iQuestion
Component: Inquiry-Based Learning - Students can have the opportunity to develop and research a "Question of the Month" that involves real-life situations and issues. The questions are authentic to the students and can pertain to any life situation that is unclear or unfamiliar. These questions can be written on paper and aired on the school TV during announcements, or dropped in a box in the media center for students to pick and research using the inquiry-based learning approach. After questions are answered, incentives can be awarded. Questions can include:
- How do you get your driver's license?
- How do you apply for college?
- What's the best preparation for the SAT?
- What does ... religion believe?
- How do I deal with ... problem with my boy/girl friend?
- Students will have the chance to attend faculty and staff department meetings and offer help and input. Students can give input on curriculum (creating content) and assessment. This encourages interaction with teachers. Students are at the center of learning, so collaboration among students and teachers is required for success in inquiry-based learning.
- Library media specialists can offer one-on-one and small group consultation or conferencing times with students and/or the teacher to discuss research methods, information, resources, and answer questions. This is an important time to act as facilitator and guide student progress. This is also a time to track individual student progress by posing critical thinking questions.
- Students can participate in the "Teen Research Mentor" program that allows a student to collaborate with another student in the research process. The "mentor" is a student that has already participated in the research process and can assist other students that are new to the research process. The mentor will act as another guide to facilitate learning.
- A research "tip sheet" can be available to students online or in print in the media center to help with the research process. This sheet can be a simple, one-page outline of "how to do research", which can include where to start, what to do next, etc.
- IM/text messaging can be available to teachers, library media specialists, and students as a quick reference when questions arise, or in needed situations, before, during, and after the research process.
Ways in Which iSearch Model Supports Inquiry-Based Learning - Motivates and empowers students - Students explore their own topic of interest, which increases motivation and maintains a personal connection (learner-centered)
- Fosters collaboration among peers, teachers, and the library media specialist - Students work together to collect, analyze, and share information, the library media specialist and teacher act as facilitators and resource providers, the teacher and media specialist use conferencing techniques as a way of tracking student progress
- Integrates critical thinking and supports constructivism - Students, teachers, and media specialists pose critical thinking questions throughout the research process, students choose topics that are personally meaningful to them and develop their own meaning for learning
- Fosters creativity - Students use multiple sources of information such as books, magazines, videos, internet, field trips, etc. to answer research questions
- Encourages meaningful learning - Learning is related to students, making sure that prior knowledge is determined
- Uses authentic assessments - Reflection journals, conferences, and interviews about what is being learned and what questions remain
An active, guided, open-ended, learner-centered approach to developing meaningful learning that includes finding out what the learner already knows, asking questions, investigating answers, constructing new understandings, and communicating to share those understandings.