Teacher-Librarian Supported Inquiry-Based Learning

Prepared by Jo-Anne Gibson Acadia Junior High

What is Inquiry?

Inquiry is the PROCESS of asking a question or a series of questions and seeking information to satisfy the questioner’s needs.

What is Inquiry-Based Learning?Inquiry-based learning

involves learners in choosing among alternatives,

wondering, predicting, experimenting, asking

questions, gathering more information, observing,

making connections, learning in-depth, considering other perspectives, reflecting and taking new action based on

what has been learned.

How are curriculum outcomes met in inquiry-based learning?

Curriculum outcomes are met by

investigating curriculum content based on students’ real lives, needs,

interests, experiences and

curiosities.

“I have no special gift. I am only passionately

curious.”Albert Einstein

What is an inquiry-based lesson?

Involvement that leads to understandin

g

Structured process of

figuring “it” out

Student-centered

Powered by a question or

problem that has many

perspectives

What inquiry-based learning is notA student “free-for-all” where

students make all the decisions

Cut-and-paste answers

Passive

Teacher as expert

Product-orientated

Using the computer for research

How can teacher-librarians help?With their extensive knowledge of inquiry-based learning, resources, technology, lesson planning and assessment practices, teacher-librarians can collaborate with teachers to develop authentic and engaging assignments that require students to think, synthesize information and demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

As a knowledgeable facilitator, teacher-librarians stay with the class or group of students throughout the process and work with the classroom teacher to support and assess student learning.

Teacher-librarians can provide “mini lessons” on various information literacy or technology-related topics throughout the inquiry process.

What is the inquiry process?

•Planning and questioning

•Gathering and making sense

•Producing to show understanding

•Communicating and sharing findings

•Evaluating learning

•Reflecting on the process

The inquiry process is a

spiraling continuum that

teaches students of all ages the

process of asking essential questions,

finding, interpreting and

sharing information, and

reflecting on their learning. The stages include:

Inquiry Model

Focus on Inquiry, p. 17

Plan and Question

•What will I study?

•What will my question be?

Identify a topic area for inquiry

•What kinds of resources will I use?

•Where will I find the information?

Identify possible information

sources

•Who will see my finished product?

•How will I present my information?

Identify audience and presentation

format

•How will I know if I’ve done a good job?

Establish evaluation criteria

•Where should I start?

•What is my timeline for completion?

Outline a plan for inquiry

Gather and Make Sense

•Where will I find my information?

•How do I plan to take the information from my sources?

•How will I keep track and show my sources?

Develop an information retrieval

plan

•Find and gather the resources I need

•Only choose resources I understand

Locate and collect resources

•Find and gather the information I need in my resources

Select relevant information

•Is this the information I need?

•Do I believe this information to be accurate, reliable, balanced, current?

Evaluate information

•Can I still do as I planned?

Review and revise the plan for inquiry

Produce to Show Understanding

•Does this information help me answer my question?

•How do I turn it into an answer?

Make connections and inferences

•Put together my answer to the question

Organize information

•Can I create what I had planned to create?

•How do I create this?

•Put it together

Create a product

•How will they understand best?

•How do I get my point across?

Think about the audience

•Is this the best it can be?

•Have I followed the evaluation criteria?

•What could be improved?

•Make any changes that need to be made

Revise and edit

Communicate (Share)•How

will I explain so that everyone will understand?

•Practice my best presentation skills

Communicate with the audience

•Teach others what I learned

•Make sure it’s interesting

Present new understandings

•Listen to others when it’s their turn

•Participate appropriately in their presentations

Demonstrate appropriate

audience behaviour

Evaluate•Did my

product answer my question?

•Did people understand and learn from it?

•Was my product the best it could be? Why or why not?

Evaluate the product

•Did I follow the steps properly?

•Did I follow through on my plan? Why or why not?

Evaluate the process and

plan

•How can I use this learning in “real” life beyond the classroom?

•Do I want to investigate my question further?

Transfer learning to new

situations

Reflect

•How do I feel at this stage?

•How do I feel about starting this project?

•What will be easy?

•What might be difficult?

Reflect before inquiry

•How do I feel at this stage?

•What were my successes?

•What were my difficulties?

•What do I want to keep doing the same way?

•What can I do differently?

Reflect during inquiry

•What went well?

•What were my difficulties?

•What will I do the same way next time?

•What can I do differently next time?

•What did I learn about myself?

•What did I learn about the inquiry process?

Reflect after inquiry

Why bother with inquiry?When students ask questions

that are important to

them, motivation and

a sense of ownership of the learning

process occurs

In this age of information, no one can know it all so it’s the

process of learning that becomes vital

Our world needs creative

individuals who can “think

outside the box”

Knowing how to find and interpret

information empowers

students and allows them to participate in

the world around them

Collaborating with others is an essential skill for the 21st century

Can the inquiry model be used in all subjects?Yes, but it shouldn’t be used all the time. Inquiry-based learning should complement other teaching and learning styles in the classroom

With your teacher-librarian, set aside a specific time of day or periods to work on inquiry

Students need time to process information and skills so spacing over several weeks is important

It’s about seeking

appropriate resolutions to questions and issues.

Inquiry is not so much

about seeking the

“right” answer.

ReferencesAlberta Education. (2004). Focus on inquiry:

A teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry-based learning. Edmonton, AB: Alberta Education. Retrieved Aug. 27, 2010 from http://education.alberta.ca/media/313361/focusoninquiry.pdf