Introduction
NATURE OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING (IBL)
Inquiry, in its simplest definition, is a process of asking questions. This has spurred the enumerable developments that we continue to enjoy in our society today. It continues to usher the study of so many fields that enable various scientists and experts to provide solutions to emerging issues affecting the society in general. In the classroom, in particular, the process of inquiry is a basic learning activity that every teacher is expected to facilitate. The development of the ability to ask among learners is basic in the age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to the Future of Jobs Report during the World Economic Forum, the top three of the ten skills needed in this age are complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity (Gray, 2016) which all start from the process of asking.
Inquiry-based learning (IBL) as an approach essentially involves tasks requiring learners' active participation in finding answers to curricular questions. The questions can run from very specific simple questions to more complex questions in relation to the curriculum. Learners are given opportunities to engage in self-regulated activities as they pursue their investigation.
The process of inquiry starts from positing a question aligned to a content standard in the K to 12 Curriculum. Investigation proceeds using various sources of information and presentation of outputs of the students using productivity tool. Depending on the required output, the assessment tool that will be used should be given to the students before the inquiry commences.
Read What Is Inquiry-Based Learning: 7 Benefits & Strategies You Need to Know by Guido (2017) from this link https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/inquiry-based-learning-definition-benefits-strategies
Task
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to create a WebQuest on a selected topic or lesson in your field of specialization. To attain this objective, you need to familiarize yourself with the Role of the Teacher and the Role of Technology in IBL. In addition, you should also know how to create WebQuest using IBL approach.
Process
TYPES OF INQUIRY
VIU (2020) presented four types of inquiry that can be used in facilitating classes. These are:
1. Structured Inquiry. This lets the students follow the lead of the teacher as the entire class engages in one inquiry together.
2. Controlled Inquiry. The teacher chooses topics and identifies the resources the students will use to answer questions.
3. Guided Inquiry. The teacher chooses topics or questions and students design the product or solution.
4. Free Inquiry. Students are allowed to choose their own topics without any reference to a prescribed outcome.
ROLE OF THE TEACHER
The success of IBL largely depends on the careful planning of the teacher in relation to the curriculum. The teacher needs to look into the learning competencies that can be satisfied by a simple inquiry or more complex inquiry. He/she controls and prepares the topic for investigation and guides the learners by setting their own way of investigation and present their outputs using technology tools that are afforded to them. When technology is coupled with IBL, a gateway to information is opened and students can have access to information at anytime and anywhere. It is assumed that the teacher is knowledgeable of the sources of information and whether the learners have access to these sources.
When designing an IBL, the teacher has to consider the following fields proposed by Avsec and Kocijncic (2016):
- Prior knowledge and capacity
- Context. Learners require meaning from experience.
- Content and learning materials.
- Process
- Strategy of reactions and behavior.
- Course outcomes
ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY
The internet or the World Wide Web offers lots of platforms for mining information. It has become the most sought out source of information because of the variety of tools that abound. Depending on the unit of study in the curriculum, there are many free educational websites that are available for the teachers and learners. Due to vastness of sources of information from the web, any teacher who is using IBL has the responsibility to direct learners to websites that provide the proper information. The technology tools that are made available for the learners, whether online or offline, should support the object of inquiry which is aligned to the learning competencies in the K to 12 Curriculum and the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs).
It should be noted that the use of technology in IBL is just one of the many sources of information of inquiry. This does not exclude the other resources, human and non-human, in gathering information. However, learners are undeniably familiar and probably more adept in exploring the internet. Guiding them in locating online resources that are relevant in developing their skills will let them learn the importance of using educational resources in an explicit and implicit way.
WEBQUEST
Familiarize yourself with WebQuest, how it started, parts of WebQuest, and its uses in education here https://www.createwebquest.com/what-webquest-0
Read Creating a WebQuest: It's Easier Than You Think by Starr (2000) here https://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml. This article will guide you in preparing your WebQuest.
To create your own WebQuest, follow the instructions listed from this link https://www.createwebquest.com/.
Evaluation
Prepare an inquiry-based learning activity on a topic or lesson related to your field of specialization. Do the following steps:
Step 1: Select a learning competency in the K to 12 Curriculum Guide suited for an IBL. (Please refer to the assigned LC).
Step 2: Design an Inquiry-Based Learning Activity using a WebQuest page.
Step 3: Publish your WebQuest, copy the URL and attach it in our Google Classroom.
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Your output will be graded using the Criteria listed here http://webquest.org/sdsu/webquestrubric.html
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You may check samples of WebQuest from the link below:
https://www.createwebquest.com/webquests
Conclusion
TOWARDS BROADER INQUIRY
"Inquiry is a dynamic process of being open to wonder and puzzlement and coming to know and understand the world. As such, it is a stance that pervades all aspects of life and is essential to the way in which knowledge is created. Inquiry is based on the belief that understanding is constructed in the process of people working and conversing together as they pose and solve the problems, make discoveries and rigorously testing the discoveries that arise in the course of shared activity" (Galileo Education Network, 2021)
"Inquiry-based learning employs constructivist/situated learning strategies and the role of the educator is that of a facilitator of learning, rather than an instructional teacher. "The benefits of inquiry-based learning include the development of critical thinking, creative thinking, and problem solving" (WorksheetLibrary, n.d.).
ADDITIONAL READINGS:
Learning how to design a technology supported inquiry-based learning environment by Hakverdi-Can and Sönmez (2012) here http://www.icaseonline.net/sei/december2012/p3.pdf. This is a research journal on experiences of pre-service teacher education students in designing a technology supported IBL, specifically, in science education.
The Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Technology Enhanced Collaborative Learning Environment by Abdelraheem, A., & Asan, A. (2006) here https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.108.3086&rep=rep1&type=pdf. This research identified complementary relationship exists between technology and inquiry based learning, the implementation of each one benefiting the other.
Credits
REFERENCES:
Abdelraheem, A., & Asan, A. (2006). The effectiveness of inquiry-based technology enhanced collaborative learning environment. International Journal of Technology in Teaching and Learning, 2(2), 65-87.
Create WebQuest. (n.d.). Creating and sharing webquests. Retrieved from https://www.createwebquest.com/
Create WebQuest. (n.d.). What is WebQuest? Retrieved from https://www.createwebquest.com/what-webquest-0
Espique, F.P. & Ayao-Ao, S.L. (2020). Technology for teaching and learning 2 for language education. Lorimar Publishing, Inc., Metro Manila, Philippines.
Galileo Educational Network. (2021). What is inquiry? Retrieved from https://galileo.org/articles/what-is-inquiry/.
Guido, M. (2017). What is inquiry-based learning: 7 benefits & strategies you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.prodigygame.com/main-en/blog/inquiry-based-learning-definition-benefits-strategies/
Hakverdi-Can, M. & Sönmez, D. (2012). Learning how to design a technology supported inquiry-based learning environment. Science Education International, 23 (4), 338-352.
Star, L. (2000). Creating a WebQuest: It's easier than you think. Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech011.shtml
WorkSheet Library. (n.d.). Inquiry-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.worksheetlibrary.com/teachingtips/inquiry.html.
Teacher Page
This WebQuest was created by Prof Anabel Sta Cruz - Sollano for TTL 2 Students in CSTC, Sariaya, Quezon.