Inquiry: Construction of Knowledge
11 09 2007Maybe I ought to say that inquiry leads to or enables the construction of knowledge. Regardless, an inquiry-based approach to the study of history is very different from the norm. I mentioned the model that most people experience in their high school history classes, which is largely based in building a knowledge of a pre-existing narrative, and then having one’s knowledge of that narrative tested. I’m not going to go into that any more here, though — we’ve all experienced it
Here’s what student-driven inquiry can accomplishes: it enables students to both learn content and valuable thinking skills, simultaneously. In some ways, once it has become a habit — the habit of class — it actually reduces teacher planning time for some units. Students tend to be more engaged when they feel that they’re guiding, or possibly even leading, their own learning. Classroom discussions are better — richer, more informed, and based on valid arguments. This may not all happen at once (actually, it won’t), and it won’t happen evenly (it’s a year-long process, at the least). Students begin to check one another when lapses of reason take place…and the friendly competition that can ensue in a well-managed discussion or debate encourages all students to show up with their game face on. And the students learn the content better, so don’t worry about meeting your standards.
Through inquiry, history class can become something that students don’t dread and lament. That’s what it can accomplish, if done well and consistently. Where inquiry begins is the topic of my next post.
jdg
You raise some great points. When I see history teachers (and teachers of other subjects) spending most of their lessons lecturing in front of a silent class, what I really see is a group of students’ brains sitting there in standby mode. Chalk-and-talk teachers are not engaging their students. They are delivering information rather than exchanging it. They are teaching passively. If they are not engaging their students, then why do so many teachers continue to teach like this? I think the lecture style of teaching continues because it is the style we all grew up with (familiarity) and also because it is easy. Prepare some notes. Lecture for an hour. Students take notes. Give them a test to see if they memorized the facts. Easy. But does this method of teaching actually engage the students? Does it personalize the content? Does it allow for students to have any input into their own learning? Of course not.
I’m glad to see bloggers like you addressing the issue of inquiry based learning. We need to have an open dialogue about it. We need to continue to receive professional development in this area. We need to transform our classrooms into think tanks where students are talking, participating, DOING. This does require a significant shift in the way we do things, and the transition will have its ups and downs. Ultimately, though, we would best serve our students by teaching them HOW to think rather than hand feeding all the information to them.
Great blog! Thanks for your comments on mine. All the best.