Before the start of this course I had some preconceived understandings about inquiry based learning that I have now found to be totally wrong. Like many other new tools and initiatives, I thought that this would be something that is time-consuming to plan for, and my time is already limited. Turns out, a lot of the activities used with inquiry based learning are ones that I am already using with my students, and even if I had to create a totally new unit, there are so many resources already created and available online. Overall, this is not just another initiative; this is something I will actually use! And, as a teacher that attends many trainings on things that I do not use in my classroom, that feeling of usefulness is GREAT!
I've learned that inquiry based learning is a style of learning where students are discovering a concept through planned activities, questioning, collaboration, and assessments. This course has showed me that inquiry based learning is very beneficial to students and teachers in many ways. There is not one way to teach an inquiry based lesson or unit as it is very versatile. The nice thing about inquiry based learning is that it is completely integral with digital tools. And with the use of digital tools comes the increase of student motivation and engagement, which in turn increases and improves their learning outcomes. Inquiry based learning is a win-win!
The inquiry unit I created will be used with my 4th graders as part of my astronomy unit. I teach astronomy to all of the 4th grade classes at my school, so I will have the opportunity to teach this unit to one class and then reflect. After that first round I will be aware of what worked, what didn't, and can make the necessary changes to improve it. I'm excited to begin and I know my students will be just as excited! Here is the link to my inquiry unit. All feedback is welcome!
I've learned that inquiry based learning is a style of learning where students are discovering a concept through planned activities, questioning, collaboration, and assessments. This course has showed me that inquiry based learning is very beneficial to students and teachers in many ways. There is not one way to teach an inquiry based lesson or unit as it is very versatile. The nice thing about inquiry based learning is that it is completely integral with digital tools. And with the use of digital tools comes the increase of student motivation and engagement, which in turn increases and improves their learning outcomes. Inquiry based learning is a win-win!
The inquiry unit I created will be used with my 4th graders as part of my astronomy unit. I teach astronomy to all of the 4th grade classes at my school, so I will have the opportunity to teach this unit to one class and then reflect. After that first round I will be aware of what worked, what didn't, and can make the necessary changes to improve it. I'm excited to begin and I know my students will be just as excited! Here is the link to my inquiry unit. All feedback is welcome!