What do I now know about inquiry based learning?
The nexus of information and learning occurs when one gathers the information required and then applies that information to achieve a set of goals.
Information Gathering requires:
Skills which include:
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Learning can be expressed in a myriad of ways
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So what did Einstein mean when he stated, “Information is not knowledge”? I thought I was being clever in naming my blog this! I thought he meant having access to information does not automatically give rise to understanding and this I held to be highly relevant today with our unprecedented access to, what appears to be, limitless information. But this unit has caused me to reflect on this blog’s URL. Information is that which ‘informs’ and our physical and virtual environment does just that; it informs and this process changes, even disrupts what we know.
What else has disrupted my pre-existing knowledge of inquiry based learning and information literacy?
Inquiry models should include a questioning framework, information literacy/information search process, and an action research cycle. I formulated a diagram, below, of the three elements Lupton (2012) maintains must be present in an inquiry.
When we inquire, we must ask questions. This I knew but I now acknowledge that successful inquirers must ask questions first and continue to ask questions throughout the information search process. Interestingly, I came across an institute which dedicates itself to help teach students not how to answer questions but rather how to pose them. Click on the image below to be directed to the Right Question Institute.
When you teach within a discipline, one of the first areas students should investigate is what it means to be a scientist, how do scientists think? What does it mean to be a geographer? A historian? This then informs the questioning framework each discipline applies to their inquiries.
To be successful inquirers, students must be information literate. Rather than viewing these skills as a generic set, I would prefer to develop an information literacy continuum which is informed by one of the already existing continua, such as the The New Haven Unified School District Library Media Program or The New York City School Library System Information Fluency Program and apply the GeST Windows model which classifies these skills into either Generic, Situated or Transformative as well as the requirements of the inquiry models as proposed by the Australian Curriculum.
The action research cycle applies both within the one inquiry and links inquiries. Often an inquiry ends but certain questions remain unanswered, ideally these should inform future inquiries. Students need to understand that following an information search process does not necessarily lead them from one stage to the next but often times students may need to return to previous stages to clarify how they ought to move forward. As can be seen in the Stripling Model of Inquiry below, there is not a lock-step process, but constant movement back and forward between the stages of the inquiry model, and indeed, it is labelled a cycle.
I have also answered my initial questions identified in At the beginning … but now have more … at the end.
As a teacher this satire makes me think about whether or not I have been the one asking the questions? Have I given my students enough opportunity to ask their own questions?
How interested am I in this topic and how much do I now know?
I don’t believe I can consider myself a teacher librarian if I were not a great deal interested in this topic. It is at the very heart of a TL’s practice. Although they come to an end, inquiries often leave unanswered questions. Until these are answered I would have to rate my knowledge of the topic as quite a bit but with a great deal left to go. For example, I would have to collaborate with a variety of teachers in the generation of inquiries for their classes, help to administer, and become a member of the instructional teams to gain this knowledge. This experience and subsequent reflection will assist with my understanding.
What did I find easy?
I found a number of aspects of this research project easy. I enjoy using Web 2.0 tools and there are literally hundreds which can be utilised in a project such as this. I now feel very comfortable with online research, using both Google, Google Scholar and databases. Yes, I do believe I have become the Googlemaster.
What did I find difficult?
Studying this unit has been difficult. I have found it difficult, at first, to differentiate between inquiry and information literacy but now I recognise how information literacy is a skill set whilst inquiry is both a pedagogical and learning approach. I have found it difficult to process the requirements of this blog, yet, I don’t believe I would be enjoying the clarity I have now if I weren’t pushed to engage and re-engage with the course work through a variety of modes which includes this blog, the presentation, involvement in the ILA and membership of a small group devoted to supplying each other with formative feedback on our posts. I also found it difficult to tape my presentation of my findings and recommendations. I presented to a group of teachers and rather than taking 20 minutes the presentation went for almost 50 minutes. It was a tremendous experience and one I will conduct again. The presentation was more of a conversation and each teacher noted that there should be more discussions of that nature occurring in our school.
What did I learn doing this research project?
With regards to what I learned by doing this research project, I can only add to what I have already identified in the first part of this post. And to this, I would add that when schools list as one of their aims that students graduate with the characteristics necessary to continue learning, then learning how to inquire must be central to achieving this aim.
Information is not knowledge 