Focus on Faculty: Promoting Interactive, Inquiry-based Environments in Online Education

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Focus on FacultyPromoting Interactive,
Inquiry-based Environments in Online Education
Presenters Vince Schreck, Instructional
Designer, CAE Professor Dan Johnson, Geography
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Introductions

• Vince Schreck, Ed.D.
• Background in teaching and learning
• Instructional design work
• Why do you want to work with an Instructional
  Designer?
• Dan Johnson, Ph.D.
• Professor of Geography
• CLAS Director of Online Programs

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What is Inquiry-based Learning?
A student-centered, active learning approach
focusing on questioning, critical thinking, and
problem-solving. It's associated with the idea -
involve me and I understand.
http//annettelamb.com/tap/topic43.htm
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An Inquiry-based Process
http//www.inquirylearn.com/Inquirydef.htm
Learner asks question or questions
Questions lead to the desire for answers to the
question (or for solutions to a problem) and
result in the beginning of exploration and
hypotheses creation
Hypotheses lead to an investigation to test the
hypothesis/es or find answers and solutions to
the question and/or problem
The investigation leads to the creation or
construction of new knowledge based on
investigation of findings
The learner discusses and reflects on this
newly-acquired knowledge, which, in turn leads to
more questions and further investigation
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Inquiry-based Learning - Research
Several Studies have found that inquiry-based
teaching learning methods positively affect
student performance (e.g., Thacker et al. 1994
Magnussen Ishido, and Itano 2000), and education
reforms recommend incorporating inquiry into the
classroom (NRC 2000) Ciancioio 2006.

• Thacker et al (1994) study Comparing problem
  solving performance of physics
• Students in Inquiry-based and traditional
  introductory physics courses.
• Compared problem solving (both quantitative and
  qualitative) between traditional,
• physics students, and non-major physics
  students in a course emphasizing inquiry-
• based problem solving.
• The elementary majors performed significantly
  better than engineering students
• and as well as the honors physics students on
  the two problems (quant./qual) used
• Thacker et al (1994).

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Inquiry-based Learning - Research
Magnussen Ishido, and Itano (2000). The impact
of the use of inquiry-based learning as a
teaching methodology on the development of
critical thinking. Recognition of Assumptions,
deduction, interpretations, evaluation of
arguments.

• University of Hawaii school of nursing. 50 of
  courses, at the time of the study,
• had integrated IBL tutorial sessions.
• Over a 4 year period, not all students showed
  improvements in critical thinking
• skills, and some scores declined from pre to
  post test.
• The study did show that students who performed
  poorly on the pre test, showed
• improvement after the post test. This occurred
  in a similar study Flannelly and
• Inouye (1998).
• In summary, the results suggest that this
  methodology appeared to be more
• effective in developing critical thinking
  skills for students whose scores were low.

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Inquiry-based Learning - Research
Cianciolo, J. Flory, L. Atwell, J. (2006).
Evaluating the use of inquiry-based activities
Do student and teacher behaviors really change?

• Compared and inquiry-based Biology course with a
  more traditional, lecture-based
• classroom. Purpose was to determine the
  extent to which inquiry-based activities
• promoted inquiry-associated behaviors in both
  teachers and students.
• Study found inquiry behaviors occurred more
  frequently during inquiry-based
• activities than during recitation sessions
  where traditional teaching methods were
• implemented. Study also found that that
  teachers can also foster inquiry even in
• traditional settings.

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Inquiry-based Learning - Resources
Magnussen L., D. Ishida, and J. Itano. 2000.
The impact of the use of inquiry-based learning
as a teaching methodology on the development of
critical thinking. Journal of Nursing Education
39 (8) 360-64. National Research Council (NRC).
2000. Inquiry and the national science
education standards. Washington, DC National
Academy Press. Thacker B., E. Kim, K. Trefz and
S.M. Lea. 1994. Comparing problem
solving Performance of physics students in
inquiry-based and traditional introductory Physics
courses. American Journal of Physics 62 (7)
627-33. Flannelly, L. Inouye, J. (1998).
Inquiry-based learning and critical thinking in
an Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nursing Program.
Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 12(3), 1-8.
Cianciolo, J. Flory, L. Atwell, J. (2006).
Evaluating the use of inquiry-based Activities
Do student and teacher behaviors really change?
Journal of College Science Teaching,
November/December 2006, 50-55.