Guided inquiry: Reflective practice

Post a reflective commentary outlining your understanding of the need for a process to scaffold inquiry in schools.

Relevance to the school context

Within an International Baccalaureate school, it has been my recent experience that teaching teams often struggle, philosophically and logistically, to ‘fit’ the required Australian Curriculum content, capabilities and priorities (ACARA, n.d.c) within the PYP framework. As a result, the inquiry units can be broad and shallow rather than allowing for deep inquiry and learning (Kuhlthau et al., 2012; Kuhlthau, 2010; Murdoch, 2015; Short, 2009). Within my current context, teachers use the Kath Murdoch Phases of Inquiry framework (Murdoch, 2015) to plan inquiry units, however these are teacher directed and there is little meaningful student-driven inquiry. Furthermore, students are not supported with explicit inquiry learning frameworks for research tasks.

The Guided Inquiry Design Framework, incorporating the research and evidence-based Information Search Process and Guided Inquiry Design (Kuhlthau et al., 2012) would be suitable for my current school context because it meets the concept-driven, inquiry-based practice requirements of the PYP outlined in the standards and practices (International Baccalaureate Organisation, 2015; IBO, 2014; IBO, n.d.) whilst facilitating engagement with the Australian curriculum content. Improved teaching and learning could be achieved by teachers collaboratively designing inquiry units with the teacher librarian (ASLA, 2014, pp. 3-22; FitzGerald, 2015a, pp. 16-27; Kuhlthau et al., 2012; Kuhlthau, 2010, pp.1-12; Wall & Bonanno, 2014, pp. 20-28) to include general capability skills and cross-curricular priorities. These units would align positively with the five essential elements of the PYP (IBO, 2015; IBO, 2014) and allow for information literacy skill development within guided and independent inquiries.

The Guided Inquiry Design framework also complements the professional learning priorities identified my school’s strategic plan, specifically relevant to Priority One: Improve learning and achievement for all students, and Priority Two: Develop and expert teaching team (Red Hill Primary School, 2016). Guided inquiry complements these strategic goals by providing an effective teaching and learning framework reflective of best practice (FitzGerald, 2015a, pp. 16-27; Gorrod, 2015, pp. 28-32) and correlating with the growth mindset (Dweck, 2014) and peer coaching (Red Hill School, 2016) professional development priorities of the school.

Guided inquiry and future skills

Guided Inquiry Design provides an opportunity for students to develop the ‘future skills’ required for literacy and work success in the 21st century (Cox, 9 May, 2017; FitzGerald, 2015a, pp. 16-27; Lupton, 2014, pp.8-29; Lupton, 2012, pp. 12-18; Wall & Bonanno, 2014, pp. 20-28;). The Horizon Report (The New Media Consortium & The Consortium for School Networking, 2016), academic and practitioner literature state these include: leadership, critical thinking, creativity, agility, communication, problem solving, global citizenship, design thinking, collaboration and interpersonal relationship (Combes, 2009; Combes, 2007; Foley, Wall, & McEwan, 2015, pp. 7-15; Wall and Bonanno, 2014, pp. 20-28). These skills are embedded within the Guided Inquiry Design Framework and its associated practices for example use of Inquiry Circles (FitzGerald, 2015a, pp. 16-27; Kuhlthau et al., 2012) and integration of information and communication technologies (Bearden, 2016; Gorrod, 2015, pp. 28-32; Ribble, 2015; Scheffers and Bryant, 2013, pp. 9-13).

Information Landscape and Literacy

The nature of the modern information landscape (Cox, 5 March, 2017; Cox, 19 March, 2017) and indeed what it means to be literate in the 21st century (Combes, 2009; Crowley, 2017; Kalantzis & Cope, 2015; Rhoades, 2017) is increasingly complex (Fitzgerald, 2017; Webster, 2014). Whilst, technology is fully integrated within our lives, my professional experience and reading of the literature support a view that students raised in this internet age do not intuitively have the skills to be effective information users (ACT Education Directorate, n.d.; Combes, 2009; Combes, 2007; Wall & Bonanno, 2014, pp. 20-28). Fellow student Lena Crowley noted that “Our definitions of literacy and the literacy skills that we teach need to be seen as evolving concepts, not static, if they are going to prepare our students for the world of tomorrow” (Crowley, April, 2017).

As teacher librarians, we have a valuable role in explicitly teaching students to locate, use and evaluate information (ASLA, 2014, pp. 3-22; Cox, 9 May, 2017; Kuhlthau et al., 2012; Kuhlthau, 2010, pp. 1-12) with careful consideration of its context and purpose to engage critical thinking (Lupton, 2014, pp. 8-29; Lupton, 2012, pp.12-18). Thus, guided inquiry supports learners to effectively use and adopt an inquiry process to meet current and future information needs, develop information literacy skills (FitzGerald, 2015a, pp. 16-27; Wall & Bonanno, 2014, pp. 20-28) and gain enduring understandings. Guided Inquiry Design encourages teacher librarians to work collaboratively with others to lend their specialist information skills to inquiry design, teaching and assessment (ASLA, 2014; Kuhlthau et al., 2012).

References

ACT Education Directorate. (n.d.). School libraries: the heart of 21st century learning. Retrieved from ACT Education Directorate website: http://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/916301/School-Libraries-21st-Century.pdf

Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (n.d. c) Australian curriculum, version 8.3. Retrieved from ACARA website: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Australian School Library Association. (2014). Evidence guide for teacher librarians in the proficient career stage: Australian professional standards for teachers. Retrieved from ASLA website: http://www.asla.org.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/evidence_guide_prof.pdf

Bonanno, K. (No date). Unit planner. Retrieved from Interact2, CSU website.

Combes, B. (2009). Generation Y: Are they really digital natives or more like digital refugees? Synergy, 7(1). Retrieved from Interact2, CSU website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-1244979-dt-message-rid-2795544_1/courses/S-ETL401_201730_W_D/S-ETL401_201730_W_D_ImportedContent_20170209104750/2009_Synergy_Generation.pdf

Combes, B. (2007). Techno-savvy or just techno-orientated? What does the research tell us about the information-seeking behaviour of the ‘Net Generation? Access, 21(2). Retrieved from EBSCOhost, CSU Library. http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=d7c7b258-3567-4867-b106-1286552827e9%40sessionmgr4007&vid=1&hid=4201.

Cox, E. (5 March, 2017). The information environment. A life in books. Retrieved from Thinkspace website: http://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alifeinbooks/2017/03/05/etl401-module-two-the-information-environment/

Cox, E. (19 March, 2017). The nature of information: Information theory. A life in books. Retrieved from Thinkspace website: http://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alifeinbooks/2017/03/19/the-nature-of-information-information-theory/

Cox, E. (9 May, 2017). Evidence that we matter. A life in books. Retrieved from Thinkspace website: http://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/alifeinbooks/2017/05/07/who-is-our-audience/

Crowley, L. (April, 2017) Re: Forum 5.1_1 Information Literacy [ETL401 Module 5]. Retrieved 16 May from CSU, Interact2 website.

Dweck, C. (November, 2014). The power of believing you can improve. Retrieved from TED website: https://www.ted.com/talks/carol_dweck_the_power_of_believing_that_you_can_improve#t-24462

Fitzgerald, L. (2017). The Information Environment [ETL401 Module 2]. Retrieved 5 March, 2017 from CSU website: https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_23912_1&content_id=_1380446_1.

FitzGerald, L. (2015a). Guided inquiry in practice. In Scan, 34(4). Retrieved from CSU library website.

Foley, C., Wall, J. and McEwan, M. (2015). Libraries for future learners [online]. Scan: The Journal For Educators, 34(4). Retrieved from Informit database, CSU library: http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=599961485768378;res=IELHSS

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (2015). What is an IB education? http://www.ibo.org/globalassets/digital-tookit/brochures/what-is-an-ib-education-en.pdf

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (2014). Programme standards and practices. Retrieved from IBO website.

International Baccalaureate Organisation. (n.d). Curriculum. http://www.ibo.org/programmes/primary-years-programme/curriculum/

Kalantzis, M. & Cope, B. (2015). Multiliteracies: Expanding the scope of literacy pedagogy. New Learning. Retrieved May 2016 from public website: http://newlearningonline.com/multiliteracies .

Kuhlthau, C., Maniotes, L. & Caspari, A. (2012). Guided inquiry design. Retrieved from eBook Central, CSU library.

Lupton, M. (2014). Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum v6: A bird’s eye view. In Access, November. Retrieved from CSU, Interact2 website.

Lupton, M. (2012). Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum. In Access, May. Retrieved from CSU, Interact2 website.

Murdoch, K. (2015). The power of inquiry. Seastar Education. Northcote, Vic.

The New Media Consortium and The Consortium for School Networking. (2016). NMC CoSN Horizon Report: 2016 K-12 Edition. Retrieved from NMC website: http://cdn.nmc.org/media/2016-nmc-cosn-horizon-report-k12-EN.pdf

Red Hill Primary School. (2016). Red Hill School strategic plan, 2016-2020, South Western Network. Retrieved from Red Hill School website: http://www.redhillps.act.edu.au/our_community/school_board

Rhoades, L. (April, 2017). Re: Forum 5.1_1 Information Literacy [ETL401 Module 5]. Retrieved 16 May from CSU, Interact2 website.

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools: nine elements all students should know. Retrieved from EBSCOhost, CSU Library.

Scheffers, J. & Bryant, K. (2013). A perfect match: Guided Inquiry and iPad technology [online]. Scan: The Journal For Educators, 32(1). Retrieved from Informit database, CSU library: http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=581800024981768;res=IELHSS

Short, K. 2009. Inquiry as a stance on curriculum. In International perspectives on inquiry learning, p. 11-26. Davidson, S. and Carber, S (eds). London. John Catt Pub.

Wall, J and Bonanno, K. (2014). Learning and literacy for the future. In Scan 33(3). Retrieved from Scan website: http://scan.realviewdigital.com/default.aspx?iid=100622#folio=20