moving from a traditional to an inquiry-based teacher education program: one instructor’s...
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MOVING FROM A TRADITIONAL TO AN INQUIRY-BASED TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM:
one instructor’s experience
WHO AM I?
AGENDA
1. DESCRIBE VIU’S PROGRAM MODEL
2. DESCRIBE MY PROCESS IN ADAPTING MY COURSE TO THE MODEL
3. DISCUSS A STAND ALONE COURSE
There will be opportunities for discussion and Q and A following each section
FOCUS ON INQUIRYBRANCH & OBERG, (2004), ALBERTA LEARNING
Inquiry-based learning is a process where students are involved in
their learning, formulate questions, investigate widely and then
build new understandings, meanings and knowledge. That
knowledge is new to the students and may be used to answer a
question, to develop a solution or to support a position or point of
view. The knowledge is usually presented to others and may
result in some sort of action.
WHAT IS INQUIRYFor the purposes of our discussion
I am qualifying inquiry-based learning as a process where students are involved in their learning by a formulating question, and then build new understandings as they seek to answer their question.
STAGES OF INQUIRY
1. Students need to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to engage in inquiry. Prior or infused into the process.
2. Students are given the context and criteria for their inquiry and then develop with assistance their inquiry question.
3. Driven by their question, students move through material and/or experiences to answer it.
4. The answer is presented or shared and reflected upon.
- In our program, students present to a small group of peers. Students learn from their own inquiry as well as the inquiries
of their peers. The reflection, which is a synopsis of their learning form the inquiry presentations, is what is handed in to the instructor.
WHAT INSPIRED THE FACULTY OF EDUCATION AT VANCOUVER ISLAND UNIVERSITY
Faculty became increasingly aware that there was a disconnect between what we were telling students was good teaching practice and how we were actually teaching.
A group of faculty reviewed research and current models and began to create a semester of inquiry in each of our programs to better model innovative practice.
WE HAVE TWO PROGRAMS THAT ARE BOTH DONE IN A COHORT MODEL
Bachelor of Education
Have completed 2 years of prerequisites
3rd year S1
3rd year S2
4th year S1
4th year S2
5th year S1
5th year S2
Post Bach DegreeHave a bachelors degree
5th year S1
5th year S2
6th year S1
POD SYSTEM
Pod groups are groups of 5 – 8 students who will work together
Each Pod is coupled with a mentor faculty member
These mentors are not necessarily instructors of a course These mentors are not the students’ instructor, subject area
specialist and do not formally evaluate the student
ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM1. 4 COURSES THAT HAVE BOOKEND TRADITIONAL CLASSES AND A CYCLE OF INQUIRY
2. A WEEKLY BOOK CLUB THAT SERVES AS A PRE-READ FOR SUBJECT AREAS
3. A WEEKLY FILM AND SPEAKER SERIES
4. A WEEKLY SEMINAR CHOICE
5. TRADITION TAUGHT WEEKLY PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING COURSE EACH WEEK FOR PRACTICUM PREPARATION
6. EACH POD ALSO COMPLETES A COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT
7. EACH STUDENT DOES AN ADDITION INQUIRY INTO AN AREA OF THEIR PRACTICE IN THEIR PRACTICUM
THE COURSE WORK
Traditional Subject Classes 1 week
4 Spirals of Inquiry: 4 weeks- One inquiry cycle per course• Book club• Seminars• Film/speakers series
Traditional Subject Classes 1 week
AN INQUIRY CYCLE
1. Meet in PODS for book club – begin thinking of inquiry question
2. Meet with subject teacher to contextualize inquiry and design inquiry question (in POD groups)
3. Work on their individual inquiry (instructors’ office hours)
4. Present their inquiry to their POD and possibly their mentor
5. Meet with subject teacher to debrief and reflect on inquiry presentations.
6. Hand in their inquiry cycle reflections to subject instructor
TYPICAL WEEKLY SCHEDULEDURING INQUIRY CYCLES
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday8:30 - 12 Bookclub
Inquiry Presentations
Principles of Teaching and Learning class_____________
Speakers and Films
Individual Inquiry Work
1- 4:30 Individual Inquiry Work
Mentor Meeting
debrief inquiry with subject Instructor____________
Attend seminar of choice
Individual Inquiry Work
New subject inquiry question building with instructor
REFLECTION
Consider
Are there elements of the program that are of interest or applicable to you and the program that you work in
Are their questions that you have?
Pair Share
Turn to the person next to you and share your impressions
Discussion
Is there anything you want to bring forward at this time?
MY COURSE: SOCIAL STUDIES METHODS
Moving my course from a traditional model to a inquiry model
THE PARAMETERS
Old format
Nine 3 1/2 hour classes
Each class had a group presentation on a textbook chapter
Generally my classes had some lecture, 3-4 group activities, reflection and discussion
New format
Two traditional classes and an inquiry cycle
Each POD had a book club meeting
Each week there were optional seminars I could offer
A session for each POD on contextualizing and building the inquiry question
Debriefing and reflecting the inquiry cycle
DECREASED TIME SPENT
Decrease of time planning what I would do and say
Decrease in time spent presenting to large groups of students
INCREASED TIME
Developing and finding resources for students
Collaborating with collegues
Supporting small groups and one on one time with students
Focus on what they are doing and supporting them
BIGGEST CHALLENGE
How can I condense my course into two classes and an inquiry cycle?
WHAT DO I NEED?
Barron and Darling Hammond (2010) believe that individual and small group inquiry approaches have the potential to be extremely powerful for learning. To be effective, however, they need to be guided by teachers using thoughtful curriculum with clearly defined learning goals, well-developed inquiry scaffolds, ongoing formative assessments and rich informational resources.
REALLY LOOKING AT MY PRACTICE
Although I felt good that I had covered material in my course had the students really learned it? Did they truly have a deep understanding of every pearl of wisdom I had dropped on them and were they able to apply it?
I HAD TO DECREASE THE BREADTH OF MY COURSE AND INCREASE THE DEPTH
GETTING CLEAR ABOUT MY LEARNING INTENTIONS
I had to really take a step back and ask myself “what are the big important conceptual learnings that I need these students to leave with”? Can you take a variety of conceptual competencies (big ideas)
and use them to explore various content in Social Studies?
Can you employ variety of appropriate teaching strategies to engage students in Social Studies?
Can you utilize a variety of methods for students to demonstrate their understanding of theSocial Studies curriculum?
FLIP MY CLASSROOM
What elements of the course can students acquire on their own through readings, videos or other resources I can make available?
I had to build resources for my students to access and ensure that they knew how to access and how to utilize them
WHAT CAN I SCAFFOLD ONTO THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY LEARNED ELSEWHERE?
I took a good look at the other course work they had done to ensure there wasn’t redundancy and recognize what could be built on.
I worked closely with my colleagues to identify connections that could inform my course.
BUILDING MY INQUIRY QUESTION
What context could I infuse into the inquiry question to structure the learning?
THIS WAS THEIR BOOK CLUB SELECTION
Teaching about Historical Thinking
Authors: Mike Denos, Roland Case Editors: Peter Seixas, Penney Clark
STRUCTURING THEIR INQUIRY
Each student had to identify an area of interest connected to teaching Social Studies
Increasing student engagement, teaching Kindergarten, teaching in a diverse classroom
Each student had to chose a historical way of thinking as a lens to examine their inquiry question
How can I use historical significance to increase student engagement?
What elements of cause and consequence are relevant to SSK and how can I teach it?
What are some strategies I can use to deal with a diverse classroom using the ethical dimension?
Each POD had to include all six historical ways of thinking
STRUCTURING THEIR PRESENTATION
To develop an understanding of alternative methods of summative assessment, each member of the POD used one of the following methods as part of their inquiry presentation. No two POD members (in the same POD) could use the same method. Students could also supplement their method of presentation. For example, using can use a commercial and a discussion
The summative assessment methods: a brochure, a commercial, a role play, a poster/flyer, a newspaper article, a letter, a mock Facebook page, a video
IN THEIR INQUIRY EACH STUDENT
Chose a relevant area of interest to explore
Became familiar with a historical way of thinking as a conceptual lens to view content
Demonstrated their learning through an alternative summative assessment method
Were exposed to an included in their reflection their own and those of their POD members: area of interest, historical way of thinking, and alternative summative assessment techniques
NOTE
The other content area instructors did not impose such a structured inquiry question and allowed students to design their inquiries in a
much more open ended fashionSpecial Ed. – dyslexia –”
What resources are available to help me tach someone with dyslexia?
or
What is dyslexia and how does effect students?
WHAT ABOUT ASSESSMENT?
Look back at the learning intentions and decide what criteria you need to apply to your assessment
POINTS OF FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Book club
Designing inquiry question
Inquiry presentations – peers and possible instructor and/or mentor
Inquiry debrief
POINTS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Reflection on book club
Presentation evidence
Synopsis of learning for each inquiry cycle – after presentation and debrief
PROGRAM ASSESSMENT POINTS
Develop an e-portfolio
Develop a mind map
Answer an overarching inquiry question in an exit interview with their mentor
Take a moment and jot down:
any ideas you have for your own course work based on this model
Any questions you have
Turn to a partner and share these
What comments and questions do you have for me?