1. in the Social Studies Classroom
Inquiry Learning
in the Social Studies Classroom

2. What is “Inquiry?” Seeking the truth, information, or knowledge
The process of converting data into useful knowledge by:
Questioning
Gathering
Interpreting
Reporting
How to Learn???

3. Inquiry Learning in SS
Consistent with “learning by doing,” discovery learning, constructivist practices
Teachers become facilitators/guides on the side
Begins with students’ questions and interests
Focus is on “real” questions
Involves interdisciplinary study and collaborative learning opportunities

4. Borrowed from the Sciences
The process of science is used to examine the world around us – certainly a subject of the social studies
The scientific method is a process of asking questions to find answers
INQUIRY LEARNING is a scientific process

5. Benefits of Inquiry Learning
Helps students become critical consumers of information
Allows for student involvement in data analysis and evaluation of their own questions
Learning can be extended to the evaluation of others’ research

6. Elements of Inquiry
KNOWLEDGE – students need some background knowledge so the inquiry questions can be put in context
STRUCTURE – used to guide students as they learn how to ask questions, collect data, answer questions, and communicate their answers
FREEDOM – in true inquiry, all answers must be accepted as long as there are data to support the conclusions; good inquiry does not lead to predetermined answers

7. 3 Different Methods Creating Groups or Inductive Analysis
Surveys & Interviews
Inquiry Experiments

8. Creating Groups/Inductive Analysis
A QUALITATIVE research method
Researchers observe a field, group, or event to understand or explain it
Data are collected through observation
Collected data are organized into groups or categories
Social Studies applications:
History or Current Events
Playground Behavior
The Story

9. Surveys Even very young students can design and analyze surveys
Survey data can be collected through questions that are:
Open-ended – allows for unlimited choices
Closed-response – provides choices for respondents

10. Interviewing
Good for finding out about people’s experiences of perceptions
Usually guided by a set of research questions prepared in advance
Unlike surveys, interviews allow the researcher to:
ask follow-up questions and seek clarification
expand on interesting or important information

11. Inquiry Experiments Most like the scientific method
Like surveys/interviews:
Ask research questions
Gather data to answer
Unlike surveys/interviews:
Uses a test/procedure
Includes independent and dependent variable(s)

12. Implementing Inquiry Learning
Starts when a teacher or student asks a question and states a hypothesis
Sample questions:
What makes a good friend?
What materials are used most often in manufacturing?
What kind of bridge will hold the most weight?
What things do major American cities have in common?
Students then gather data
Finally, they organize and evaluate the data to answer the original question