Author Archives: Devon Stokes-Bennett

Inquiry Blog Post #9: Future Vision Project

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The Process

First I clarified my objective and audience: to create a resource site for educators providing the necessary tools to teach digital literacy either as an independent class or synthsizeas an interdisciplinary addition to other curriculum. Since finishing my Masters in digital literacy and creating a Digital Literacy 12 BAA course, I have received numerous requests to share my fledgling resources. Simultaneously, I myself have been scouring the web and connecting with colleagues as I embarked on teaching Digital Literacy 12 for the first time. I thought it would be helpful to my colleagues (and myself) to create a resource site for educators devoted to digital literacy.

Next I brainstormed the possible components of such a site and asked for feedback from my colleagues (i.e. target audience). The main feedback I received was that I was trying to do too much so I trimmed my original design accordingly.

Now I needed to choose a technological platform for my resource site. As mentioned previously, I decided on a WordPress blog site due to my familiarity with the product and the wide spread use of WordPress across the web. Users are unconsciously familiar with the visuals and layout of WordPress.

Finally, I created my resource site. However, it is far from complete. Specifically, I still need to complete the connection between digital literacy and traditional literacy, new literacies and information literacy. In addition, I need to develop an organizational approach to how I will structure my “Tools” and “Sample Resources” so that I can indefinitely add addition resources. Finally, I need to continue adding post with lesson ideas, emerging research and interesting resources.

learnWhat I Have Learned

I have learned that, as usual, I tend to over reach. However, as this meant to be an actual useable product, I am content knowing that I can settle into developing this site. I’ll get there!

The main progress I have made throughout this course revolves around inquiry. It was a pleasure to partake in a well-designed professional inquiry learning experience. I need to experience things to truly understand them and, by experience my own inquiry project, I feel my understanding of inquiry as a learning process has deepened. As well, I have a better grasp on the logistics of structuring inquiry.

This assignment has helped me synthesize the work I have done around digital literacy. It has allowed me to consider the research from my Masters, my experience from teaching digital literacy as a course twice this year and my conversation with colleagues around digital literacy. I’m excited to continue this journal by developing this resource site over the years.

Future Vision Project:

http://digitalliteracy.co/

Inquiry Blog 8: Technological Considerations

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I have chosen to use WordPress as my platform as it is user friendly and a widely used platform most web users are familiar with (consciously or unconsciously). At this point, I am using the free blog option although I did buy the domain: digitallietracy.co. This platform also allows multimodal resources to be shared which is essential (e.g. video, picture, links, Word, PDF, etc.).

A main strategy is to create a ‘rabbit hole’ user opportunity. I want people to be able to go as deep as they wish to do but also be able to access bit size pieces of information as well according to their time and need. For example, when defining digital literacy, you can click on the “Definition” page (drops down under “Background” page at the top) for my final short definition. If you would like to know more about other definitions and how I developed my definition, you can browse the ajoining pages which are organized by topic.

My greatest struggles and challenges I have run into so far center around one main challengeissue: I bit off a very ambitious project which will take time to fully manifest. Although I can create the infrastructure and add a great deal of the content, my vision will take me the next month to realize (at least).

One crucial area will be the organization of resources under “Sample Lessons” and “Tools.” I need to think this through before I add too many items. For this, I will have some of my more aesthetic colleagues to look it over and advise me one a design approach. As well, I would be grateful for any feedback from our class as well.

Finally, my idea of posting lesson ideas in sync with trending events will take time to realize as well. Time, time, time! Frustrating for an impatient person …

Inquiry Blog 7: Future Vision Project Learner Consideration

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Defining Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is defined as the ability to interact critically, creatively and ethically with multimodal text, tools and people in digital contexts. Consequently, the digital literacy competencies fall into four groups: Citizenship, Create, Consume and Use.

Digital Literacy Competenciescompetencies

Citizenship: Understanding rights and responsibilities.

Create: Creating and communicating with digital tools.

Consume: Critically understanding and using digital content.

Use:  Accessing and using digital software and hardware.

Rationale for Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is necessary for students to become positive and productive digital citizens. In the 21st century, students need to master skills essential to being a lifelong learner such as how to access, manage, integrate, analyze and evaluate information, construct new knowledge, create and communicate with others.

Rationale for an Educators’ Resource Website on Digital Literacy

Educators are busy professionals that need a user friendly one stop shop that answers what digital literacy is and offers meaningful methods and examples of how to integrate it into and across various disciplines. As digital literacy is still a new term, it is often loosely and inaccurately used to cover a variety of items. This website will offer a synthesized and simplified definition based on international and national research that is both teacher and student friendly. I will provide access to this research as well as how digital literacy connects to traditional, information and new literacies for those wishing to dig deeper. In addition, clear learning outcomes, assessment tools, sample lessons and sample student work will help educators better envision what digital literacy is and how to adapt it to their contexts. So often we just want to ‘see’ what it looks like!

A main concern when venturing into this field is privacy and copyright. I hope to clearly outline what teachers need to be aware of and offer suggestions and examples of how to navigate these concerns while turning them into learning opportunities for everyone.

Finally, I hope to offer ideas for digital literacy learning opportunities using relevant current events and a wide range of multimedia. I plan to post these ideas weekly during the remaining three months to help inspire ideas of how to incorporate digital literacy in a meaningful and relevant way.  For example, the recent Westjet passenger who criticized his pilot for being female prompted a lesson on gender stereotypes in our society. Combined with the controversial Ashton martin ad (which being a fake offers another avenue for exploration!) and the amusing Ellen Degeneres satire of a Bic Pens for Ladies commercial, this made for a rich conversation and investigation into the role technology can play in both reinforcing and challenging gender stereotypes.

Inquiry Blog 6: Future Vision Design Considerations

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My vision is to create a resource site for educators on digital literacy. Digital literacy is a passion for me and consequently was my focus for my Masters last year. I created a Digital Literacy 12 BAA course for my Masters’ project and have had the opportunity to teach the course twice this year. This was timely as my district is beginning to explore digital literacy on a broader scale next year and I was to be a key support through my role as a district curriculum coordinator. However, as I will be on maternity leave next year I am leaving at a time when my fledgling knowledge around digital literacy is needed. As a result, I have decided to create an Educator’s Resource Website where I can offer what I have learned about digital literacy over the last 3 years. My target audience will be teachers and teacher librarians so my main goal will be to make the website user friendly with practical resources and examples that might be useful for busy professionals looking to integrate digital literacy into their practice. I’ve created the below mind map of potential items to include on the website and I would be grateful for any feedback. What would you find useful on this website if you were looking to learn more about digital literacy?

digiatl_literacy_website_mindmapCreated using Total Recall app on my iPad.

Inquiry Blog 5: Summarizing and Discussing Phase 2 Topics and Interests

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Key Takeaways, Learning and Direction

According to the UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto, the mission of a school changelibrary is to “offer learning services, books and resources that enable all members of the school community to become critical thinkers and effective users of information in all formats and media.” With that purpose in mind, a key takeaway for me after our exploration is the exploding possibilities technology offers to realize the above mission. We can differentiate and personalize learning services, dramatically increase access to those services and resources and offer a wide range of diverse resources never before imagined. In many ways, we are only limited by our own creativity. As well, a key learning or, if you will, reminder is that knowledge is meant to be used. As mentioned in the UNESCO/IFLA School Library Manifesto, a main goal is to facilitate “critical thinkers and effective users of information.”  As discussed in my post on developing world libraries and mobile devices, libraries have the opportunity to be agents of change. The example provided by the University of Cape Town Library HIV/AIDS video archive shows that offering “resources that enable all members of the school community to become critical thinkers and effective users of information” can change attitudes, policy and actions. In short, it can save lives. How powerful is that? Consequently, my new direction is to consciously focus on the connection between my role as a teacher librarian and change in the world. The acquisition of knowledge and skills is only half the story: how will that knowledge and those skills be used?

New Avenues for Development in My Personal and Professional Practice

InvestigateMy new avenue for development is inquiry. Specifically, I wish to deepen my understanding of inquiry, both for my own learning but also to enrich the learning of my colleagues and my students. I plan to further explore inquiry through experimentation, mentorship and making connections between my own experiences with inquiry and designing learning for others using inquiry. As discussed in my Fostering Reading Cultures in Schools post, modeling is crucial. We cannot ask other to do what we do not.

Moving Forward

As I move forward after this class, the main thing I will take with me from my own goalexplorations and the explorations of my classmates is the need to have clear and specific learning goals for oneself. We know that this is necessary when designing learning for our students; however, we seem to forget it when it comes to our own learning. This is especially crucial in a time where technology has made vast amounts of knowledge available at the click of a button and innovative pedagogy is widely broadcasted. It is easy to become overwhelmed and lost in the plethora of topics bombarding you. As explored in my Developing your own ICT Skills and Pedagogy post, my biggest challenge is depth over breadth and that requires focusing my personal learning objectives and designing learning opportunities through backwards design for myself.

Just one topic?

If I had to pick just one topic from Phase 2 that resonated with me, I would choose Supporting Teachers’ ICT Curriculum and Pedagogy: On-going Professional Development. So often we do not apply what we know about learning to ourselves. It is collabcrucial to honor teachers as learners as well as students and to again recognize the power of modelling. If we treat teachers as learners one way but expect them to treat their students as learners differently, we are deluded. Everything we know about learning applies to teachers as well. Personalization? Teachers are interested in different things at different times. Their learning must allow for authentic inquiry and everything that entails (flexibility, choice, exploration, etc.). Differentiation? Teachers, just like all learners, are unique and learn in different ways and different times. Formative assessment? Specific feedback from facilitators and colleagues is just as crucial to teachers as it is to students. I could go on but hopefully I’ve made my point. Teachers are learners too and deserve the same pedagogy we know works with our students.

Inquiry Blog 4: Developing World Libraries / Mobile devices

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Close to Home

Ironically, this is a topic I have explored in my own school due to our unique set up. As mentioned in a former blog post, we have over 3,000 students, 3 campuses and programs that range from face to face to online with everything in between. Additionally, physical space is scarce. The challenges for implementation an effective library are mobile-intheclassroomobvious. Consequently, I collaborated with UVic professors to create a pilot online library that utilized eReaders and digital formats. The pilot library was successful while the Sony eReaders, limited at that time and not connected to wifi were restrictive. Click here to see our final paper on the project.

Fast forward to today where current mobile devices and the district’s wireless infrastructure are now of a quality to support our original vision. As well, almost all students in my class have access to a mobile device. However, as I will be on maternity leave in 3 months I will have to leave this for someone else or another time. That being said, the Greater Victoria Public Library is doing a wonderful job of making digital media available through mobile devices (although it could be more intuitive). The question though is, should everyone do their own thing or collaborate on a global level (e.g. Project Gutenberg)?

The University of Cape Town Library HIV/AIDS Video Archive

A specific library project in a developing nation that has caught my attention is the aidsUniversity of Cape Town Library HIV/AIDS video archive. Often I think we can forget the sheer power of knowledge and access to knowledge. What I like about this project is its potential to evoke change in the world. The university library and the Community Media Trust have spent the last 15 years capturing 3,000 hours of video footage detailing the South African AIDS epidemic. The goal is to capture the personal stories of those living with the disease as well as the broader story of the pandemic in South Africa (political and social context, implications, impact, etc.).

Changing the World

The universun_goalsity believes that this archive has already has a direct impact on policy and public awareness. The documentary film TAC: Taking HAART used extensive footage from the archive to highlight the government’s inaction as well as strategies that work for prevention and treatment. As well, the United Nation has focused on the transmission of HIV between mothers and children in their 2015 UN Millennium Development Goals (4 to 6).

Accessibility

Currently, the archive is underutilized due to accessibility which, in turn, is funding accessdependent. The current focus is to digitize, log and process the footage, making the archive searchable. The library received an Elsevier Foundation Innovative Libraries in Developing Countries grant in 2010 for this purpose. However, next would be online global accessibility to the archive and, as yet, there is no discussion around a time frame for digitization completion and how the archive will be accessible once digitized. Accessibility will be key as the university moves forward to support the local needs of their communities.

Mobile Devices & Literacy

However, it is not enough to create an accessible and user friendly database. The public must have the means to access the database and this is where mobile devices africacome in. Mobile data traffic increased 107% in 2013 in Africa and is projected to have the highest growth rates in the world over the next 5 years (Crisco, 2014). However, wide spread access to mobile devices and networks is still a ways off and a worthy goal to work towards for increased literacy and information access. Consequently, the library will need to promote mobile device initiatives as well as offering video viewing devices through and at the library. As knowledge around HIV and AIDS becomes more easily accessible by the masses, people will have an opportunity to not just change policy and spark dialogue but also to prevent and/or better live with the disease. Imagine not being able to at least Google a topic that has such impact on you! We take our easy access to information for granted in North America (or, at least, I do).

 

Inquiry Blog 3: Supporting Teachers’ ICT Curriculum and Pedagogy: On-going Professional Development

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Sharing Out

We educators and Teacher-Librarians can share what we’ve learned with our wider blog_creattivacommunities of practices through both face to face and social media mediums. Obviously, blogging, tweeting, maintaining a website, participating in Google Plus communities and so on are a means of dissimulating information. As well, formal forums such as professional development workshops, conferences and networks are options as are informal hallway chats, staff / department head / committee meeting share outs, school inquiry clubs, etc.

Personalizing Learning

However, we can best respond to the needs of our staff, in their wide spectrum of fingerprintsabilities and experiences, with the most appropriate and useful professional development by being responsive to their needs. One thing I have learned is that, as professionals, we are all at different places in our practice and our needs are highly individualized. A blanket approach is not effective. Just because I’m excited about something does not mean others are or should be. The most effective professional development is relevant to a professional’s personal learning goals and plan.

For example, in my role as a district curriculum coordinator, my team mate and I found the following tools and strategies successful (although we are still learning and revising!).

Tools & Strategies

A district hosted blog: We use this blog for regular updates on hot topics and learning toolsopportunities. As well, teachers can access information on district, provincial and global resources and better understand our coordinator role and how they can make use of us.

A resource wiki: As common questions and interests emerge, Dawn and I create a wiki page on our resource wiki. Each wiki page offers a brief definition in layman’s terms, a short instructional video and a resource area anyone can contribute to. This way, not only is this information now available to all, but it allows teachers to choose and access information and resources that are relevant to them when it best suits them from any location (anywhere, anytime, anyplace). As well, teachers can share resources directly with each other.

“Book Us” Mondays: Teachers can book Dawn and I through a wiki to come into their school on a Monday afternoon to work with them on anything they wish. Aaron, this sounds exactly like your “sandbox” approach. We provide release time for two teachers, encourage the principal to match this funding for two more and are welcoming of any teachers free to join (non-enrolling, on prep, etc.). When we arrive, we first co-create an agenda 100% based on the teachers’ needs and interests and work through the items as a team.

Pay It Forward: Teachers can apply for an afternoon of release anytime to collaborate with a colleague or colleagues. Dawn and I share a 1.0 FTE coordinator role which, I can promise you, is not enough to meet the diverse ITC needs of all the teachers (K to 12 / all subjects) in our district. In addition, we are not experts on every technology, past, present and emerging. Consequently, we have found it effective to match teachers with mentor teachers according to interest and request. For example, a grade 3 teacher who has been exploring how to use iPods on visual wilderness scavenger hunts (i.e. take pictures, return and investigate) knows more about this than I, as a secondary teacher, do and will be much more helpful to an elementary teacher interested in doing the same. All we ask is that any resources be shared on the Resource Wiki so other teachers can use them and that the mentee be open to mentoring someone themselves should the opportunity arise (with release time provided of course).

Technology Taste Tester: Dawn and I often hear from teachers that they feel they don’t know enough of the technology options available to be able to make an informed choice as to what to pursue for their own professional development. We have found it useful to first survey teachers through Fluid Survey and school wide networks in May or June  to better understand what teachers are interested in. In October, we then offer a series of mini introductory sessions based on the prior information for up to 8 topics in one day. Similar to a mini Tapestry, teachers could sign up for up to 4 mini sessions in the day or just attend one or two, according to their needs and interests. From this point, teachers can make a more informed choice as to what they wish to focus on in their practice for the school year.

To Conclude . . .

I think what is most important is that professional learning opportunities be responsive Many Arrows of Opportunityto teachers’ needs and that there be many ways for teachers to access resources and support. Different people will be interested in different things at different times. As well, everyone has a different learning style which demands diversity in potential learning experiences: online, small group, one-on-one, large group, video, book, etc. We know all learners are unique. To support teacher learning, we must first honor them as learners. I’m excited to see teacher inquiry mirror what we know about student inquiry.

Inquiry Blog 2: Developing your own ICT Skills and Pedagogy

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My biggest challenge . . .

The biggest challenge I face is the overwhelming amount of ‘stuff’ available. By this I mean conferences, professional learning opportunities, networks, social media, and so stresson. This bombardment began about two years ago when I became a part time district technology curriculum coordinator. I advocated for part time for two reasons: (1) I felt completely leaving the classroom would limit my ability to fully explore technology integration in the field (and I love teaching) and (2) accepting the job part time gave me a teammate to collaborate with. However, with this posting, came numerous learning opportunities. In the last two years, I have attended the following (while teaching .5 FTE):

INQUIRY

2014: Technology for Inquiry Conference / Centre for Educational Leadership and busyPolicy (CSELP), Vancouver, BC

2013-2014: Quality Teaching and Learning (QTL) Inquiry Cohort

2013: Creating and Leading Cultures of Inquiry, Bruce Wellman

2013: Technology for Inquiry Conference / Centre for Educational Leadership and Policy (CSELP), Vancouver, BC

Leadership & Mentorship

2013: Large Project Management / UVic Digital Humanities Institute (Dr. Lynne Siemens-two day workshop)

2013: Mentoring Matters: Learning Focused Relationships (Bruce Wellman – two day workshop)

21st Century / Personalized Learning

2013: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, San Antonio, Texas (five day conference)

2013: IT4K12 Conference on “Technology Enabling Innovation & Learning” / Educational Resource Acquisition Consortium (ERAC), Vancouver, BC, (two day conference)

2013: ConnectEd Canada at the Calgary Science School, Calgary, AB (three day conference)

2013: “Enacting 21st Century School and University Research Partnerships” UVic Personalized Learning 21 (PL21) Working Group, Victoria, BC

2013: K-12 Transformation and Curriculum Directions (Maureen Dockendorf & Rod Allen)

2012: Computer Using Educators of BC (CUE BC) Conference, Vancouver, BC

2012: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, San Diego, California (five day conference)

2012: Dialogue 2012: A joint initiative of UVic’s Faculty of Education, BC’s Ministry of Education, School Districts 61, 62, 63, & 64 and John Abbott. Victoria, BC

Diversity

2012: Kurzweil 3000 (two sessions)

Restitution

2012: Restitution I (Judy Anderson-one day workshop)

2012: Restitution III (Diane Gossen-one day workshop)

Curriculum & Instruction

2013: British Columbia Teachers of English Language Arts (BCTELA) Conference (2 days)

2012-2013: Canadian Literature for Social Justice Inquiry Project (UVic)

Overwhelmed . . .

In addition, I finished my Masters (with a focus on Digital Literacy) and now have embarked on my Teacher-Librarianship Diploma. There is so much to learn my brain brainfeels as if it’s bleeding half the time and just when I think I have grasped a concept it evolves, expands or even completely morphs into something else!

So, as mentioned, I struggle with feeling overwhelmed. My latest strategy is to attempt to slow down and accept I cannot learn everything at once, that I need to focus on specific goals, such as incorporating inquiry into my class. Then, I actually have to give myself the time and space to learn, mess up and reflect that I try so hard to give my students. I’ve come to realize how unforgiving I can be with myself as a learner. As well, I am beginning to accept that I cannot participate in all the opportunities that come my way (at least not well) and that I will need to say no (which still kills me).

What to do . . .

In addition to all the resources available around me (as outlined in the above list), my collabmain resource is my teammate Dawn Anderson and my colleagues. Nothing motivates, inspires and sustains me more than being able to collaborate with fellow teachers experimenting in similar areas. The stories, humor, successes and muck ups remind me that I’m a learner too and that there is always support to be had.

Social media networks are a challenge for me as it seems every conference or workshop I go to attempts to create PLN that they want to sustain beyond the session. Although an admirable goal, when you attend as many of these as I do, participating sustainably in so main networks is unrealistic. Again, this brings me to having only one or two main objectives that would then allow me to choose one or two networks that supported these objectives.

Educators and professionals are connecting and sharing their learning through conferences, district initiatives, informally in schools and, of course, through social media. A specific network that is just emerging is the BC EdTech Mentorship Network which I hope will provide a “one stop shop” or portal if you will for the busy teacher looking for support around technology integration. For example, the network provides “how to” videos on incorporating new technology:

The main thing I think I can do during this class and after it is over to maintain my focusconnections and networks and to further develop my knowledge, experience and skills would be to slow down, focus on a few specific goals and to choose networks, resources and learning opportunities that serve those specific objectives rather than my current scatter gun approach. I believe I’ve accomplished breadth; now I aim for depth.

Inquiry Blog 1: Fostering Reading Cultures in Schools

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Our school has several unique challenges when it comes to fostering a reading culture. We are an alternative public high school with over 3000 students, 3 campuses and day, readingnight, online and paper based classes for students aged 14 to 90. We run multiple specialty programs such as our multi-generational First Nations Graduation program, young adult Fast Forward Program, Adult Grad Program and teenage Futures Program. Consequently, the school often lacks a cohesive approach to anything as our basic philosophy is to differentiate everything according to student need. Our success lies in the ability of our different parts to tailor for specific groups in a responsive and timely manner. Add to this, no library (concrete or digital) and what you have is many different people fostering reading cultures in many different ways at all times.

 

Of interest, however, was our new principal’s attempt to foster a collaborative reading culture by distributing a novel he is passionate about to the staff and requesting a book club. However, three things were missing: (1) staff interest (book choice/topic did not originate from staff), (2) options (over 40 teachers were given the same book), and (3) its-your-choicecollaboration options (when and how teachers would meet).  Our curriculum support teacher met with our principal and suggested the following: (1) a survey of staff to see if staff book clubs were of interest to them and, if so, what topics they interested in, (2) a minimum of three options, one of which should be a video, and (3) a minimum of three options of when and how to meet. This situation highlighted the importance of relevance, interest, choice and differentiation for all readers, student or teacher.

 

I think the most important strategy would be time carved out for reading during school time. This could be at different times but would need to be a minimum of 20 minutes at least every second day. As well, all adults in the building would need to visibly reading1participate and relevance, interest, choice and differentiation would need to be emphasized and modeled. Finally, access to diverse reading material (likely digital) would be crucial. We are currently investigating a digital library as space is an issue at all campuses.

 

Modeling a passion for reading, respect for all types and genres of literature and respect for student choice has worked for me as a classroom teacher. What has not worked is: inconsistency, too short of time, no adult modeling and one novel fits all. I think a next step to build on the strategy above (school wide reading) would be digital book club forums where students and staff could blog about what they are reading, comment on each other’s’ posts and even create discussion groups if reading the same text.

Reading Review: Part C

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Research Synopsis

Due to the recent interest in inquiry, there are multiple sources to be found. However, finding relevant Canadian resources was the challenge. As well, my approach was three fold: (1) student inquiry, (2) how to design inquiry learning experiences, and (3) teacher inquiry. In short, my inquiry into inquiry had layers. Consequently, I required research2resources that addressed my three prong approach.

How do I design an inquiry learning experience?

Alberta Learning’s (2004) “Focus on inquiry: A teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry-based learning” provided a very detailed inquiry model and specific instructions on how to scaffold an inquiry learning experience. The Galileo Educational Network’s (2014) “Discipline-based inquiry rubric” provided an easy to navigate rubric through which to evaluate whether my inquiry designs are beginning, developing or accomplished. Unsurprisingly, I find myself hovering between beginning and developing.

What is student inquiry?

The British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association’s (2011) “The points of inquiry: A framework for information literacy and the 21st century learner” provides detailed and grade specific inquiry learning outcomes for students. These are clear, researched and very useable. My only concern are (1) the sheer number of learning outcomes (especially with the opposite move in the new curriculum) and (2) the assumption students will have been scaffolded in the inquiry process throughout their academic career. As inquiry is new to my students and a large number of outcomes would deter engagement, I will need to select and/or condense the outcomes before we use them in the class.

The video “Learning to Inquire: Innovations for Deeper Teaching and Learning” (2012) by the Canadian Education Association was very useful in that it provided an example of what inquiry can look like. Like many teachers, I’m thirsty for ‘seeing’ what these concepts actually look like in the field. However, the video also spoke to the crucial role of leadership in effective implementation of inquiry based learning. A common understanding and language around inquiry at the school and district level would be so helpful!

What is teacher inquiry?

Finally, if a learner is a learner, it would be hypocritical not to consider how my own learning and teaching can be inquiry based. This class (LIBE 477) is proving ideal as, in addition to working towards my diploma, I have not only a vehicle to develop my understanding of inquiry but also the opportunity to engage in inquiry based learning myself.

Halbert & Kaser’s (2013) Spirals of inquiry: For equity and quality also provide an easy to understand inquiry model for teachers that blends what we already know about action research and diagnostic and formative assessment. Their “spirals of inquiry” helped me draw connections between what I know and do as a teacher with the new concept of inquiry. As well, it helped me be more understanding of my own learning process and its recursive nature.

 Key Learnings

The key learning that I have generated through this deeper exploration into my topic is research2that inquiry requires a great deal of thought, design and scaffolding on the part of the teacher. Learners must have the following in order to engage in effective inquiry:

  • basic inquiry concepts and vocabulary
  • enough prior knowledge about a topic to develop good questions
  • basic inquiry skills and strategies

I have also come to understand that educators’ understanding of inquiry range from a very structured research model (Alberta Learning) to an open exploratory model with guiding criteria (Galileo Educational Network).

As well, I have learned that I need to start inquiry in my classroom and allow for myself to make mistakes and learn as I go. I believe that I will start with a small inquiry opportunity for students so that we can all practice the above prerequisite skills and get a sense for the emotions that accompany inquiry (anticipation, frustration, etc.). After group reflection and revision of our understandings and approaches, I will offer a large inquiry opportunity for students that will allow them to meet a large number of the course’s learning outcomes. My next steps are to develop a mini-inquiry as our practice run.