Inquiry-Based Learning

                Inquiry-based learning uses a backwards design that interweaves assessment into curriculum and learning. An inquiry based classroom should promote create problem solving that is driven by student’s asking questions and gathering evidence to make sense of their world (Drake, Reid & Kolohon, 2014). When you enter an inquiry-based learning environment you should not expect a silent classroom with students sitting in rows, you should expect to hear the sound of students who are actively learning and engaged by asking questions, using critical thinking and problem solving. In this environment the teacher is not standing up at the front of the class lecturing, but is a rather a part of learning, acting as a guide in students exploration who using learning prompts, while also learning alongside the students (Wu, Tseng & Hwang, 2015). Inquiry-based learning should foster deep engagement in students that leads to constant collaborative learning (Sinha, Rogat, Adams-Wiggins & Hmelo-Silver, 2015). I believe that it is important for teachers to work towards inquiry-based learning because it offers the opportunity to move education away from standardized testing and towards an enriching environment that creates an educational community through collaboration. Inquiry-based learning is a constant cycle that encourages students to ask questions, investigate, create, discuss and reflect upon their learning. This cycle will allow for students interests to be incorporated into learning by teachers using questions as lesson prompts and will allow students to use their learning as a way to make sense of the world.

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The video below is a Ted Talk that was done by Brad Chumrau on inquiry-based learning. Brad taught in the German education system for four years where he was introduced to the idea as using the classroom as a sense of community and a place for collaboration. The Primary Year Program implemented in Germany forced teachers to collaborate to create relevant lessons which sky-rocketed student engagement.

 

Finally, this video shows a practical perspective on inquiry based learning in elementary classrooms from an elementary teacher and a program coordinator. It discusses how an inquiry-based learning environment is based on the curiosity of the students and that all students have this drive within them to always be questioning. The goal is to ignite passion within students by allowing them to explore something that they are interested in, with the teacher there as a guide for learning.

 

 

References

Drake, S.M., Reid, J.L., & Kolohon, W. (2014). Interweaving curriculum and classroom assessment: Engaging the 21^st century learner. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.

Sinha, S., Rogat, T.K., Adams-Wiggins, K.R., & Hmelo-Silver, C.E. (2015). Collaborative group engagement in a computer supported inquiry learning environment. International Journal of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, 10, 273-307. doi: 10.1007/s11412-015-9218-y

Wu, J.W., Tseng, J.C., & Hwang, G.J. (2015). Development of an inquiry-based learning support system based on an intelligent knowledge exploration approach. Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 282-300.