Spicing up things

 Inquiry-based learning 

Children naturally learn by inquiring about the world around them from a very young age. Learning by inquiry is learner-driven because students ask questions about what interests them. Sometimes I would show them a video and ask them what they think about it. This form of guided inquiry opens up the floor for discussion and often leads to more questions. They are then willing to find answers to their questions through research, observation, and experimentation. Everyone shares and learns from each other. According to Approaches to teaching and learning. (n.d.), an ib learner profile must include inquirers who are naturally curious. Described below is a lesson in which inquiry-based learning may be incorporated seamlessly into instruction.

Title - Forces and Motion

Inquiry - In this lesson students will investigate the properties of motion by asking the big question - what makes things move? They will come up with answers and also make inquiries about what objects stop moving. Students write down what they would like to know and learn about as well as what they already know about the topic. Another methodology to implement is to have learners come to class with questions about the topic. They might probably ask how the covid 19 vaccine is different from other vaccines. One of my students once asked why all the planets were spherical in shape. It led to a good discussion about gravity followed up research and investigation

Action- The action item for this stage of the matrix would be to perform an experiment that will use various ways to move objects. The learners y may push or pull cars, wheels and other manipulatives to derive inferences. They may try changing the direction of moving objects to see what happens. They may hypothesize that after moving for some time the object will come to rest. They will wonder why it stopped moving and try to determine the reasons for the change in behavior to see what can be modified to get different results. Observations must be recorded and analysis must be conducted to find answers to the questions. The action can also be in the form of role-playing, field studies, and naturalistic observations.

Reflection - students will record their findings from their observations by stating whether something was able to move without being acted upon by a force. They will be able to demonstrate Newton's laws of motion through several similar examples such as twirling a  top or a game of tug of war. They will also relate real-world examples such as seat belt laws and inertia. They will document their work and reevaluate to see if adjustments need to be made or if the experiment needs to be reconducted. As an extension, they may also work on observing and recording the speed of moving objects by using time duration and distance traveled to calculate average speed.

As it can be noted from the above example, inquiry-based learning can stimulate interest and engagement at many levels. Students have room to learn through discussions and collaboration. This gets them thinking, which in turn generates ideas and innovative solutions to everyday problems that we face. I work together with my students to find answers rather than to simply present them. This inquiry-based model can be easily assimilated into any lesson plan. inquiry-based learning develops passion and relevance (Edutopia, 2015). Teachers can encourage learners to write questions rather than answers. Furthermore, according to Rooney (2012), inquiry-based learning promotes higher-order thinking skills like the critical analysis.

Critical evaluation of inquiry-based learning

One of the downfalls of this form of learning that I have encountered in my experience is that the class can go off on many tangents without proper direction and guidance.  One question leads to another and we end up going into this never-ending rabbit hole.  It is therefore important that the facilitator effectively manages the group discussion by bringing it back to where the focus should be.

References

Approaches to teaching and learning. (n.d.). ib Diploma Programme. https://xmltwo.ibo.org/publications/DP/Group0/d_0_dpatl_gui_1502_1/static/dpatl/

Edutopia (2015). Inquiry-Based Learning: Developing Student-Driven Questions. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdYev6MXTOA

Rooney, C. (2012). How am I using inquiry-based learning to improve my practice and to encourage higher-order thinking among my students of mathematics? Educational Journal of Living Theories. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.462.8857&rep=rep1&type=pdf