Link to Article: http://www.ndtwt.org/blackboard/P2ssT2/inqu.htm
In week three, the topic of Inquiry Based Learning was the main focal point of this module . After going through the week and reading the required readings and posting to the discussion boards, I quickly began to understand what Inquiry Based Learning was all about. Simply stated, Inquiry Based Learning is the process of gaining and retaining information through questions developed from the interests, curiosities, and prior experiences of the learner. However, the teacher still plays an important role in Inquiry Based Learning. Their job is to stay in the background and facilitate the learning. In other words, the teacher will pose questions and model it to the students. This is done so that the students develop a higher order of thinking and not just memorize facts.
Teaching with Technology Initiative explains Inquiry based learning perfectly. According to Teaching with Technology Initiative (2003), “Memorizing facts and information is not the most important skill in today’s world. Facts change, and information is readily available. Inquiry based learning provides students the opportunity to construct the understanding necessary to produce deeper learning.” (“Inquiry-Based Learning”, 2003). To go along with this, Scott Crombie expands on this in a Youtube video. He goes on to say that that “Inquiry-Based Learning is broken down into three levels”, which are structured, guided and open (Crombie, 2014). Depending on how familiar the students are with Inquiry Based Learning with determine which approach the teacher will take.Structured is the first level of Inquiry where the teacher drives the class by asking questions. With this approach, the students are able develop research skills. The next level is guided. At this level, the teacher asks more generalized questions and the students accept a bigger role. When researching the information, the students are then guided by the teachers. Lastly, at the open level, the students develop their own questions along with research. This is where the students have to analyze their data. This is the most complex level of Inquiry because it deals with “higher order thinking” (Crombie. 2014).
Inquiry Based Learning is on rise in school districts across the U.S.. With technology becoming cheaper and more available, more schools are finding it easier to go in this direction. IBL is a great way for teachers to get students to think outside the box and become producers of information as opposed of consumers. Knowing this, teachers in any subject have the ability to use it in their classroom.
References
Teaching and Learning Strategies. (2003). Inquiry-based Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.ndtwt.org/blackboard/P2ssT2/inqu.htm
Crombie, S. (2014, May 26). What is Inquiry-Based Learning? [Video file]. Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u84ZsS6niPc.
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