I is for Inquiry Based Learning
What is inquiry based learning?
Inquiry based learning is when you begin with an important question and branch your learning out from that single question. The teacher works as a facilitator during a project or assignment and the students direct their own learning. They could be working in groups, pairs, or individually depending on the topic. The teacher could provide the inquiry question, or the students could come up with a question of interest on their own. The important characteristic of inquiry learning is that students are directing their own learning and the teacher is there for guidance and assistance when needed. It takes a great deal of communication, planning, and trust between the classroom teacher and the students to make an inquiry unit or project work.
Inquiry based learning is when you begin with an important question and branch your learning out from that single question. The teacher works as a facilitator during a project or assignment and the students direct their own learning. They could be working in groups, pairs, or individually depending on the topic. The teacher could provide the inquiry question, or the students could come up with a question of interest on their own. The important characteristic of inquiry learning is that students are directing their own learning and the teacher is there for guidance and assistance when needed. It takes a great deal of communication, planning, and trust between the classroom teacher and the students to make an inquiry unit or project work.
How can inquiry based learning be used in the classroom?
I recently completed a unit on treaties in an entirely inquiry based format. The unit was prepared as a pilot project for the Saskatchewan Government Treaty Education, and based on the grade 8 Social Studies curriculum. Our inquiry question was, "To what extent have the treaty obligations for health, education and livelihood been honoured and fulfilled?" The very first class of the unit, I wrote treaties on the board and we completed a KWL graphic organizer together. I needed to know where we were beginning so I could plan my activities for the rest of the unit. The kids knew very little about the treaties, so we spent some time looking at the actual provisions of the treaties, and then we did a few lessons on worldview and how it related to the signing of the treaties. The kids then began to come up with their own inquiry questions as they related to the treaties. Here is where the inquiry based learning comes in. Each student had to select a project that they wanted to work on related to the topic of treaty provisions. They could explore any aspect and display their work in any form as long as it was approved by myself or my co-teacher. We acted as facilitators in the process, and it was our job to find resources, help problem solve, create rubrics to grade the work, and provide support and guidance where needed. During the process, we found students needed more information, so we brought in a guest speaker for two afternoon. He was an elder that had been to residential schools and now works for our school division to raise awareness about aboriginal issues. The kids learned so much from him, and it meant more to them because they had asked for his help with their projects.
I recently completed a unit on treaties in an entirely inquiry based format. The unit was prepared as a pilot project for the Saskatchewan Government Treaty Education, and based on the grade 8 Social Studies curriculum. Our inquiry question was, "To what extent have the treaty obligations for health, education and livelihood been honoured and fulfilled?" The very first class of the unit, I wrote treaties on the board and we completed a KWL graphic organizer together. I needed to know where we were beginning so I could plan my activities for the rest of the unit. The kids knew very little about the treaties, so we spent some time looking at the actual provisions of the treaties, and then we did a few lessons on worldview and how it related to the signing of the treaties. The kids then began to come up with their own inquiry questions as they related to the treaties. Here is where the inquiry based learning comes in. Each student had to select a project that they wanted to work on related to the topic of treaty provisions. They could explore any aspect and display their work in any form as long as it was approved by myself or my co-teacher. We acted as facilitators in the process, and it was our job to find resources, help problem solve, create rubrics to grade the work, and provide support and guidance where needed. During the process, we found students needed more information, so we brought in a guest speaker for two afternoon. He was an elder that had been to residential schools and now works for our school division to raise awareness about aboriginal issues. The kids learned so much from him, and it meant more to them because they had asked for his help with their projects.
What are advantages/disadvantages of inquiry based learning?
Some of the student's projects in my treaty unit turned out amazingly well, and others did not. Some students love to work with less parameters imposed by the teacher, and others need the guidance that a specific assignment gives. Inquiry learning allows students to be creative and gain independence in their work. It can be a lot of planning on the front end for the teacher because you have to have all of the resources available for the students before they begin. However, once you begin a project, the teacher's job is mainly to conference with students and provide guidance/keep them on track. I would not recommend doing an inquiry unit at the beginning of the year when students are still testing their boundaries, because they may test you to see how little they can do without you noticing. The inquiry topic or question has to be engaging in itself so that students are motivated to complete the project.
Some of the student's projects in my treaty unit turned out amazingly well, and others did not. Some students love to work with less parameters imposed by the teacher, and others need the guidance that a specific assignment gives. Inquiry learning allows students to be creative and gain independence in their work. It can be a lot of planning on the front end for the teacher because you have to have all of the resources available for the students before they begin. However, once you begin a project, the teacher's job is mainly to conference with students and provide guidance/keep them on track. I would not recommend doing an inquiry unit at the beginning of the year when students are still testing their boundaries, because they may test you to see how little they can do without you noticing. The inquiry topic or question has to be engaging in itself so that students are motivated to complete the project.
Examples of students' work created for an inquiry based unit on treaties.