What is Enquiry Based Learning?

Ivan MooreDirector

CPLA

A starting point

EBL represents a shift away from passive methods, which involve the transmission of knowledge to students, to more facilitative teaching methods through which students are expected to construct their own knowledge and understanding by engaging in supported processes of enquiry

What is Enquiry Based Learning?

• Enquiry Based Learning is a natural form of learning, borne out of our innate sense of curiosity and desire to understand

• It is generically applicable, and has grown from modelling learning in a number of subjects

Active, student-centred, authentic, supported

• Learning driven by a process of enquiry or investigation• Involves complex, intriguing ‘real-life’ stimuli

– Intentional– unintentional

• Student-centred• Requires action• Connects theory and practice• Supported process• Develops skills• Social • Enjoyable

First group task

• Background: A team of academic staff have decided to introduce EBL to next year’s first year intake. They have asked you to design a poster that will explain what EBL is to the students. The poster will be displayed in the Atrium for the first 3 weeks of term

• The task: Design an outline poster (draft)• Present your ideas to a panel of students

Academic skills

• Research• Students determine and pursue THEIR OWN lines

of enquiry– Large scale enquiries- macro– Small scale enquiries- micro

• Information• They build on what they already know• They identify what information they need• They find, evaluate and use the information• They may communicate their learning to others

Professional skills

• Team working and leadership• Inter-personal skills

– Negotiation– Decision making– Handling conflict– Sharing

• Communication skills– Presentation, explaining, questioning

• Managing projects and meetings

Personal skills

• Taking and accepting responsibility– Ethics and moral sense

• Planning• Balancing creativity with resilience

Motivation

• Authentic• Realistic challenge• Locus of control• Feedback and support• Shared learning

– success

• Socialises the learning

Some ‘drivers’….

• Supports transition into and through Higher Education

• Integration – knowledge, cultural, social• Lifelong learning – information explosion• Inter-professional and interdisciplinary learning• Promotes the links between teaching, learning and

research• Autonomy, employability, and professional body

requirements

EBL to Promote Learning

• Practice in a ‘safe’ environment• Research skills• Accommodates different learning styles• Information retrieval • Analysis and synthesis• Reflection and review

EBL - Skills for Work and Life

• Encourages exploration, curiosity• Creative problem-solving• Responsibility• Time-management and organisation• Communication and negotiation• Leadership and team-work• Empathy and understanding• Practical application of theory

Making the case (part 1)

• Background: the University’s Development Committee has invited academic staff to bid for funding to introduce EBL into first year programmes. Your subject team wishes to bid for this fund. You are required to make a presentation to Development Committee.

• You have been asked to scope the presentation: what it needs to include, what evidence or information you need to present, and a two-week project plan for preparing for a rehearsal with your learning and teaching committee

• Task: Identify the key arguments and rationales for implementing EBL to first years. Prepare a 3 minute (max) presentation to LTC, giving a framework for your final presentation to DC.– Identify your arguments, what you know about each, what you

still need to find out, and how you will get this information and prepare the presentation in the given timescales.

Role of the students

• Accept responsibility for their learning• Establish group roles, if any• Analyze the stimulus • Identify learning goals• Determine a plan of activity and agree individual

tasks/responsibilities• Report individual findings and collate research• Complete the task (e.g. present findings)• Undertake assessment tasks• Give and receive feedback

Role of the tutor/facilitator

• Prepare the students – benefits and expectations, change of role, working in groups

• Devise the stimulus– Carefully crafted scenarios, triggers, problems

• Prepare the resources, determine the assessment method(s) and any deadlines

• Facilitate the group processes and the learning– Guide lines of enquiry – ask open-ended questions– Support for any difficulties with groups or individuals

• Explain clearly the assessment process and criteria• Share the experience• Give and receive feedback

The scale of the investigation

In-class

Between classes (1 week)

2-3 weeks

6-12 weeks or longer

• Resources provided, small scale investigations, may or may not be linked

• Initial discussion, students find information from different sources. Need to share outside class. Report back week 2

• Middle week(s) for ‘catch up’, consolidate, review and plan

• Large scale investigation, significantly more autonomy, opportunity for in-depth investigation (deep learning)

Where to begin

• Select a topic• Determine timescale for investigation

– Allow for induction, presentation and assessment– Pilot over 3 or 4 weeks in a module– Evaluate it

The first year experience

• Transition with Immersion– Consolidate what they know and begin to build knowledge

base

• Develop skills– Learning, intellectual, professional– Critical awareness

• Sense of self and others– Take responsibility for their own learning– Confidence, motivation, fun– Socialise their learning

Recognisable forms of EBL

• Design• Problem Based Learning• Case Based Learning• Field Trips• Dissertations, projects• Research

Making the case (part 2)

• Background: the University’s Development Committee has invited academic staff to bid for funding to introduce EBL into first year programmes. Your subject team wishes to bid for this fund. You are required to make a presentation to Development Committee.

• You have been asked to scope the presentation: what it needs to include, what evidence or information you need to present, and a two-week project plan for preparing for a rehearsal with your learning and teaching committee

• Task: prepare your presentation (max 3 mins) to LTC. Identify any missing information and how you will find it.

Some examples

• CS• Dentistry• Elec engg• The business• OT

EBL in the First year: Computer Science

• Incorporation of EBL into first-year curriculum to give the degree something distinctive and attractive

• Need to motivate and enthuse the students right from the start

• Need to introduce students at this early stage to independent learning skills

• Pilot activities and trials carried out with second-year students – evolution rather than revolution

Computer Science

• Knowledge and skills developed in first-year should equip the students more adequately for subsequent years

• EBL tasks require first-year students to synthesise learning derived from several course units

• Allows second and third year courses to be more ambitious with regard to active learning approaches and more technically demanding projects

Phase 4: 11 weeks

Build applicationDemos and poster

Group reportIndividual reflection

First Year Computer Science

A whole-year, ‘phased’ approach

Phase 3: 6 weeks

World-wide what?Group application

Presentations and poster

Phase 2: 3 weeks

Ethics: killer robotGroup presentationSelect framework

Phase 1: 2 weeks Software patents2 teams in debate

Expectations, skills and group ground rules

Phase 0:2 hours

Computer Science – Support for first-year Enquiry-Based Learning

• Introduction to EBL and skills for effective group-work• Intensive staff consultation and development sessions • Small group sizes (6-8 students)• EBL facilitator is also personal tutor to group members• Students eased into EBL experience gradually through a

series of increasingly challenging activities• Regular feedback• Key lectures to inform and inspire

Phase 4: 11 weeks

Group demo, presentation and

posterGroup report

Individual reflection

Assessment

Phase 3: 6 weeks

Group presentation

Group poster

Phase 2: 3 weeks Ethical framework

Phase 1: 2 weeks

Debate

Ground rules

Phase 0:2 hours

Dentistry

• Five year programme• Based on 5 years experience of PBL through a

common curriculum with Medicine• 120 students• Year themes and academic themes• PBL exercises in two forms:

– In-class workshops – 3 hours– 2-weekly problems

EBL in the First Year - Pharmacy

• We are Pharmacists – why do we need all this ‘dull’ Chemistry?

• Using EBL to support students in taking an integrated approach to their learning and to recognise the pivotal role played by Chemistry in the use of medicines

• Professional body (RPSGB) requires graduates to develop independent learning skills, self-management, peer evaluation skills, as well as team-working

Pharmacy

• ‘Pharmaceutical Chemistry’ second semester core module for 190 first-year students

• Diverse cohort of students

• All students have completed module ‘Basic Organic Chemistry’ in semester 1

Pharmacy – Support for Enquiry-Based Learning

• Introduction to EBL at start of Semester 2

• Subject-specialist ‘drop-in’ sessions at key stages of the investigation

• Guidance on poster production and presentation

• Peer mentoring programme

Format

• Students worked in teams of 6-8 • Negotiated a therapeutic area on which to focus

their enquiry• Chose three drugs from British National Formulary

to apply to chosen condition• Therapeutic areas allocated on ‘first come, first

served’ basis (maximum two groups for each condition)

•  Students decided on team structure, roles, responsibilities

• Devised formal action plan

Assessment

• Six components consisting of: • E-mail communication with facilitator with details of chosen

therapeutic area, drugs and outline of the team structure (5%)

• Initial report on the therapeutic area (15%)• List of generic chemical information under research (10%)• Poster presentation (20%)• Final full report (40%)• Peer evaluation of team process/contribution made (10%)

First year Occupational Therapy

• First year, 10-credit module, first semester– 3 weeks full time, exclusive

• Students come with little confidence in Blackboard– See it mostly as a repository for information

• Opportunity to involve third year students– Recap on first-year work– Provide support for first year students

General outline of organisation

• 6 groups of students, 8-10 per group• 3 weeks (short and fat)• 7 hours formal contact per week

– 1 lecture (1 hour), 2 EBL sessions (2 hours), 1 workshop (2 hours)• Students are presented with a client referral

– One of 3– E.g. dementia of alzheimer’s type 2 years ago

• Fire in flat, unkempt and malnourished• ?progression of dementia?• assess function and future care needs• Provide programme of structured activity to increase socialisation

• Year three volunteer students role play (carer, warden, client)• Academic staff role play Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT)

The scheme

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3

EBLsession 1

Students receive and analyse referral.

Develop questions.Interview MDT

‘Consultant’ calls emergency meeting.Assessment findings presented

EBLsession 2

Discuss with 3rd years (in role)Identify gaps in understanding (OT language and principles)

Consolidate what known and what to investigate*

Students present a treatment plan to consultant(goldfish bowl)*

Consolidation• Discussion board on

blackboard• 3 strands

– MDT– Patient– Group decision-making

Goldfish bowl• 2 reps per group• Consultant in centre• Rest of group act as

supporters/provide information during ‘time outs’ as requested

Making the case (part 3)

• Background: the University’s Development Committee has invited academic staff to bid for funding to introduce EBL into first year programmes. Your team wishes to bid for this fund. You are required to make a presentation to Development Committee.

• You have learned that DC wants to know the implications for staff development and skills and would appreciate some examples of what EBL ‘looks like’.

• Task: Refine your arguments and ideas on the basis of the feedback and any further information you now have.– Prepare a formal 5 minute group presentation to DC

• The committee will make their final decision on the basis of these presentations.

• Getting to know the team• The course and expectations• How and why?• Communication, teamwork and skills• Meetings, and how to make them work• Setting ground rules

Preparing First Year Students for EBL

The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity....

Dorothy Parker

‘I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious’(Albert Einstein)

• What was the most useful or meaningful thing you learned during this session?

• What question(s) remain uppermost in your mind as we end this session?

• What was the ‘muddiest’ point in this session?• As a result of this session:

– What will you stop doing?– What will you start doing?– What will you continue doing?

• What further activities, support or events do you think this group would benefit from?