IBL-I'm learning more! Week 3

Create a blog entry that describes how your thoughts about inquiry based learning have developed over the past week. What new insights have you developed? Has anything changed? Are there any "burning questions" that you feel need to be answered?

I really have learned a lot this week! I'm finding that I am starting to look at the Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry and trying to ensure I work them into my weekly lessons. I understand more about the differences in IBL, and what teacher directed inquiry and student directed inquiry truly means.  I am interested in finding out how to use these in all content areas, and in all types of lessons that can be modified.

FYI:


Essential Features of Classroom Inquiry:

1. The learner engages in questions that can be investigated.
2. The learner gives priority to evidence in responding to questions.
3. The learner formulates explanations from evidence.
4. The learner connects explanations to knowledge.
5. The learner communicates and justifies explanations.

Characteristics of Each Type of Inquiry

Teacher-Directed (structured inquiry)- In this type of inquiry teachers craft high quality tasks. These tasks should target a student's "celebration of understanding." This is where students are expected to apply and use information in some way. The tasks are fully supported by quality resources at levels appropriate to the students' skills. Students who have worked through a number of such tasks, been supported with extensive scaffolding, have developed their own understanding of "good inquiry," will have built and developed some foundational inquiry skills and will have experienced success.

Teacher-Student Shared (guided inquiry)- This type of inquiry based learning puts the student (who have demonstrated a range of foundational skills) in a position to move into tasks that they negotiate with the teacher. These tasks will bring with them more issues in terms of availability and suitability of information, less scaffolding support, and require skills at a more advanced level. Students will be supported to negotiate high quality tasks that target application of information.

Student-Directed (open inquiry)- This type of inquiry based learning is the ultimate goal of "good inquiry." Here students who have developed a sound set of learning and information skills are equipped to work as independent learners.