1. Inquiry-Based Learning and The Experiential Learning Cycle
Power Point Prepared By:
Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty
Martin H. Smith
University of California Cooperative Extension Science, Technology and Environmental Literacy Workgroup
Welcome the participants and introduce the presenters

2. Making a Difference in Student Learning
“Inquiry is a process that all individuals naturally use in approaching new situations and solving problems in life. By engaging in inquiry, …children…gain experience with the mental activities that will improve their capacity to handle life situations and solve everyday problems.”
- Edmund Marek and Ann Cavallo (1997)

3. Workshop Goals:
To help participants distinguish between a hands-on educational experience that does not involve inquiry, and a hands-on educational experience that is inquiry-based.
To introduce/reinforce participants’ understanding of the Experiential Learning cycle.

4. Presenter’s Role:
To provide an opportunity for you to share, think, and get involved in the learning process.
We feel responsible for 20% of the learning that will take place in this workshop; that leaves 80% of the responsibility in your hands.

5. Workshop “Pre-Flections”
Explain what you know about inquiry-based learning.
Explain any similarities or differences between inquiry-based learning and hands-on learning.
Describe inquiry-based learning or training workshops you have been a part of previously.
Workshop “Pre-Flections”
Ask questions without providing direct answers. (Have participants record answers on share-sheets, then verbally share)
Explain what you know about inquiry-based learning.
Explain any similarities and/or differences between inquiry-based learning and hands-on learning.
Describe inquiry-based learning or training sessions you have been a part of or participated in.

6. Experiencing: The Hike to Lonely Lodge

7. What is Inquiry?
“Inquiry is a process that all individuals naturally use in approaching new situations and solving problems in life. By engaging in inquiry, …children…gain experience…that will improve their capacity to handle life situations and solve everyday problems.”
- Edmund Marek and Ann Cavallo (1997)

8. Inquiry Includes: Active investigation; Open-ended questioning;
Observing and manipulating (mentally or physically) objects, phenomena, and/or nature; and
The acquisition/discovery of new knowledge.

9. Inquiry and Science Inquiry is what scientists do.
By experiencing science through inquiry, children learn how to be scientists. Students learn more than just concepts and facts about science, they learn the processes of discovering and establishing concepts and facts.

10. Inquiry and Children Take responsibility for their own learning.
Improve their written and oral communication skills.
Develop problem-solving, decision-making, and research skills critical for lifelong learning.
Learn how to continue learning. (Note: This is the most important aspect of the inquiry approach .

11. Inquiry and Educators The inquiry approach:
Allows for cross-curricular applications.
Places a teacher in the role of being a facilitator of learning, rather than a disseminator of known information.
Allows teachers to learn more of who their students are, what they know, interests they have, and how their minds work.

12. Application…
The Application phase of the Experiential Learning Cycle is where persons apply a learned concept to a new learning activity or real life situation. This is where learning becomes “internalized.”
Apply: 15 minutes
With the information generated from the sharing, reflecting and generalizing steps, ask the individual groups to revisit and discuss the concept of inquiry as it follows the learning cycle. Ask them to identify a project or activity they lead and discuss ways they might apply inquiry or make it an inquiry based activity.

13. 5-Step Experiential Learning Cycle

14. 5-Step Learning Cycle Definitions
EXPLORATION: “Do it”
Perform or do an activity with little to no help from the facilitator/teacher.
Examples might include:
making products or models;
role-playing;
giving a presentation;
problem-solving;
playing a game.

15. 5-Step Learning Cycle Definitions
SHARING: “What Happened”
Publicly share the results, reactions and observations.
Get the participants to talk about their experience.
Share reactions and observations.
Discuss feelings generated by the experience.
Let the group (or individual) talk freely and acknowledge the ideas they generate.

16. 5-Step Learning Cycle Definitions
PROCESSING: “What’s Important?”
Discussing, analyzing, reflecting, looking at the experience.
Discuss how the experience was carried out.
Discuss how themes, problems, and issues are brought out by the experience.
Discuss how specific problems or issues were addressed.
Discuss personal experiences of members.
Encourage the group to look for recurring themes.

17. 5-Step Learning Cycle Definitions
GENERALIZING: “So What?”
Connect the experience with real world examples.
Find general trends or common truths in the experience.
Identify “real life” principles that surfaced.
List key terms that capture the learning.

18. 5-Step Learning Cycle Definitions
APPLICATION: “Now What?”
Apply what was learned to a similar or different situation, learn from past experiences, practice.
Discuss how new learning can be applied to other situations.
Discuss how issues raised can be useful in the future.
Discuss how more effective behaviors can develop from the new learnings.
Help each individual feel a sense of ownership for what was learned.

19. Three-Step Learning Cycle

20. Post-Training Survey: Experiential Learning Level II
Distribute one copy of the post-training survey to each individual. Provide approximately minutes for the participants to complete the survey.
Once the surveys have been completed and collected, distribute any remaining handouts and ask for any final remarks.

21. The Essence of Inquiry
Science is, by its nature, inquiry-based. Inquiry is a method that utilizes the rational powers and scientific thinking processes to explore and learn about some aspect of the real world. In order to achieve this, facilitators must create a learning environment steeped with experiences that allow students to use their rational powers in a coordinated way. Such experiences will, consequently, develop children's logical thinking abilities.
The critical element to inquiry is that the child seeks answers to questions and is not given answers. True learning comes from the search for the answer and not the answer – this is the essence of inquiry.
- Marek and Cavallo (1997)

22. Resources http://www.experientiallearning.ucdavis.edu/default.shtml

23. Prepared By:
Members of the University of California Cooperative Extension Science, Technology and Environmental Literacy Workgroup:
Steve Dasher, UCCE San Diego County;
Richard P. Enfield, UCCE San Luis Obispo County;
A. Michael Marzolla, UCCE Santa Barbara County;
Richard C. Ponzio, PhD, Department of Human and Community Development, UC-Davis;
Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty, UCCE Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties;
Martin H. Smith, Veterinary Medicine Extension, UC-Davis.