Building Student Engagement Through Inquiry-Based Instruction

1. Building Student Engagement Through Inquiry-Based Instruction A Practitioners View point Trina Caudle Director of Secondary Education Idaho Falls S.D. #91 caudtrin@d91.k12.id.us

2. Disclaimer Post Register

3. Abraham Lincoln – His Failures & Losses Were Many 1831 – First Business Failed 1832 – Lost his job after losing the election for state legislator 1832 – Denied admission to Law school 1833 – Borrowed money to start a business and went bankrupt

4. Abraham Lincoln – His Failures & Losses Were Many 1843 – Ran for Congress and Lost (won 1845) 1848 – Lost re-election race for Congress 1849 – Rejected as land officer in his hometown 1854 – Ran for the U.S. Senate and lost 1856 – Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination and lost 1858 – Ran again for the U.S. Senate and lost On balance, he could easily be seen as a loser.

5. But What victories they were! The sum of his losses was great. The number of victories was small. In fact, there were only really three victories. He turned a continent into a nation with the trans-continental railroad, uniting the east to the west. He preserved the Union despite the terrible price the Union endured. He changed the course of the nation and the world with the Emancipation Proclamation, beginning the long, hard road to freedom.

6. Go Slow to Be Successful I walk slowly, but I never walk backward. The best thing about the future is that is comes one day at a time.

7. Effective Teaching The difference between more effective teachers and their less effective colleagues is not what they know. It is what they do. -Todd Whitaker

16. Discuss with a Partner • Why did I find some cartoons humorous and others not funny? • Relate a time when you felt like an “outsider” in a group because you did not understand what was being talked about.

17. A Common Definition Inquiry-based instruction refers to the development of understanding through investigation, i.e. asking questions, determining appropriate methods, gathering data, thinking critically about relationships between evidence and explanations, and formulating and communicating logical arguments. - National Science Education Standards (1996)

18. With lecture only, students forget most information within two weeks & practically all within two years.(Gee 2003) Amount of Transfer Learning Retention Teach Others/Use Learning 90% Practice & Real Application 75% Discussion Group 50% Demonstration 30% Audio Visual 20% Reading 10% Lecture 5% William Glasser, The Quality School

19. Inquiry-Based InstructionImproves Engagement & Retention When teachers get students truly engaged exploring the concepts in contexts where meaning exists, students develop both a need and a desire to know and to learn! Marshall & Horton, 2009

20. Building Background & Prior Knowledge Think back on the cartoons and how it made you feel when you didn’t have the background or prior knowledge to understand the joke. With Inquiry-Based Instruction students from diverse backgrounds and abilities will have shared experiences as a basis for their claims and ideas. Other prior experiences that students bring to class make the learning richer, but learning is accessible to all students because the explorations are made and experienced by all students. Marshall & Horton, 2009

21. The 4E x 2 Model for Inquiry-Based Instruction Engage Re flect A s s e s s Explore Explain Extend Unites the four major components of inquiry-based instruction with formative assessment and reflective practice. Developing, Assessing, and Sustaining Inquiry-Based Instruction Marshall & Horton, 2009

22. Engage Re flect A s s e s s Explore Explain Extend Benefits of 4E x 2 Model 4E x 2 Instructional Model Engage focuses on motivation and PRIOR KNOWLEDGE (content-centered) Explore focuses on process of learning—Doing science Explain unites process and content Extend deepens conceptual understanding Student/Teacher reflection at each stage encourages deeper understanding and critical thinking Assessing at each stage emphasizes formative learning and provides critical information for student and teacher See Inquiry in Motion for details: www.clemson.edu/iim

23. Free Dynamic Web Tool The webpage is free and allows teachers to do the following: View lessons other educators have created Modify existing lessons to meet individual needs Create new inquiry-based lessons using the online template Share comments and lessons with other teachers Learn about additional options available to help guide better instruction www.clemson.edu.iim

24. Dynamic Web Tool Registration My Work Place To allow teachers to interact with one another. To provide specific space for each user’s work. To encourage positive discourse. Storage place for Public Lessons for later viewing or use. Place where Public Lessons can be stored and modified to meet individual needs. Private location to store lessons that the user creates for personal use only.

25. Share One – Get One How can you provide students frequent opportunities to explore major concepts before formal explanation is provided. How can you Create engaging, meaningful learning opportunities that are tied to real world problems and in some way connected to your students’ experience and interests.

26. Post Register, July 1, 2010