EDEL 394 Section A4

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EDEL 394 Section A4

• Focus on Inquiry
• Thursday, October 20, 2005

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Agenda

• Understanding the research/inquiry process
• Focus on Inquiry why inquiry

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Research Models

• Some based on findings from research studies
  (ISP, Inquiry Model)
• Guide for teachers and students
• Common language
• Transferable

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Inquiry

• Inquiry is the dynamic process of being open to
  wonder and puzzlements and coming to know and
  understand the world.

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Inquiry-based Learning

• Inquiry-based learning is a process where
  students formulate questions, investigate widely
  and then build new understandings, meanings and
  knowledge. That knowledge is new to the students
  and may be used to answer a question, to develop
  a solution or to support a position or point of
  view. The knowledge is usually presented to
  others and may result in some sort of social
  action.

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Why Inquiry?

• Engages students
• Allows wonder
• Integrates ICT
• Honours individual backgrounds/interests
• Allows for diversity
• Fosters collaboration

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Past Experiences with Inquiry

• Authentic learning
• Engaged
• Very important learning experience
• Lost interest
• Felt lost
• Working in a group that didnt function well
• Product vs. Product

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Changes Our Thinking

• Authentic Assessment
• Choice and Engagement
• Time choose topic, for unit, what else is going
  on in the classroom
• Mini-lessons
• Curriculum Connections
• Dont do it all day long
• Role of the teacher

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Reflecting on the Process

• Thinking about thinking
• Thinking about feelings
• Expressive language
• Collaborative talk
• Assessment
• Dialogue/Research Journals
• Feelings Charts

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• Computer Anxiety (25-33 of all individuals have
  some computer anxiety)
• The apprehension felt by individuals when they
  use computers or when they consider the
  possibility of computer utilization
• Behaviours
• Avoidance of computers
• Excessive caution
• Negative remarks towards computers and computing
• Shorten time on computers

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Library Anxiety

• Uncomfortable feeling or emotional disposition
  characterized by
• Tension
• Fear
• A sense of uncertainty and helplessness
• Self-defeating thoughts
• Mental disorganization
• When students are in or contemplating a visit to
  the library

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Things to Know

• Girls may underestimate their computer abilities
• Those with computers at home are less likely to
  have computer anxiety
• Computer training helps lower anxiety
• People who feel more computer anxiety also feel
  more library anxiety
• More computer use more positive attitudes

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So Why Are We Talking About Anxieties?

• As teachers we have to deal with students
  feelings
• Expressive language (and language for learning)
  can help students express those fears and also
  share learnings
• Our students need to be able to work well in
  libraries and on computers so we may have to help
  deal with these anxieties and provide strategies

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Planning

• Skills for planning are lifelong skills
• Timelines
• Thinking about the audience
• Identifying a topic area
• Thinking about evaluation/assessment
• Thinking about where to find information
• Reflecting

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Retrieving

• Library Skills
• Locating and collecting resources from a variety
  of print, non-print, electronic, and human
  resources
• Evaluating information
• Information Pathfinder
• Reflecting

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Processing

• Hardest stuff to teach but most important for
  kids meaning making
• Establishing a focus
• Making connections and inferences
• Choosing pertinent information
• Graphic organizers
• Inspiration/Kidspiration
• Reflecting

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Creating

• Providing support and lessons on a variety of
  different presentation formats
• Organizing information
• Creating a product
• Creating a sharing experience
• Revising and editing
• Reflecting

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Sharing

• Communicating your learning with others in a
  variety of ways
• Presenting new understandings
• Learning from others
• Demonstrating what it means to be a good audience
  member
• Reflecting

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Evaluating

• Evaluate process and inquiry plan
• (Dr. Philism - Hows that working for you?)
• Transfer to other situations in and out of school
• Self and peer evaluation
• Evaluate product
• Reflecting

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Starting Points

• Ensure success
• Start small
• Start with one type of final product
• Work in small groups
• Keep it in a short time frame
• Teach process skills ahead of time
• Only focus on a couple of outcomes to teach
• Have fun

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So Now What?

• Teachers need to be expert inquirers.
• Teachers need to understand the inquiry process.
• Teachers need to understand about the feelings
  associated with inquiry.