INQUIRY BASED LEARNING

Inquiry-based learning approaches allow students to deepen their learning around themes and questions they are interested in and connected to. Inquiry is moving beyond the 'research project' and creating a culture of thinking and curiosity. There are many different pedagogical approaches that will enable educators to co-create this culture with their students. Find detailed descriptions of these and resources to support your learning below.

GALLERY: INQUIRY IN THE CENTRAL OKANAGAN

Galley: Inquiry in the Central Okanagan

HOW TO CREATE A CULTURE OF INQUIRY

Creating a Culture of Inquiry

All of the boxes below discuss different pedagogies that will support you in creating

a culture of inquiry. Click the image in each box for more information.

Creating a Culture of Inquiry

Using Routines to Make Thinking Visible

The Power of Questioning

Asking Big, Rich, Complex Questions

Starting With Beliefs & Setting Intentions

Strong Image of the Learner

Documentation of Learning

Deepen Thinking With Materials

Collective Knowledge Building

Creating Cultures of Thinking

Creating Spaces That Nurture Curiosity

Ideas for 'Unplanning'

Anchor Texts

Using Learning Maps to Guide Inquiry

Multimodal Provocations

ILT Provocation Bins

Curated Digital Provocations

UN Global Goals

Creating a Culture
of Inquiry

Inquiry is a culture that you will co-create with your students. There is no recipe and no set procedure for inquiry. It is not about finding one answer, but is about exploring many answers.

When you create a culture of inquiry, the process of learning is valued over the products that are created, the learning & thinking are made visible to all, and the questions are valued over the answers.

"Having a question that isn't answered right away gives you space where you can find other questions. It gives you space to learn and think and have new wonders." ~Grade 5 student, MJE

Using Routines to Make Thinking Visible

Thinking routines are short, easy-to-learn strategies that extend and deepen students' thinking and become part of the fabric of everyday classroom life.

They can be used regularly, across a variety of content and grade levels, and help students develop ways of thinking about their own thinking.

When a student uses a Thinking Routine to make his/her thinking visible, all students benefit from the shared thinking as collective knowledge is built.

Find some MTV Routines here & here

Find Opal School's Thinking Tools here.

Find some ILT Strategy Stickers here.

Power of Questioning

When learning is anchored in exploring questions, educators:

Have a strong image of the learner & believe in their ability (even at a young age) to explore complex questions.
Set intentions for the learning and determine overarching themes & questions
See themselves as learners, are vulnerable and curious, and model being curious.
Allow their students' explorations within overarching questions to drive the learning.

"They don't stop the learning. They answer questions with questions." ~Alanna, CMS Teacher

Inquiry 1

Asking Big, Rich,
Complex Questions

Sometimes when we choose overarching themes or questions to guide the learning, it helps us to integrate the learning and connect to the curriculum.

These guiding questions still leave a lot of room for students to explore their own questions throughout the learning.

There are many places where you can begin as you determine which guiding questions you might want to anchor the learning to as you explore with your students.

You can start with a topic or theme that your students are already interested in, with a rich and complex question, with current events, and with a cool idea.To learn more, click here.

Starting With Beliefs & Intentions for Learning

Letters of Intent are letters that educators can write at the beginning of the year. We write these letters to clarify for ourselves, and others, what our
beliefs about learning and teaching are.

Instructional Leadership Team

Central Okanagan Public Schools