The Toolbox is Overflowing {Inquiry Based Lab}

The inquiry based instruction (IBI) was a much anticipated lab. Starting with the hook of our weekly readings, to having a foundation of IBI laid in AEE412 class, to welcoming and learning from an Agriscience Ambassador, Greenwood High School's Mr. Mike clark, to finally preparing for my opportunity to practice implementing the inquiry based instruction approach.

Honestly, the idea of IBI was intimidating to me, and continued to be until I was done teaching me lesson. Why?

1. I know science and math are not my strongest content areas
2. Plant science is the only class I could incorporate inquiry into
3. A lot of shared inquiry lessons involve materials that were not obtainable or that were multi days
4. Keeping the student's learning within a class time frame without limiting them
5. How do I contain the frustration of students?

These were the thoughts and questions I had during the preparation of my lab. I choose osmosis and diffusion from the Horticulture 1 course I will be teaching in the spring. So Monday morning came and ...

My feeling before: This will be a flop!
My feeling after: This was so fun to teach!

I left the lab with a high and excitement for IBI because I felt successful teaching the lab. The amount of time I put into the preparation for this lab and learning of the content paid off. My approach to IBI was to have more student direction and less teacher. I did not want all student directed because the audience I will teach in the spring are 9th and 10th graders. On the rubric used to judge teacher verses student direction, I fell in the middle of the road (B and C), which was where my goal was set for. My students for the day felt challenged to think and infer, enjoyed group work, my enthusiasm, and the fill in the blank objectives.

Let me explain fill in the blank objectives. As the students were working on their bellwork, I was writing the objectives for the day on the board and realized that the two processes I wanted the students to define were in my objectives. On the spot I drew lines where the words should be in the objectives and made it apart of the next set of directions to fill in the blanks with the words they figured out after they read and discussed. This ended up being an effective hook and one that I am adding to my toolbox.

Even coming out with a good feeling from lab I know there were areas that where I need improvement. There are a few reoccurring areas I need to focus on when teaching, stating objectives, teaching for too long, and on the spot feedback. I did state the objectives for the day but did not express the importance of them, the WHY are we learning this. With on the spot feedback, I need to take the time to reinforce and provide effective feedback as students answer.

One comment that came up, that I did not think about until it was brought to my attention, was lending my cell phone to one of my students to use as a research tool. In reflecting on that, I wonder if I was not looking at a face of a friend, role playing my student, if I would have still handed the student my phone? If I didn't hand the student my phone, what would I have done to make sure the student was included in the research? My cooperating center is a one to one program but students sometimes forget to charge their computers. I need to have a few handouts or textbooks prepared for that situation or assign the non-technology student to scribe for the group.

Knowledge in Action {Inquiry Based Instruction}

The power students have in learning is emphasized with Inquiry Based Instruction (IBI). IBI provides an outlet for students creativity to be directed into scientific learning. The power of IBI is that there are usually more questions formulated from researching one question as well as allow students to explore their own curiosities. Below is a pictorial representation of the steps in IBI: 

A simpler step-by-step process is: 

      1. Question

      2. Investigate

      3. Use evidence to describe, explain, & predict

      4. Connect evidence to knowledge

      5. Share readings

I want to discuss the 5-E Model which is engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation. Like the article stated, it can be adapted to fit any instruction. What appeals to me about the 5-E model is the flexibility and teachable opportunities each of the five sections have to offer. Each section is adapted to the subject matter and as the steps progress continue to adapt to the changes of the outcome of the step prior. 

IBI is needed in our classrooms because it emphasizes real world thinking, applicable skills used everyday int the workplace, and increases understanding by applying prior knowledge and skills to further learning. As an educator with a lot of enthusiasm, I find reading about assuming the role of a facilitator difficult. I want to find a way to guide student's learning to be successful, like most educators, but I need to remember the power learning from failure has for students.  

The three words that are said in the Journal of Agriculture Education,"Knowledge-in-action" summarizes IBI. It reiterates learning by doing and student ownership by applying the scientific method to any instruction. It is an opportunity for students to be creativity, be curious, and apply skills and knowledge previously learned. As a facilitator I guide the students to discovery but find ways to be adaptable because students can take multiple paths when engaging in IBI.