EDIM 513 Week 5

 

        Over the past several weeks I have developed my understanding of inquiry based learning from simply a component connected to project and problem based learning to an entity of its own.  It became a more complex experience involving the development of a question, the full investigation process, and a clear presentation of the answers with evidence. 

     As time goes on, I am learning there are more pieces that fit into the inquiry based learning puzzle. For example, the importance of assessing the amount of prior knowledge a student comes in with.  A teacher needs to determine preconceptions a student comes in with about a topic before it is learned, misconceptions, and how much accuracy their information contains. This way, the learning and inquiry process can be guided, explained, and explored in the right direction.  

      I always knew that students need to be engaged in a lesson to get the best learning experience. One step is appreciating the prior knowledge and preconceptions that the students come in with.  Another step is to help them feel comfortable and develop their inquiry skills so that they can organize, retrieve, and apply their knowledge. And the students should be taught to be in charge of their learning process and monitor their own progress while they work to reach their goals (Wilkes University, EDIM 513, Unit 5, Topic A, n.d.). 

     Another important factor in inquiry based learning for students is the ability to compose a scientific explanation.  They need to be able to provide an answer or statement about a problem, provide evidence about that claim, and then present evidence to support that answer or claim.   They have to provide reasoning, data, or scientific principles that back up their findings. In addition, the student must be able to clearly communicate and articulate their findings and evidence to others (Wilkes University EDIM 513, Unit 2, Topic B, n.d.). 

     Last, I have learned about many ways to increase engagement and interest levels in a lesson by using Web 2.0 in lessons.  If students are enjoying the learning process, they are more likely to stay focused, learn, and comprehend.  They are more likely to be enticed to inquire and learn in the future.  Tools like Discovery Education’s Techbooks, Padlet, Nearpod, Gizmos, videos, simulations, and virtual reality experiences are some examples of ways to increase the level of interest for students.  Teachers can provide multiple means of communication such as adding a video, audio, photo, or written option for presentation instead of simply a paper and pencil option. They can use platforms such as Google Docs, Google Slides, Prezi, or PowerPoint in a virtual setting that can be shared easily through the internet.

     I have learned about the inquiry based learning process, the components within, and ways to spice up a lesson to keep students interested.  I have started to build my own Unit for 4th grade math using my newly learned skills.  I can’t wait for what is in store in the weeks to come! Perhaps we will learn more about ways to assess their inquiry skills.

  

References

Wilkes University EDIM 513. (n.d.) Unit 3, Topic A. Retrieved March 30, 2023 from                    

           https://live.wilkes.edu/d2l/le/content/310611/viewContent/3754111/View

 

 

Wilkes University EDIM 513. (n.d.) Unit 2, Topic B. Retrieved March 30, 2023

from https://live.wilkes.edu/d2l/le/content/310611/view-513-INA - Inquiry Based Learning (wilkes.edu)

 

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