Inquiry base learning

I have started something new this year. Instead of a formal test at the end of each strand, the students were task to do an inquiry focusing on the topic the had just finished.They were given a choice of topic to investigate and produce a 10 page slide show on the investigation the have done. The choices were graded according to difficulty that enable the students to work to their level and understanding.

The reasons and benefits of  this approached were many fold.The first is to LEARN-CREATE-SHARE. Knowledge is not powerful. Applied knowledge is powerful. They have to use the new knowledge they have learned and apply it in their research and presentation. After they create it the presentation must not die on their computer. I have to be shared. The best ones will go on the wall in the classroom. Students will do a short slideshow presentation to the class. It will be shared with parents, other classrooms, in assemblies and publish on the world wide web Hopefully the students will feel the have contributed to the knowledge pool.  

The next reason we do the investigation is to make sense of all the theoretical knowledge in a practical real life situation. This will make the subject comes alive and give meaning to their learning. Classroom learning will become relevant if the students can see real life applications to what they learn.

This investigation is cross- curriculum but Maths based. Students are familiar with the inquiry model in primary and Intermediate school where it is used extensively.

A byproduct of the investigation is that the students learn research techniques and presentation skills. The have to decide on a topic,plan it,research and hopefully generate new questions, create and present and evaluate it.

They work in teams of three in a collaborated manner ,sharing  ideas, ask questions, planning together and jointly creating a product on the same document.This requires teamwork and the ability to work together with different people. Without emphasizing the leadership element, it will develop automatically. Meeting deadlines and project management is another skill that is a by product of the investigation.

Teaching goals is achieved by getting the students more engage with their learning. Learning is visible

and practical. SOLO thinking skills are developed.This investigation is just one step and tool to move them to the next level.

Here is a example of the students work.Fibonacci's number They have to investigate ratios and this group choose the do it looking at Fibonacci numbers . Everyone loves shopping. This group choose to do shopping and base their investigation on fractions,decimals and percentages JB HiFi shopping.

The investigations are Maths based. The students still need to apply the higher levels of SOLO in their investigation, which is missing in most of the investigations I have marked.That is something to improve on when we do the next investigation-Gambling and probability.