Blog Task One: Guided Inquiry Approach.

This blog entry will look at John Dewey’s pedagogical practice of ask, investigate, create, discuss and reflect.  Using the term “guided inquiry” (GI) it will explore the role of the teacher librarian and how we as teachers can implement this method into the library setting.

Guided Inquiry (GI), involves teacher librarians guiding, instructing and coaching students in how to learn to think for themselves, make good decisions and create and find meaning from multiple information sources. (Kuhlthau, 2010). Guided Inquiry has been very popular in many classroom and library settings.

The progressive education movement began in the late nineteeth century and persisted in various forms to the present day educational system. Originally publicised by the works of John Dewey and Jerome Bruner the philosophical school of pragmatism was responsible for shaping the progressive education movement (Inquiry Learning, 2011). 

In an ideal school situation the teacher librarian would work with other staff to design authentic learning experiences for students which were relevant, motivational and challenging (Scheffers, 2008). Once taught, the teachers involved would then meet to reflect on how well the GI engaged students and whether what was produced met their expectations (Shore, Chichekian; Syer; Aulls, & Frederiksen, 2012).

For students, being given an opportunity to follow a self determined, real world, line of inquiry to answer an open-ended question is an empowering experience (Boss and Krauss, 2007). By working in pairs and small groups students are also aided in their intellectual and personal development (Levy & Petrulis, 2012).  In particular, when supported by technology, GI can develop significantly improved higher order thinking skills.  (Littleton, Scanlon & Sharples, 2011).

The link between GI and information literacy is well reported based on their mutual use of question formulation, evaluating information and building new knowledge.  Web based resources are particularly suited to GI as they allow students to find multiple sources of information which they can sort, organize and analyse (Boss and Krauss, 2007).

According to the ALIA and ASLA’s Statement of Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians the teacher librarian is also expected to assist individual learners to develop independence in their learning.  GI is a perfect way to achieve this because it is a collaborative process in which teachers and students work together to negotiate various aspects of the curriculum (Sebas, 2012).

For all teachers, and not just teacher librarians, GI is a very valuable learning tool.  It is a form of learning in which students are assessed on how well they develop experimental and analytical skills rather than how much knowledge they can memorise and regurgitate (Takaya, 2008).  GI allows students to take control of their own educational wheel and learn in a supportive and beneficial way.

References

Boss, S., & Krauss, J. (2007). Power of the mashup: Combining essential learning with new technology tools. Learning & Leading with Technology, 35(1), 12-17.

Boss, S.,& Krauss, J. (2007). Reinventing project-based learning. Your field guide to real-world projects in the digital age. International Society for Technology in Education.

Fitzgerald, L. (2011). The twin purposes of guided inquiry: Guiding student inquiry and evidence based practice. Scan, 30(1), 26-41.

Inquiry Learning (2011). Retrieved from www.sebas.vic.edu.au/cb…/Inquiry%20Learning%20Information.pdf

Inquiry Page. (2012). Who was John Dewey? Retrieved from http://www.cii.illinois.edu/InquiryPage/inquiry/johndewey.html

Kuhlthau, C. K. (2010). Building guided inquiry teams for 21st-century learners. School Library Monthly, 26(5), 18.

Levy, P., & Petrulis, R. (2012). How do first-year university students experience inquiry and research, and what are the Implications for the practice of inquiry-based learning? Studies in Higher Education, 37(1), 85-101.

Littleton, K., Scanlon, E., & Sharples, M. (2011) Orchestrating Inquiry Learning Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group.

Scheffers, J. (2008). Guided inquiry: A learning journey. Scan, 27(4), 34-42.

Shore, B., Chichekian, T., Syer, C., Aulls, M., & Frederiksen, C. (2012). Planning, enactment, and reflection in inquiry-based learning: Validating the McGill strategic demands of inquiry questionnaire. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10(2), 315-337.

Takaya, K. (2008). Jerome Bruner’s theory of education: From early Bruner to later Bruner. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education, 39(1), 1-19.

The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) and the Australian School Library Association (ASLA) statement of standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians. Retrieved from http://www.alia.org.au/policies/teacher-librarian.standards.html.