Week 1 – getting started

Welcome to my blog for my final subject, Information Learning-Nexus CLN650 in my Masters of Education (Teacher-Librarianship) course.

This blog will be examining Inquiry-based Learning particularly  in the context of a Year 11 Classroom. I will document on this blog what impact inquiry-based learning has on a particular Ancient History unit.  I am really hoping it will improve the learning experience of the students involved and provide a unit that will enable them to develop skills that promote life-long learning.  As I am relatively new to the concept of inquiry learning, I will also document my learning journey as I research and explore the concept further.

Part of the process of my journey  involves reflecting on my knowledge and experiences as I  go.  I have included the answers to my first reflective questionare below..

Reflective Questionnaire 1

1. Take some time to think about inquiry learning and information literacy. Now write down what you know about it.

-Inquiry Learning – learning by doing (student-centred), instead of learning by listening (teacher-centred)?

-Information literacy – the ability to gather information using a variety of sources and tools and evaluate whether the information gathered is appropriate (ethical, relevant, etc) and select appropriate information (from what they have gathered) to use.

2. How interested are you in this topic?  Check (ü) one box that best matches your interest.

Not at all ☐    not much ☐    quite a bit ☐    a great deal ☐

 

3. How much do you know about this topic?  Check (ü) one box that best matches how much you know.

Nothing ☐     not much ☐    quite a bit ☐    a great deal ☐

4. When you do research, what do you generally find easy to do? Please list as many things as you like.

-Translate and apply what I have read/found in to the context I need

-analyse the appropriateness/reliability of resources

5.  When you do research, what do you generally find difficult to do? Please list as many things as you like.

– getting started with locating appropriate sources

After completing the readings this week I have realised that Inquiry Learning is something that I am starting to do in classes however, would love to know more about.  Particularly as a Senior History teacher, I have become quite concerned about how we are modelling effective and ethical research for students.  Often students are completing research assignments and leaving the actual research booklet (that documents their research) to the last minute – not understanding the importance of documenting and reflecting on their research as the inquiry takes place.  Also, research is often something we expect students will know how to do however, with the modern ‘Google‘ era, I’m not convinced that they know how to get the best results out of their research.  I am hoping that Guided Inquiry introduces me to skills I can use to guide the students in effective and relevant research.

Some factors I’d like to examine further in Guided Inquiry are:

1.  Does Guided Inquiry always use the same process or does it change for different content/subjects?

2. How much scaffolding is provided for the learner?

3. How does it promote independent learning? How can it be used for a Senior research-based assignment that needs to be completed individually?

Related articles

• Information-Learning Activity (cln650.wordpress.com)
• A How-to Guide on Inquiry Learning – YourthLearn (sdauria.wordpress.com)
• Flipping the Classroom – A Next Step in Student-Centered, Inquiry Based Learning (ruthehardy.wordpress.com)