through them and compile a list that would prove helpful to their history essay.
Please find a free printable you can provide to your students. Hopefully, as students use these cohesive devices, their writing will be easier to follow.

{Communication}: Writing a History Essay

Despite all the access to digital technology we have today, our students still need to be able to communicate their knowledge and understanding in writing. This means students must be able to develop coherent arguments and use evidence appropriately.

In teaching Modern History to Year 11 and 12 students I have found myself constantly re-teaching “how to…” as if for the first time! As examinations draw near, I have been asked to write a post about essay writing. So here it is!

The purpose of a history essay is to present a thesis and develop a clear line of argument. In this form of communication, students need to ensure their argument is well-supported with evidence.

Teaching Essay Writing: Step by Step

Step One: Plan

• Scrutinise the question: what ‘directional’ words are there? What do they mean? Evaluate? Examine? Curriculum Council produced a document in 2008 outlining the meaning of terminology used in Modern History Examinations. The most commonly used directional words and their meanings are outlined below:

• Write the answer in ONE sentence!
• Plan your answer in a series of dot points. Set it out the basic structure of your argument. A plan can look like this:

STEP TWO: INTRODUCTION

• First, write 3-4 sentences to set out the context of the question including important ideas, people, places, and/or events.
• Second, write the answer as a series of 3-4 sentences. This is the thesis statement. It needs to be clearly stated and outline the direction of the essay and the argument that will be pursued.

Step three: paragraphs

Paragraphs show readers or markers how the conclusion or argument was reached. A paragraph should contain the following parts:

• A topic sentence to establish the argumentative point. This needs to be written in a short, succinct sentence.
• Write a historical narrative which is supported with evidence. Where necessary, include critical comments. If appropriate to the argument, delve into historiography. That is, are there conflicting perspectives? Critically assess these to show your understanding that history is complex and complicated!
• Tie-back the argument by relating the content of the paragraph back to the question. The tie-back sentence can also be used to lead into the next paragraph.

STEP FOUR: CONCLUSION

Draw together the argument by considering the significance of the argument presented. Do this by reflecting upon the 'sum' of the argument presented. Avoid introducing new ideas, re-writing the introduction or using quotes and questions.

Download a free printable for your students!

{Digital Technology}: What is its purpose in the classroom?

There has been a great deal of discussion and debate in the media and amongst teachers about the merits of technology in the classroom. This was sparked by events including the removal of electronic devices from Sydney Grammar School because it is distracting and represents a 'scandalous waste of money'. The principal, Dr. John Vallance, believes that teaching is fundamentally a social experience which involves interaction, conversation and discussion. A Harvard University expert of happiness recently spoke to parents, teachers and the local community about the extensive amount of 'screen time' children are exposed to. He said "... 1000 friends of Facebook is no substitute for that one best friend". At the same time, Nick Sas, writer for the West Australian discussed the rate at which SEO experts influence users to visit sites that pay for preferential treatment on search engines like Google. Suffice to say, Google should not replace the library as the main source of information for school students. As for social media, Nick Sas challenged all users to avoid "scrolling through Facebook like a vampire drone" and rather to find sites that prove beneficial. Finally, at a recent History Teachers' conference, CEO of Western Australian Museum, Alec Coles, in response to a question on electronic interactive displays that will be built into the new state-of-art museum said, "the best interactive exhibit is always another person".
While technology certainly has its place in the classroom and Web 2.0 with its social media focus has changed the way we receive, give news and interact with each other, it should not replace the fundamental ways humans use to interact with each other and learn. It seems ironic then, that this very technology is now being used by teachers to air their views on the influence of technology on our students.
In addition to using Google, Bing and Microsoft Edge, I have used Pinterest to crawl through the web and investigate what practicing teachers and leaders in education say about the merits of technology. In this search, I found the Pinterest graphic below, created by Principal Brett Gruetzmacher of Brookfield Central. Clearly, the message is that as teachers, we should avoid using technology for the sake of it. Rather, we should be more selective in how we use this tool. Web 2.0 with its focus on social media provides teachers and students alike to become world changers.

Digital technology is certainly a powerful tool to drive change, make a difference and so on. However, I think it is also a useful tool to use when encouraging students to think critically. Certainly, intuitive programs such as Animoto can be used very easily and quickly in subject such as history to teach cause and effect by using primary sources that are both visual and text based. For visual learners, watching a quick video and making sense of the role people, events and ideas play in changing the course of history is powerful. There is much to be said for the importance of technology as one of many tools a teacher can use to foster thinking. There is also much to be said about sitting on the floor with crayons and butcher's paper, teaching critical thinking!
Dr. Bruniges' statement therefore resonates with me simply because no new and shiny toy can replace the human being who stands or sits or dances in a classroom, who has a genuine care for their students and who is passionate about their subject. It is these factors that inspire and motivate students.

{21st Century Learning}: What is it?

There is much discussion on what 21st century learning is all about. There seems to be a perception that 21st century learning is all about digital technology. On some preliminary investigation and discussion with passionate teachers I have come up with a list of what it may be!

21st century learning is about:

• The four C’s: critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication
• Sound pedagogy: a combination of Blooms Taxonomy, de Bono’s Six Hat Thinking, Hattie’s Visible Learning and so on.
• Building character: resilience, compassion, integrity
• Knowledge and subject passion: with which students build their own understanding of the world in later years

It seems that as the world becomes increasingly fractured and acts of terrorism loom large in the minds of this generation, the need for learning that is based on the whole person becomes increasingly important. There is a need for schools and teachers to be the beacon of light and hope and encourage their students to be optimistic, world changers. For example, we well may need to teach compassion rather than tolerance, and to teach our young people to ‘love their neighbor as themselves’.

Ultimately, 21st century education is about good teaching. It is about teachers who place the student, the person, at the centre of their everyday classroom teaching. I have had the privilege of being taught by such teachers. As a migrant teenager, I found myself in the hands of teachers who cared and inspired me to teach! In my journey as a teacher over the past 20 years, I have met compassionate, wise teachers who exhibit all the characteristics of what we now label ‘21st century educator’.