Breaking Barriers: Inquiry Based Learning
The inquiry process, for me, comes very naturally. Everything can be turned into an inquiry, in the sense that students should have the choice and opportunity to change their assignments and projects to suit their individual interests. Besides this openness regarding accepting alternate results, I also have started a few inquiry-based projects which were directed and organized as such. In Science 9, students could do a research on any type of human cancer, for instance, and then share their results with the class. In Arts, I encouraged students to produce their tiles for the Sparks Mural as well as the Yorkie Mural using an inquiry format, including a question, a written plan and sketch, as well as a written reflection. My grade 6 students explored their own selfs through biopoems, culminating on a piece of art depicting words from their poem. In Pottery, I encouraged students to create a question that allowed them to explore any musical instrument they felt inspired them, and write about their trials, successes and failures along the way. During Information Technology, students were always able to bring their own versions of the assignments, and transform them as they saw fit, as long as they could prove the same learning.
Since I like choice so much, and naturally gravitate towards projects that enable students to express themselves, I truly enjoyed the experience provided by VIU with the Breaking Barriers pilot. Our sixth year on the Education program at Vancouver Island University was an amazing experience. We were so lucky to be the pilot group for this exciting, interactive, out-of-the-box learning. We were divided in smaller learning pods, and were able to prepare and present three inquiry-based questions to our pods, besides participate in book club discussions and a culminating action-based community project. I particularly enjoyed the community-based action project, as I had experience from my previous year when I started the Sparks Mural. Below, you will find more information on the four main elements of this experience.
Since I like choice so much, and naturally gravitate towards projects that enable students to express themselves, I truly enjoyed the experience provided by VIU with the Breaking Barriers pilot. Our sixth year on the Education program at Vancouver Island University was an amazing experience. We were so lucky to be the pilot group for this exciting, interactive, out-of-the-box learning. We were divided in smaller learning pods, and were able to prepare and present three inquiry-based questions to our pods, besides participate in book club discussions and a culminating action-based community project. I particularly enjoyed the community-based action project, as I had experience from my previous year when I started the Sparks Mural. Below, you will find more information on the four main elements of this experience.
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** Cracked wall by Wallpapers Wide **
