Inquiry Based

Learning with first

year undergraduates

Sheila Webber

Information School, University of Sheffield

October 2011

Inquiry Based Learning (IBL)

• A cluster of related pedagogies in which student inquiry or research drives the experience of learning and building knowledge (Philippa Levy)

• Students:

– investigate questions & problems that often are open-ended

– apply the principles and practices of scholarship or research in their academic or professional area

– explore a knowledge-base actively, critically and creatively

– participate in building new meaning and knowledge

Levy, P. et al (2010) Sheffield companion to Inquiry Based Learning. University of Sheffield. http://www.shef.ac.uk/ibl

Sheila Webber, 2011

Teaching 1st years

• 40 students this year, many international

• BSc Information Management

• Using face to face, Blackboard, web resources

• Initially students used SL together in lab with me &

teaching assistant (socialisation element)

• Information Literacy core level 1 module: aims

– to progress students' information literacy in key areas (working

towards being an information literate citizen)

– to develop their understanding of information literacy & information

behaviour theories and practiceSheila Webber, 2011

5th year I’ve done this exercise

• Webber, S. (2010) 3D virtual learning case study.University of South Australia. http://www.unisanet.unisa.edu.au/3DVLE/siteassets/docs/3DVirtual_Case_Study_BScIM.pdf

• Webber, S. (2010) “Investigating modes of student inquiry in Second Life as part of a blended approach.” International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments, 1 (3), 55-70.

• Some tweaks & changes each year

Sheila Webber, 2011

Rationale for using SL

• 50% coursework: carrying out research interview in

SL, analysing performance as interviewer +

analysing transcript

• Access to wider population; internationalisation

• Prompts reflection and comparison with RL

• As information managers, relevant to learn virtual

world communication skills

1st week: Basics of moving, communicating etc.

4th week: Teams import presentation on info problem to SL + set up quiz ball

3rd week: opinionator exercise and further work on mini-island

+ work on info prob

2nd week: 9 teams of 4-5 students: each given own mini island + start info prob

SL Familiarisation & working on information problem

Sheila Webber, 2011

Information problems

• Is the “Google generation” really bad at searching

for, and evaluating, information?

• How reliable is Wikipedia?

• Should Facebook users be concerned about their

privacy and safety on Facebook?

• 9 student teams, 3 tackling each problem

• PPT identifies search process and their conclusions

SCONUL 7 Pillars model of Information Literacy

http://www.sconul.ac.uk/groups/information_literacy/seven_

pillars.html

Sheila Webber, 2011

Short lecture and

handout about

interviewingPractice interviews

in triads (interviewer,

interviewee, observer)

Practice interviews

in triads in SL

Research

interviews

in SL

Blackboard

module

Lecture, exercises,

readings on research,

information behaviour,

data collection &

analysis, ethics

Individual feedback

/communication: email,

F2F, SL .

FAQs etc

Student’s

Assignment

Assignment

briefing

Email, IM etc used to

communicate with interviewees

Handouts

Discussions

Presentations

SL

familiarisation

Sheila Webber, 2011

10

Modes of IBL

Levy, P. & Petrulis, R. (2012). How do first-year students experience inquiry and research, and what are the implications for the practice of inquiry-based learning? Studies in Higher Education, 37(1).

Information

problem

Interviewing

Sheila Webber, 2011

Sheila Webber

s.webber@shef.ac.uk

Twitter & SL: Sheila Yoshikawa

http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/

http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/

Netvibes: http://www.netvibes.com/sheilawebber

Off we go!