Innovating Inquiry FCIS presentation. November 8, 2013, Orlando, FL

1. Innovating Inquiry
Sabrina McCartney, Blythe Marulanda and Tina Patruno
From: Carrollwood Day School an IB World School
S

2. Inquiry
Inquiry is an expression of our curiosity.
It leads us, as we question and wonder,
beyond our present understanding.

3. Guided Vs Open Inquiry
S What is Guided Inquiry?
S Guided inquiry is teacher-led. The teacher guides the
students by giving starting questions, and facilitating
discussions. The teacher may also lead any
experimentation or research that is needed to answer
questions or clarify misconceptions.

4. Guided Vs Open Inquiry
S What is Open Inquiry?
S In open inquiry students are allowed to formulate their own
questions on a topic. They then design the procedure to
test their theory or research their topic. Finally the student
creates a way to communicate their findings. The teacher is
facilitator in this case. The teacher supports the student and
helps to clear up misconceptions that may arise.

5. Guided VS Open Inquiry
S In general the younger students or students who are new
to inquiry based learning benefit the most from Guided
Inquiry. The Guided format helps them to understand
how to formulate worthwhile questions and gives them a
guide as to how to proceed with their own open inquiries.
S Open Inquiry CAN work for children in primary grades.
The teacher has to have given them a good base
knowledge of how to discover the information they seek
and how to present that information in a meaningful way.

6. O-T-Q
S Observe- What do you
observe?
S Think- What do you think you
see?
S Wonder- What questions do

7. Questions through a
Perspective
S Now, view this photo from a
point of view.
S What questions do you have?

8. Color, Symbol, Image
As you are reading/listening/watching, make note of things that you
find interesting, important, or insightful. When you finish, choose 3 of
these items that most stand out for you.
•
For one of these, choose a color that you feel best represents or
captures the essence of that idea.
•
For another one, choose a symbol that you feel best represents or
captures the essence of that idea.
•
For the other one, choose an image that you feel best represents or
captures the essence of that idea.
This routine asks students to identify and distill the essence of
ideas from reading, watching or listening in non-verbal ways by
using a color, symbol, or image to represent the ideas.

9. ANALYTIC LEARNERS
Work Preferences
•You prefer a formal workspace.
•You prefer a bright or natural light.
•You prefer a quiet working environment.
•You prefer no distractions.
•You like working independently or with
structured guidance.

10. ANALYTIC LEARNERS
Work Habits:
S You like to do one thing at a time and see
tasks through to completion.
S You like to have accurate instructions and to
have things in the correct order.
S You like to look at the details and build them
up carefully to form a BIG PICTURE or
IDEA.

11. ANALYTIC LEARNERS
Might catch themselves saying:
S Will we be tested on this?
S Everything has a place and everything in its
place!
S I’ll do that right away

12. ANALYTIC LEARNERS
Strengths:
S You are logical, practical, diligent and reliable.
Needs:
S Constant reassuring feedback or tangible
success to demonstrate that you are doing
things “right”.
In education:
S You are similar in learning orientation to
approximately 65% of teachers.

13. GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC
LEARNERS
Work preferences
S You prefer a relaxed comfortable workspace.
S You prefer a low or directional light.
S You prefer a some background noise.
S You prefer the possibility to drink, eat, move
and/or fiddle whilst concentrating.
S You like working socially and comparing
ideas.

14. GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC
LEARNERS
Work Habits:
S You tend to multi-task, but may lose interest in
some tasks part way through.
S You particularly enjoy choice and use creativity
to learn and communicate ideas.
S You like to see the BIG PICTURE or IDEA and
then examine the elements.

15. GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC
LEARNERS
Strengths:
You are innovative, creative, spontaneous and
interesting.
You Need:
Someone to keep you on track and pick up all
the things you lose along the way.
In education:
You are similar in learning orientation
to approximately 75% of primary
students.

16. GLOBAL/ HOLISTIC
LEARNERS
You might catch yourself saying:
S Why are we doing this?
S My desk is a mess but don’t touch a thing or I will never
find anything again!
S I need a break. I’ll get back to this later.

17. Please consider…
S Are Analytic or Holistic Learners best served by
traditional educational practices?
S What might be done to redress a balance?
S How would a classroom that encouraged
Analytic and Holistic learners look like?

18. How can we differentiate
inquiry for different learners?
 Knowledge Boxes
 Differentiation Centers/Chart
 Inquiry Centers
 Enrichment Activities/anchors
 Apps

19. Differentiated Instruction:

20. Differentiation should be
based on tiered activities:
S Bloom’s Taxonomy
S Richard Paul’s Wheel of analysis

21. Bloom’s Taxonomy

22. Paul Richard’s Wheel of Analysis

23. Knowledge/Inquiry Boxes
 Can be used for differentiation with tiered
activities.
 Can require certain activities be
completed based on the ability of
student.
 Can color code levels for specific
students or abilities.
 Can pre-assess and then choose
activities based on their prior
knowledge.
 4 areas of activities:
 Read
 Write
 Activity
 Challenge

24. Differentiation Centers/Charts
S Can arrange the charts with anything you want
(central idea, lines of inquiry, theme, concepts, etc.)
S Create tiered activities and place them in colored
boxes.
S Each student will work in the tier based on their
level.
S Can base them on units and change them.

25. Differentiation Chart

26. Inquiry Centers
S Start a unit or activity with items placed on
a table.
S Do not say anything about the items.
S Have the students discuss the items
(observe them to assess prior knowledge)
S Ask them to Observe, think, inquire.
S Have students generate inquiries based
on the items.
S Organize the unit according to what they
“want” to know.
S Create differentiated groups according to
prior knowledge, inquiries.

27. Enrichment Menus
by Laurie E. Westphal
S Activities that encourage not the regurgitation of
information, but applying new knowledge in other ways.
S A point value “menu” of tiered activities and a proposal
form for “free choice.”
S Rubrics are included in the book.
S Examples:
S Power Point Presentation
S News Report
S Interview
S Product Cube

28. Apps for Differentiation
Erudio
Voice Thread
Whiteboard Lite
Educreations
Drawing Pad
Five Dice
Popplet Lite
Evernote
Springpad
Toontastic
Skitch
Doodle Buddy
Too Noisy
Encyclopedia Britanica
Pic Collage
Poster Maker
Billboard Maker
Screen Chomp
Geometry Pad
Angle Finder
Number Pieces (Base
10)
Khan Academy
Nova by PBS
Scoot Pad
Kutaba
Face Talk
PBS Kids

29. Assessments
S Inquiry Books
S Portfolios
S Anecdotal Observations
S Rubrics
S GRASPS