Teacher Talk: PLC Discussion on The Spiral of Inquiry

I was sitting listening to a presenter Dr. Gerber who was presenting to the staff at our school when I heard him mention "The Spiral of Inquiry", at first, thinking he made up some genius plan to introduce inquiry, I researched further and found-NO! Its a thing, in fact it is something that very much applies to students in most, if not all! This is great, this very much applies to what I am studying here in my Math AQ course! Check out the sources and information below from each source that I came across as I was reading. not a single wasted word space!

To answer my question of "what is inquiry based learning" (EXACTLY)-

http://www.noii.ca/spiral-of-inquiry/

The Spiral of Inquiry assists network schools in taking an inquiry-oriented, evidence-based approach to learning and teaching — one that focuses on making the education system more equitable through the provision of high quality learning opportunitiesfor all young people.

The Spiral of Inquiry has six key stages: scanning, focusing, developing a hunch, new professional learning, taking action and checking that a big enough difference has been made. At each stage in the spiral, three questions are asked: What is going on for our learners? How do we know? and Why does this matter?

The Spiral of Inquiry is about listening to learners and reflecting on our own practices as educators. The spiral image captures the nature of inquiry – a continuous process and not a fixed cycle. The six key stages in the framework help school teams take a disciplined approach to professional inquiry, but inevitably, the true process will be messy and you will move between the stages as needed. The spiral is never complete – new learning always brings about new questions, ways of knowing and new opportunities for our learners.

These two key resources will help your school get started and stay focused:

The Spirals of Inquiry: for equity and quality (2013) handbook offers specific inquiry tools, research evidence and examples from practice in BC schools. It presents an approachable and yet innovative framework for inquiry that is influencing schools and districts across BC and in other parts of the world. Proceeds from book sales go directly to inquiring schools. For information on how to order, click here.

The Spiral Playbook (2017) is a condensed, plain language version of Spirals of Inquiry and tells of the work of many educators in BC and the Yukon. It is also a fundraiser for the Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network. You can obtain copies by contacting Jennifer at the BCPVPA offices. All proceeds go to educator leadership in developing Indigenous world views through small grants to schools.

How do we know what good times and ways to introduce inquiry based learning?-

https://elearningindustry.com/inquiry-based-learning-model

What is Inquiry-based Learning

The Inquiry-based Learning Model emerged in the 1960s, during the “discovery learning” movement and relies upon the idea that individuals are able to learn by investigating scenarios and problems, and through social experiences. Rather than having to memorize information from printed materials, instructors encouraged their students to conduct investigations that would satisfy their curiosity, help them broaden their knowledge base and develop their skills and mental frames.

It’s important to remember that inquiry-based learning is not a technique or practice per se, but a process that has the potential to increase the intellectual engagement and deep understanding of learners, urging them to:

• Develop their questioning, research and communication skills
• Collaborate outside the classroom
• Solve problems, create solutions, and tackle real-life questions and issues
• Participate in the creation and amelioration of ideas and knowledge

The 5 steps of inquiry-based learning

This is why inquiry-based learning includes the following steps:

1. Ask questions
2. Probe into various situations
3. Conduct analyses and provide descriptions
4. Communicate findings, verbally or in writing
5. Think about the information and knowledge obtained

The principles of inquiry-based learning

There are certain principles that govern inquiry-based learning and can be summarized as follows:

• Principle 1
  Learners are in the center of the entire process, while instructors, resources and technology are adequately organized to support them.
• Principle 2
  All learning activities revolve around information-processing skills.
• Principle 3
  Instructors facilitate the learning process, but also seek to learn more about their students and the process of inquiry-based learning.
• Principle 4
  Emphasis should be placed on evaluating the development of information-processing skills and conceptual understanding, and not on the actual content of the field.

The 4 forms of inquiry

There are four forms of inquiry that are commonly used in inquiry-based instruction:

• Confirmation inquiry
  Learners are given a question, as well as a method, to which the end result is already known. The goal is to confirm the results. This enables learners to reinforce already established ideas, and to practice their investigative skills.
• Structured inquiry
  Learners are given the question and the method of achieving the result, but the goal is to provide an explanation that is already supported by the evidence gathered during and through the investigative process.
• Guided inquiry
  Learners are only given a question. The main goal is to design the method of investigation and then test the question itself. This type of inquiry is not typically as structured as the previously mentioned forms.
• Open inquiry
  Learners must form their own questions, design investigative methods, and then carry out the inquiry itself. They must present their results at the end of the process.

In an instructional setting, inquiry-based learning can give instructors the opportunity to allow students to fully explore problems and scenarios, so that they can learn from not only the results, but also the process itself. They are encouraged to ask questions, explore their environments, and obtain evidence that support claims and results, and design a convincing argument regarding the way they reached to the end result.

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What research is there about Inquiry?

http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Pedagogy-and-assessment/Evidence-based-leadership/The-spiral-of-inquiry

The six parts of the spiral of inquiry:

• Scanning 
  What’s going on for learners? More emphasis is placed on teacher observations of students, in all circumstances. There are some difficult questions to ask, such as: Is it all right for some learners to experience challenging and engaging learning in one classroom while in the room next door the students are not? Scanning is not done overnight, can last two months, and may turn up surprises.
• Focusing 
  Where will concentrating our energies make the most difference? Focusing well will lead to informed actions, and usually means selecting no more than one or two areas so that the inquiry is "focused and deep". The authors point out that a common focus generates the momentum to transform schools.
• Developing a hunch 
  How are we contributing to the situation? "Hunch" is an important word – hunches may not be totally accurate, but it is essential to get them all on the table because they guide the focusing. Sometimes they might be well-established routines of the school or the classroom, and be relevant to your own school. Hunches need testing.
• New learning  
  How and where will we learn more about what we do? Teacher learning must be connected to identified learner needs. External expertise is important here and the school must make clear to externals what makes a difference to learners. We all need to know why new ways of doing things are better than what we did before.
• Taking action 
  What can we do differently to make enough of a difference? "Genuine inquiry needs space to take risks, make mistakes, and try again – and again". Changing things can also feel risky for some learners who then resist change, and in turn bring concerned parents. We need to build understanding for all, right from the outset.
• Checking  
  Have we made enough of a difference? Checking doesn’t have to be formal, or at a set time. It can go on throughout the spiral. The importance of trust should be a recurring theme throughout the cycle, and it certainly is true of checking.