1. Issues in Teaching Through Inquiry Rachel Spronken-Smith Higher Education Development Centre, University of Otago, New Zealand With input from INLT Team: Jo Bullard (Loughborough), Waverly Ray (MiraCosta), Carolyn Roberts (Gloucestershire), Artimus Keiffer (Wittenburg) TMF Team*: Tom Angelo (VUW), Billy O’Steen (UC), Helen Matthews (CPIT) and Jane Robertson *Funded by Ministry of Education

2. To explore what is meant by inquiry-based learning and the nature of an inquiry curriculum To share examples of IBL and consider how progression can be made into an IBL curriculum Outline What is inquiry-based learning, IBL? What are the theoretical underpinnings of IBL? Does IBL lead to better outcomes? What examples of IBL are there in higher education? What are the implications for teaching IBL? What can we surmise about IBL? Aims of session

3. What is inquiry-based learning? I(enquiry) Guided-inquiry Undergraduate research Discovery learning Research-based teaching Inductive teaching

4. What does the term inquiry or inquiry- based learning mean to you?

5. So how have we defined IBL? IBL involves: Learning stimulated by inquiry i.e. driven by questions or research problems Learning based on a process of seeking new knowledge and understanding (but new to who?) An inductive approach to teaching A student/learner/learning-centred approach with the teacher as a facilitator A move to self-directed learning An active approach to learning Optional attributes of IBL: Collaborative/group learning Community involvement Field-based activity Resource-based learning Multi or inter-disciplinary focus IBL is a pedagogy which best enables students to experience the processes of knowledge creation Students engaged in IBL should develop: Critical thinking skills The ability for independent inquiry Responsibility for their own learning Intellectual growth and maturity (Lee et al., 2004)

6. Developing a question Determining what needs to be known Identifying resources, gathering data Assessing data Synthesising Communicating new understandings Evaluating success Self-reflection & Self-evaluation Model of the inquiry process (Justice et al., 2002:19) Engaging a topic & developing basic knowledge Taking responsibility for learning

7. The relations between inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning and active learning (Spronken-Smith et al., 2007)

8. What are the theoretical underpinnings of IBL? Constructivism Motivating learners Intellectual development & approaches to learning Strengthening teaching-research links

9. Research-tutored Curriculum emphasizes learning focused on students writing and discussing papers or essays Research-based Curriculum emphasizes students undertaking inquiry-based learning Research-led (or research- informed) Curriculum is structured around teaching subject content Research-oriented Curriculum emphasizes teaching processes of knowledge construction in the subject STUDENT-FOCUSED STUDENTS AS PARTICIPANTS TEACHER-FOCUSED STUDENTS AS AUDIENCE EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH CONTENT EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH PROCESSES & PROBLEMS Healey (2005) Lecture-based uni teaching Future of uni teaching?

10. Students… Positive –Academic achievement –Process skills –Analytic abilities –Critical thinking –Creativity –Enjoyment, enthusiasm and engagement Negative –Perceived  workload –Anxiety over need to become self-directed learners –Difficulties with group dynamics Does IBL lead to better outcomes?

11. IBL outcomes for teachers Positive –Strengthening of teaching-research links –Pride in student achievements –Enjoyment Negative –Anxiety over the lack of structure –Anxiety over when to intervene –Concern over disparate tutor input Need for more studies – particularly those that examine the teaching-research link

12. What are examples of IBL in HE? Communications (Oliver 2006) History (Slatta 2004) Literacy (Hutchings & O’Rourke, 2003) Foreign languages (Luke, 2006; Kennedy & Navey-Stokes, 2004; Malinowski, 2004) Music (Kramer & Arnold, 2004) Social Science (Justice et al., 2002) Psychology (Muukkonen et al., 2005; Pond, 2004) Social work (Plowright & Watkins, 2004) Design (Davis & Tesar, 2004) Medicine (Houlden et al., 2004) Physics (Abell, 2005; Volkmann & Zgagacz, 2004) Meteorology (Yarger et al., 2000) Chemistry (Ball et al., 2004; Barak & Dori, 2005; Zoller, 1999) Microbiology (Hyman & Luginbuhl, 2004) Science (Rangachari, 2006; Oliver- Hoyo & Beichner, 2004) Food science (Turner & Daubert, 2004) Engineering (Kirkman et al., 2004) Forestry (Yin, 2006) Plus numerous cases of problem-based learning (a subset of IBL)

13. Social science – a grammar for inquiry (Justice et al., 2002) Provide a ‘recipe’ that any discipline could use as a basis for an inquiry course (their recipe is for a first year course) Initiative aimed to develop a course that focused on the development of broad academic and intellectual skills in the context of student self-directed learning –Outcome hoped for was that students would approach their studies more deeply and think critically and reflectively about the production of knowledge

14. Developing a question Determining what needs to be known Identifying resources, gathering data Assessing data Synthesising Communicating new understandings Evaluating success Self-reflection & Self-evaluation Model of the inquiry process (Justice et al., 2002:19) Engaging a topic & developing basic knowledge Taking responsibility for learning

15. Developing a question Determining what needs to be known Identifying resources, gathering data Assessing data Synthesising Communicating new understandings Evaluating success Self-reflection & Self-evaluation Model of the inquiry process (Justice et al., 2002:19) Engaging a topic & developing basic knowledge Taking responsibility for learning

16. Fostering use of inquiry – within class activities Lectures: using inquiry questions and getting students to work together to find possible answers Tutorials (face-to- face or online): discussion questions based on key readings or concepts Other examples?

17. Within-course activities Project work: individual or group research Reports, posters, presentations, proposals Inquiry modules Tutorials based around problem-solving or considering issues Other examples?

18. Inquiry courses To take learners (students and teachers?) through the whole inquiry/research cycle First year  advanced Questions supplied or generated? –If supplied – by whom? External agencies Teachers Past students Checklist for inquiry course Examples?

19. Stage 2 Community and ecosystem research Stage 3 Ecology Field Course - Undertake field work - Laboratory analysis - Data processing - Write a report Ecology degree at Otago University Stage 1 Invertebrate biodiversity project - Work in small groups on a guided research project - Choice of ecosystem - Produce a scientific poster - Produce a research proposal - Peer review proposals - Field work to learn skills and develop inquiry questions - Three days of data gathering in field - Produce a presentation - Produce a report in journal style

20. What are the implications for teaching IBL? Which type of IBL and at what stage? –Prolonged exposure best –Many advantages of beginning at stage 1 –Plan to have advanced students design and complete a research project (collaboratively and/or independently)

21. Implications for teaching (cont.) How to manage the teaching team? –Involve team in planning –Draw on research into learning theory and IBL –Support teachers (ptc new ones) Develop a community of practice Have regular meetings and share experiences of teaching in this mode

22. Implications for teaching (cont.) How to facilitate IBL? –Orient students to this type of learning environment Rationale Group functioning –Ask open-ended questions that provoke further discussion –Support students – value their ideas and contributions –Encourage students to reflect on their experiences (keep a reflective diary; have assessment that requires reflection) –Monitor progress –Challenge student thinking –Develop an atmosphere of trust –Gain feedback on the course

23. What can we surmise about IBL? IBL – contested term and relations between IBL and PBL are not well understood Motivation for IBL is well grounded in educational theory There are clear benefits of using IBL for both students and teachers (but there are challenges too) BUT more studies are required IBL has been used sparsely in most discipline areas –Can be used for within-class activities  projects  courses  degree programmes Implications for teachers: –Consider what type of IBL to implement, and at which stage –Course coordinators need to carefully manage the teaching team –Students need to be oriented to this learning environment, particularly if engaged in an inquiry course Thanks to the Ministry of Education for funding this research