This blog is designed to support the development of inquiry skills, disciplinary thinking and problem based learning approaches within social studies, geography and history.
This site is designed to support learning modules offered within the TDSB, however, others can benefit and contribute. Please send any comments or contributions to problembasedlearningtdsb@gmail.com.
This resource contains nine featured activities for using photographs, drawings and paintings as information sources. Four of the activities, highlighted below, are included with a subscription to the Source Docs collection. The complete set is available for purchase. http://tc2.ca/teaching-resources/print-publications/investigating-sources.php
Investigating Sources consists of two collections of online and print resources to help students learn to make effective use of pictures and realistic fiction as sources of information:
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Teachers and students can land on any part of the inquiry process at any time
Inquiries do not need to go through the whole inquiry process
Aspects of inquiry can be done in 40 minutes
Teachers need to be deliberate about the inquiry focus in the class
Success criteria needs to be developed so teachers and students know what the target is
The inquiry needs to apply some sort of disciplinary understanding (ie. historical, geographical, scientific) so students can articulate what they have learned in these terms.
Jeffrey Whilhelm , Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry, 2007
Reflection:
What aspects of inquiry resonate with you?
What challenges do you see?
Consider the following articles from the Ontario Ministry of Education
3) What are the benefits related to the inquiry process?
4) What could the inquiry process (historical focus) look like ?
In this video the presenter explains how the process of inquiry begins with a question, rather than the teacher presenting the key ideas. Then students investigate the content looking at a variety of resources.
5) How do you organize student thinking during an inquiry?
In KB/KC classrooms, students work to identify problems of understanding, create theories, carry out research and investigations in order to refine their theories over time, revise their problems and strategies, and share and monitor the progress of the community towards its goals of advancing knowledge.
Teachers are reflecting on the key aspects of the revised SSHG curriculum and they are examining their practice and considering next steps. See how one teacher is approaching inquiry.
What resonates with you? What questions do you still have/
Voices of other teachers
Inquiry Process
Teacher Voice relating to Inquiry - Our perceptions are important! I used to think… Problem-based learning meant not teaching content and allowing students to research content on their own. I never fully understood how we would be able to teach what they need to know in this way. Now I think… Problem based learning is very important and does not mean that we don't teach content. The content is embedded within the inquiry. As teachers engage in inquiry with their classes, their views about inquiry change. Some of our misconceptions are challenged and we can see how inquiry based learning links with student achievement. 12) Exploring Big Questions (getting started)
Before we generate questions , consider letting students wonder about your provocations. These wonders can then be used to develop questions.See how one teacher incorporate wonder in her class. Wonder Wall Article
