Inquiry Learning Unit Reflection (2)

I began the unit with quite a good understanding of what Inquiry Learning ‘looks like’ in a primary school classroom. I was comfortable with guiding students through an inquiry, using Kath Murdoch’s (2010) Phases of Inquiry. However, as I began to delve further into the scholarly research, I found it is far more complex (and more exciting!) than I had realised. I currently find myself in the midst of a continuing inquiry into the most appropriate inquiry frameworks to use in different contexts and for different learning areas.

As I began to consolidate my understandings of Guided Inquiry Design (GID) and various other inquiry frameworks, I realised that I could not (easily) find what I was looking for: an inquiry framework that incorporates integrated STEM inquiry with a design project…and so began my next personal inquiry into inquiry. I found myself  reaching out to one of the developers of GID, Dr Leslie Maniotes, for advice. I was thrilled when it started a (continuing!) Twitter conversation about how I might incorporate Design thinking into GID (a perfect example of Connected Learning!). This is perhaps indicative of the Transformative Window of Lupton and Bruce’s (2010) GeSTE Windows, where I have begun challenging the status quo and taking action. I am beginning to develop my own framework through the fusion of several relevant teaching and learning theories and frameworks (that I have become much more familiar with as a result of this unit) together. The very first draft is below (be kind!).

Image by author, Lotte ten Hacken, 2017.

I have come to the realisation, that although it IS an important tenet, Inquiry Learning is not just about allowing students to think of questions that they are interested in and helping them search for the answers. Inquiry Learning is not necessarily about what teachers guide students to learn. It is about valuing the student’s world; about supporting the Third Space and the way in which dynamic learning occurs (Kuhlthau, Maniotes and Caspari, 2015, p.25). It is not just about the content that students will learn as a result of their research, but the skills and learning attributes which they develop in order to do so. Inquiry Learning is so much more than searching for answers. It is learning about learning and about how and why it is important to do so.

Before participating in this Masters unit, my teaching practice in the area was acceptable…but I was not taking on the role of a true inquirer myself. It is only now that I make the realisation, that the choices we as educators make about the opportunities we provide to students, can make a positive impact on their experience as life-long learners. My own inquiry into the world of inquiry learning has resulted in deeper understandings of the value and importance of considering theories and concepts such as questioning frameworks, information literacy, higher-order thinking and future-focussed skills….and I am not done yet!

Perhaps most profoundly, for me, the unit has uncovered the power that Inquiry Learning can have on individuals and communities. The GeSTE Windows in particular, opened my eyes to the potential for information literacy ,within an inquiry learning context, to enrich and transform not only students, but the learning and wider communities through which our learners navigate their everyday lives (Lupton, 2010).

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *