InquiryLearningTeaching

=What is Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning ?=

The //Mirriam-Webster Dictionary// (1990) defines Inquiry as "a search for truth or knowledge; a request for information" (p.385). It is easy to see that as humankind evolves our search for truth and knowledge grows. We are, by nature, an interesting species with an inquiring disposition. We question. We want to know. We go about finding our answers in a variety of ways.

The idea of Inquiry has really been a part of our learning journey as far back as our history books will document. Some people have said that Inquiry predates [|Socrates]. And then through the many years following there have been other educators and philosophers that either discussed or utilized the idea of Inquiry. Even within the work of [|John Dewey] and [|Lev Vygotsky] the smatterings of Inquiry ideals can be found throughout. Inquiry learning can be seen as we watch our children learn to walk, talk, and read. It is ever present within many different cultural philosophies of lifestyle. Many points of research have given us information and data to prove the successful effects of Inquiry-Based philosophy within the classroom. And, now as our provincial curricula has begun to focus in on the Inquiry-based viewpoints that promote good teaching and learning practice, it is time for us to re-visit our learning journey.

Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning is a [|constructivist] approach, in which students construct and deepen their own understandings through examining, discussing, working on challenging rigorous problems, and in dealing with different points of view. It starts with exploration and questioning and leads to investigation into a specific question, issue, problem, or idea. In their book, __Teaching For Deep Understanding__, (2006), Leithwood, McAdie, Bascia, and Rodrigue make many connections to the constructivist view. They say that constructivism is simply just the starting point of the Inquiry journey, as this process must "evolve to include higher order thinking skills, build on experience, connect to values, address social and interactive dimension of knowledge building, and reflect real-life relevance."

Inquiry-Based learning is really about seeing a change take place in how students learn through a process of learning. There is no one right method or technique that all teachers will use in their classrooms. There may be features that are similar but the bottom line is that it is a process by which both students and teachers will learn from. It is a philosophy that must be adopted in order to not only change minds, but to also change practice. Inquiry-Based teaching encompasses what is currently considered to be the very best of good teaching practice. Most Inquiry-Based teaching models strive for open-ended, broad-based questioning techniques which will allow students to observe and discuss, question and research, measure and assess, reflect and evaluate, and finally to communicate their new information and deeper understandings of new learnings to fellow learners, parents, members or experts of the community.

Inquiry-Based learning allows students to go beyond a surface level examination into a deeper understanding of the issues that their questions had resulted from with a stronger importance given to the specific topic. It is important for us to mention at this time that Inquiry-Based Teaching and Learning is not a "free for all" with learners all over the map trying to go in a million different directions deciding on a whim what they want to learn. The process must begin very structured moving along the continuum to a more open approach keeping in mind curriculum outcomes and indicators every step of the way.

Essentially, students are to learn how to take ownership of their learning and this can be seen through a gradual release of responsibility process that inquiry-based teachers employ within their classrooms.

**"Inquiry involves the gradual release of responsibility and ownership of learning from teacher to student through the provision and scaffolding of skills, abilities, and expertise required to comprehend what they read, view, listen to, and collaborate with others such that they are able to interactively and effectively investigate into topics and questions of interest."** - Harvey and Daniels, (2009), __Comprehension & Collaboration__ The Gradual Release of Responsibility is a research-based instructional model developed by Pearson and Gallagher (1993). You will notice that there is reference made to Vygotsky's "Zone of Proximal Development" eluding to the idea that the learner must be "ready" to learn from the scaffolding that is taking place. In this optimal learning model, the responsibility for task completion shifts gradually over time from the teacher to the student.

This updated model of The Gradual Release of Responsibility, developed by Routman (2003), takes into account the behavioural actions of both teacher and learner within the classroom during each of the four phases - Demonstration (I do, You watch), Guided Practice (I do, You help), Independent Practice (You do, I help), and Application (You do, I watch).



Sharon Freisen, from //[|Galileo Educational Learning Network]//, talks about Inquiry being a "disposition cultivated during teaching and learning, rather than a process that “gets done” by students." She talks about successful Inquiry leading to deep understanding, giving examples from her own experiences. As you view this video, contrast and compare Sharon's experiences to those of your own. What are your examples of deep understanding? Do you see Inquiry as the same process that "gets done" by the students you work with daily?
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**"Inquiry involves providing students with the skills, abilities, and expertise to develop deep understanding and build knowledge required to solve real-life tasks and knowledge problems, and explore questions and topics using subject matter and course content as the stimulus for thought and reflection"** - Leithwood, et al. (2006), __Teaching For Deep Understanding__

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**Additional Resources**
 * An [|Online Inquiry PD Workshop] focusing in on Inquiry Learning offered by thirteen.or