RE-SEED Training Inquiry Based Learning Workshop

Inquiry Based Learning

• What is Inquiry • Preconceived Ideas, Assumptions• The Hands-On Approach– The Hook– Questioning, Predicting, Hypothesizing – Developing a Procedure– Testing and Evaluating

Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning

• Engaging, real-world applications• Integration of disciplines, subjects– Communication and writing become equally as

important as the scientific comprehension• More social, team focused • Generates lifetime learners• Producers vs Consumers

Introducing Inquiry

• Important to understand students’ prior content knowledge first. First step in any class is to assess the students’ incoming comprehension levels, and evaluate needs and plan for addressing content

• Feedback and Evaluation are constant components of the Inquiry model – must always be gathering feedback both anecdotal and quantitative, when possible.

Levels of Inquiry

1. Confirmation A typical chemistry lab: known procedure, results

2. Guided (Structured)A chemistry lab where the results are unknown

3. BoundedUse student-driven design/experiment/procedure

4. Open (Free)Student identified problem, experiment, results

Levels of Inquiry - Example

The Egg Drop Activity:Students must design and build an egg drop device that will protect their egg from cracking after being dropped from a height of X meters.

Levels of Inquiry - Example

CONFIRMATION “INQUIRY”:- Drop the egg by itself- Drop the egg with lots of

protection- Ask students for

‘observations’

- Generally a ‘Demonstration’ vs Engaging Activity

Levels of Inquiry - Example

STRUCTURED INQUIRY:- Give the students the problem

(protect the egg)- Give them a set of materials and

procedure for designing a specific device

- All students build the same model, or different variations

- Defined reporting – handout or questions, drawings, etc.

Levels of Inquiry - Example

BOUNDED INQUIRY:- Give the students the problem

(protect the egg)- Instead of giving them all materials,

give them a budget and option to buy different quantities

- No set of guidelines for building device (perhaps some rules, but no procedure)

- Some defined reporting procedure with student input

Levels of Inquiry - Example

FREE (OPEN) INQUIRY:- Give the students the

problem (protect the egg)- Allow students to use any

materials- Any design, procedure- Any evaluation and

reporting metrics

Inquiry Based Learning – How To

• Takes more time and planning, organization• Must understand prior knowledge, ability to

think critically – Mostly age-dependent – hard to do < 3rd grade

• Cross-Disciplinary Integration– Easier to start with stories to introduce subjects,

problems, literacy component. Start discussions early to get kids eased into the problem/scenario

– Museum of Science – Engineering is Elementary

Inquiry Based Learning – How To

• Inquiry = Art of questions– Students asking teacher, fellow students– Teachers asking students

• Techniques of Inquiry– Questioning Strategies• Defining: Who, What, When, Where• Inquiring: Why, How

– Language Use• “Who knows…” vs “Who thinks…”

Inquiry Based Learning – How To

• Analyzing Data and Experiment• Reporting and Communicating Results• Feedback

WHIRLYGIG ACTIVITY

• Objective: Each group should create a ‘whirlygig’ that will stay aloft the longest amount of time when dropped from 2 meters

• In groups of 2, please work with your partner to follow the instructions provided to you

• Varying ‘inquiry’ levels • Work only with your partner• You have 10 minutes to create and refine your

whirlygig model• Test together at the end of 10 minute build

Whirlygigs – Feedback and Reflection

• How clear were your directions? Template(s)?

• What were your biggest challenges?

• Was it easy? Difficult? Why?

• How could your experience have been improved?

Adapting Inquiry Activities:Extending Kits and Labs

• Many labs, experiments, and activities can be adapted and modified to include varying levels inquiry based learning and engineering. Sometimes, it can be difficult for a teacher to understand how they can integrate engineering concepts into their curriculum. Here are some examples:

Adapting Inquiry Activities:Extending Kits and Labs

• Integrating Inquiry and Engineering:– Adding Costs, Budgets– Introducing Materials or limiting them– Quantifying Results, Data Analysis– Introducing Social, Environmental, Political,

Economic concerns, consequences, etc. – Widening scope of problem, procedure

• Extensions and investigations for further consideration• Try to assess interests, possible directions for futher

investigation