morag

 =//Inquiry Day One// =

[|Minnesota Benchmarks] from Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog in relation to a teacher who asked about teaching with computers

[|Indiana Inquiry Learning Forumn] may be a useful forumn to join as it is made up of teachers

[|Wikipedia Entry] definitions, history, etc.

[|Wikipedia Problem-based Learning] mora information

[|How to Page] lots of clear, concise ideas

[|More How tos] I'm not sure of the source, may be commercial but the ideas are still relevant

[|Canadian Source] more at University level

[|Canadian Projects] elementary and highschool projects from various schools (Golden Hill School Division - Alberta)

I think Inquiry Learning is helping students to find an Essential Question that interests them, and then adding more questions for background. They then need to research this information, either individually or as a group, using a variety of different sources and communicate what they find. Next they have to organize and prioritize their information. Finally they have to turn their information into a final product that is presented to the whole group and beyond. Assessment should also be an integral part of this process with rubrics for each different step. The teacher acts as a guide not a font of information.

Summary So many different ideas and foci from different people. It is interesting to see everyone's different ways of inquiring into Inquiry. It will be a good chance to think about how to differentiate for final projects for the students. Already collaboration, to me, does not seem to be the best choice for a final project but I guess it is also dependant on the topic chosen and the steps used leading upto the end. =// Day Two //=

The ability to take risks, to be accepted as part of the group no matter what you say, to have access to a variety of stimulus (ex: pictures, books, poems, web sites), the grouping of students, the required outcomes, and the assessment all stimulate inquiry.
 * What classroom features stimulate inquiry?**

Summary What are essential questions and why are they important? Essential questions let the learner formulate open-ended answers to life-long, recuring, personal, relevanr questions, whichlead to mor questions and deep er thought. They are also easy to differentiate as there is no one right answer.

Why is Inquiry a valid framework for learning? It is open ended, differentiated, personal, teaches process, allows community, and allows many questions and deeper thought on a topic.

= //Day// //Three// =

Choose a topic and then develop understandings. These understandings should be global. How do they apply in a global situation. Use the funnel method to devlop the big understandings. Then from the understandings develop Essential and Guiding Questions. These should be what the student will know and how it makes a difference in a global perspective.

Outcomes from the curriculum.

= Day Four =

Take the outcomes and identify verbs and nouns. Then look at those verbs and nouns and link them to the Revised Bloom's Taxonomy. To translate them into Knowledge and Do.

Assessment ASSESSMENT of LEARNING Provides a concrete mark to report evidence of the student's learning which is usually done for the parents, schools, districts, etc. and occurs at the end of a learning cycle. May be used to promote, or place, students and teachers. Done by standardized tests or classroom tests and other evaluation.

ASSESSMENT for LEARNING Provides feedback to the student and the teacher on the amount of learning taking place and occurs throughout the school year. May be used to improve the teacher's teaching and the student's learning. Done by rubrics and other teacher developed evaluations.

ASSESSMENT as LEARNING Provides the student with the ability to critically anaylyze the amount of learning taking place and occurs throughout the school year. May be used to enhance student learning. Done by students own self-reflection, with guidance by teachers = = Day 5

Creating Authentic Content by using a Provocative statement Brainstorm Opportunity – teachable moment “sparks” discussion Revealing New Info Personal Connections Authenic? Real Life Process leading to a project Learn from an “aha” moment & respond to it Passion Connections Shared – wider community Application to my life To take action – personal – community – global  Authentic Task Skills = Day 6 = Reflections: While there are frustrations with the process we are accomplishing things. It is frustrating because it is not how we are used to planning. Wrapping our heads around the new ways of thinking, and staying awake after a big lunch are challenging. I do feel much is coming together. I need to wrap my brain around more specifics, grphic organizers, and I'm looking forward tohaving resources.