Journey To

Inquiry
Examination of One
Teachers Transition to
Inquiry-Based Teaching
By Emma Humphrey

Self-Study
Past

teaching practice typically a

mesh of Instructor-led and separate
Inquiry or Problem Based activities
Research

papers
Object-Based Learning

Self-Study

Generally clear separation between the two at

University level
Within Secondary School context Inquiry learning
very different

Intrinsically more hands-on

Two Critical Questions:

How do I modify my teaching practice to effectively

use Inquiry-Based/Project-Based Learning methods
over the duration of an entire course?
How does the merging of Inquiry-Based/Project Based
Learning strategies into my practice make me feel
about my bias toward lecture-based teaching?

How to Approach?
Very

little question of importance of IB/PB

learning

Dynamic & effective strategy

Encourages student learning & engagement
Helps develop critical thinking skills
Learn how to learn
Hermeneutic Spiral

Enter learning with

own preknowledge

Pick up new
knowledge on
journey

Chazan 2014

Influences
direction of
discovery

Can change
direction of
journey

Resulting
understanding
becomes preknowledge for
future discovery, or
becomes preknowledge for
another learner

How to Approach? What does the

literature say?
McMay

and colleagues (2013)

Suggest incorporating large summative project at

end of traditional lecture-based course
Would require large amount of time (1/3rd of
overall class time)
Useful for courses based around Big Ideas
Easy transition

How to Approach? What does

the literature say?
Maa

& Artigue (2013)

Suggest starting small

Incorporating

more probing questions during

lesson & discussion
Use of W5 (who, what, where, when, why) as
unit openers

How to Approach? What does

the literature say?
Haug

(2014)

Pre-planned teachable moments

Leading

questions

4 step strategy to approach Inquiry

Preparation

(design, question, pre-knowledge)

Data (collection)
Discussion (connect theory & practice)
Communication (present & justify results)

Process/Methods
Daily

Reflections on Experience
Dive in Deep End 7 day mini unit with both Inquiry
and Project

Native Peoples of Canada pre-European contact

Started with lecture and class discussion on Origins
Looked at scientific/archaeological data and
Aboriginal origin stories
Discussed idea of Origins (ours, theirs); ethics of
studying someone elses story; how do you integrate
science with aboriginal belief systems?

WebQuest

http://doctorhumphrey.weebly.com/native-canadian-webquest.html

Diorama Construction

Student Survey

Student Enjoyment of IBL/PBL Classrooms

9.50%

Students Experiencing IB/PB Learning for

First Time

4.50%
Enjoyed

Did Not Enjoy

No
57%

Yes
43%

Prefer
Blended

86%
Student Enjoyment of Teacher-Directed Classrooms
4.70%
19%
Prefer

43%

Do Not Prefer
Ambivalent
No Response

N=21

33.30%

Final Thoughts & Issues

IB/PB

learning takes time

Planning + scheduling enough time for students

Although

how to

Practicum too short to see long-term evolution of

course
Spectre of Provincial Exam

Despite

IB/PB unit went well still unsure of

success, still am biased

May change once I have own class

References
Chazan, Michael
2014. World Prehistory and Archaeology: Pathways Through Time. Third
Canadian Edition. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada.
Haug, Berit S.
2014. Inquiry-based science: Turning teachable moments into
learnable moments. J Sci Teacher Educ 25: 79-96.
Maa, Katja and Michle Artigue
2013. Implementation of inquiry-based learning in day-to-day
teaching: a synthesis. ZDM Mathematics Education 45: 779-795.
McMay, Dani V., Kathleen Gradel, and Christopher Scott
2013. Using problem based learning to develop class projects in upper
level social science courses: A case study with recommendations.
Creative Education 4: 62-70.