It seems a bit strange to be writing the title of 'conclusion' to this blog since our final project isn't due for weeks yet; however this is the conclusion of learning logs. I wish in a way that the final learning log was actually due after our final project so we could reflect on the process in its entirety. I understand the need for the schedule as is - I suppose I will just have to do my own reflection!
Module 9: Access to Inquiry for All Learners
This is something that I am passionate about, but have been terrible at in practice. I always thought of myself as presenting a Universal Design approach to my lesson and unit plans, allowing access to different materials and choices of representing their knowledge to students of all abilities and interests. However I think in reality I was not doing a good job of this. I really want to be a Universal Design kind of teacher and I believe that integrating more of an inquiry approach is a great way to get there.
I feel that in some respect, inquiry is by its nature a universal approach for learners. What I mean by that is students are able to pursue what they wish to learn, how they wish to learn it, and represent their learning in a manner that is comfortable to them. Students will still need scaffolding as certain skills are new and unpracticed, but they can choose to learn the material in a manner that is accessible to them. This may mean watching videos, reading some lower level material, or using visuals.
In doing the readings for this week I came across an article that discusses the Inquiry Learning Plan or ILP. It was introduced in Donhauser et al.'s article "From lesson plan to learning plan" where they discuss the context for creating the ILP and the four stages. I'll admit, when I first read the article I didn't really see with how it would fit with my current plans for my unit. I was thinking I would either have to rework the unit plan or just not use the ILP this time. However, once I read the instructor notes for this unit (a bit backwards I'll admit - don't blame me!) I was able to look at the ILP in a different light.
I have copied the appropriate section below so I can refer to it again in the future:
For this team, the ILP is quite different from a lesson plan. It is a living document that personalizes the learning; it provides a means for teachers to give feedback and for students to submit frequent updates as they move from one section to another:
- The Starting Point: Students select materials for their own learning.
- What I Will Learn: Students use divergent thinking and their own interests, as well as some preliminary exploration of the topic to generate a number of questions, one of which will be chosen as the focus for deeper inquiry. The question can show change over the duration of the inquiry.
- Student Growth: Students determine how they plan to learn new information, as well as content and “process” skills, based on what they know they need to improve. They also design how they will demonstrate movement towards answering their own focus question and growth in their skills and understandings about the topic.
- So What? Here, the final project or artifact of the student’s learning is “the most compelling take-away,” derived from reflections on deeper meaning of the texts, the essential question, and/or the newly acquired skills and knowledge; it is presented to an authentic audience. (Ekdahl 2017).
Honestly I had previous thought of inquiry (even to this point....our minds take awhile to adjust I guess) as a different kind of research. And while it is that it's also a completely different way of learning - student driven. I like the idea of using the ILP as kind of the student reflection document throughout the inquiry. I appreciate that this document gives students the chance to think about how they want to guide their approach - they create the plan - instead of us saying here is your next step. It takes the student-led approach just one step further!
In regards to working this into my inquiry project I am struggling a bit with how this project will land in the year; what I mean by that is - is this the students' first taste of inquiry? I'd rather not teach the inquiry process with this unit - that seems a bit too much to tackle. So perhaps this unit is farther on in the year when we've already experience some inquiry lessons? That being said, if this isn't the first dose of inquiry then I can assume that students will be familiar with the ILP document. Hmm...this learning log is proving mighty handy - the ability to type things out sometimes brings clarity to my thoughts.
Module 10: Formative Assessment as Integral Component of Inquiry
I am always doing things I can’t do; that’s how I get to do them.
Pablo Picasso What an excellent way to start off the discussion on formative assessment. It is through our willingness to take risks, and not just the possibility of failure but the promise (at some point) that allows us to succeed in the end. First off I just want to discuss how essential it is to create a learning environment where students feel safe enough to take the kinds of risks that allow true learning to happen. To really step outside of our box, engage with material and the process is so risky!! Now, we can multiply that by at least ten when we enter into the inquiry process because the product, process, journey is an unknown! The students and the teacher don't really know where things are going to go so they have to be willing to risk to step out into the unknown to have the payoff of learning! How do we get there? Formative assessment is a big help as it gives students an indication of whether they are headed in the right direction or not. If you aren't familiar, formative assessment is simply assessment that is used to guide learning rather than measuring the product of learning (my own definition - if you would like another then Google is a great help).
It makes a ton of sense that formative assessment is essential to inquiry; inquiry, by its very nature is a new process for most students (and admittedly, teachers) and requires some student and teacher check-ins along the way to see how things are going - calibrate - and readjust. This is, in a nutshell, formative assessment. I think it's important to build the formative assessment directly into the inquiry unit so that it is not forgotten and missed. I appreciated Kristin Fontichiaro's article on formative assessment from her Nudging Towards Inquiry series (2011), as she discusses what formative assessment is, the different forms it can take (informal/ formal, graded/ungraded etc.) and some tips and various tools for incorporating formative assessment. She mentions using such tools as Google Forms (an easy to generate survey tool that compiles results nicely), however as this article is US based us Canadian teachers can run into just a bit of an issue with FOIPPA (Google Forms is stored in the US, meaning that BC schools can't use it without express permission from parents - even then it gets a bit iffy to be honest). Although we cannot directly translate all of her tips into our classroom, the article itself is helpful in giving good suggestions for bringing formative assessment into our daily practice and different ways we can do so.
I know that with my inquiry unit I have built in some reflection points for students to check-in with their own progress and report to the teacher. Aside from these built in check-in points, actual delivery of the inquiry unit would include daily formative assessment through quick discussions with students, and other tactics such as entrance/exit tickets to see how students feel about the project so far. I honestly don't think that students can have too much formative assessment as it allows them to re-calibrate themselves and hopefully make the learning experience a successful one!
References
- Donhauser, M., Hersey, H., Stutzman, C. & Zane, M. (2014a). From lesson plan to learning plan: An introduction to the inquiry learning plan. School Library Monthly, 31(1), 11-13.
- Fontichiaro, K. (2011). Nudging toward inquiry – Formative assessment. School Library Monthly 27(6): 11-12.
No comments:
Post a Comment