Inquiry-based instruction is a type of teaching method. This method entails the students driving the class forward rather than it being led by the teacher. The teacher may pose a question for the student's to solve, however it's up to the student's to solve the problem and figure out how to go about solving it. There are different level of inquiry. There is a very structured version all the way up to a very open level. A teacher who is new to inquiry may be more comfortable with a structured approach, so that way the still have a little control over what is going to happen. As a teacher gets better at instruction with inquiry The more loosely structured the class can be. Also, when talking about structure it would be easier to start with more structured inquiry and each time you use that method make it less and less structured. That way you are training the students on how to be open thinkers.
Inquiry follows the scientific method to promote critical thinking. Inquiry is often used in science classes, since science can be very lab based and labs are a good way to implement inquiry. When students learn through inquiry the go through 5 steps:
1.) Questioning
2.) Investigating
3.) Use evidences to describe, explain, and predict what is going to happen
4.) Connect evidences to knowledge
5.) Share their findings.
When using inquiry you are giving students the opportunity to drive their own learning and because of this you allow your students to become better problem solvers. With the way a lot of subjects in schools are led is by spoon feeding the students information so that they never really have to think of things on their own. When you give students the ability to learn and discover things on their own they will remember content better and will have a better understanding of how they can apply it to their own lives.
Enjoy this video that I found that helps me understand exactly what inquiry based instruction is:
All in all I feel like inquiry is a very useful tool that should be used as you are teaching. As a teacher you should always be pushing your students just a little out of their comfort zone, so that they are able to grow and I believe that inquiry based instruction can do just that.
Rachel, thanks for sharing the steps and types of inquiry, as well as the video! Which steps do you think will be most challenging for your students? How do you plan to address this to keep the cycle of inquiry flowing?
PBL/IBL! PBL/IBL! PBL/IBL! Can't stress it enough, if the teacher is the focal point of the classroom...not doing it right. If teacher is the sole source of learning...not doing it right. If teacher is the hardest working one in the room...not doing it right.
I appreciate that you incorporated a video in your blog post to help clarify points!
ReplyDeleteRachel, thanks for sharing the steps and types of inquiry, as well as the video! Which steps do you think will be most challenging for your students? How do you plan to address this to keep the cycle of inquiry flowing?
ReplyDeleteRachel, thank you for sharing! The video you included was insightful and really explained IBI well!
ReplyDeletePBL/IBL! PBL/IBL! PBL/IBL! Can't stress it enough, if the teacher is the focal point of the classroom...not doing it right. If teacher is the sole source of learning...not doing it right. If teacher is the hardest working one in the room...not doing it right.
ReplyDelete