Implementation Plan Reflection

        Over the course of this semester there have been many changes and adjustments that have happened in my classroom. I am grateful that I was able to take the time to implement a personal digital inquiry project into my fourth grade class. My students and I learned more than I could have ever hoped for, but I feel I learned the most. I was able to learn from the practical side as well as the individual moments of observation that required me to make quick changes and reflect over the effectiveness of my lessons. 

        When I look back on the strengths of implementing my plan I consider the actual plan to be a great resource. I was able to quickly use the plan for a guide and utilize it to assist students during their group work.  It allowed me to take more time to have a basic view of what the lesson should be like and plan for the flow of the project. You can view my implementation plan by clicking this link. (https://docs.google.com/document/d/17gRZ4KT6mKFti5SWynrmjRoZVJoLkqvCLbSWRJ7hJ84/edit?usp=sharing) I also believe that I found the consistent feedback aspect of inquiry to be a strength. As I went through the plan with my students I realized very quickly how important monitoring and providing students with adequate directions was to the success of this project. During the first lesson I took this for granted and it resulted in the students getting off task and not focusing on the assignment. The picture below shows how easy it is for students to find different uses for the digital tools that are integrated into lessons.

        Personal digital inquiry made my students more motivated and engaged to learn. So much so that they would even challenge my suggestions, extend their questions, and create a product that mattered to them. It also made it easy to incorporate literacy skills, curriculum materials, and learning goals. I was able to utilize the librarian, online content, and my school's social studies textbook in a combination that encouraged student learning. The students found more use for the curriculum materials and I was able to provide more instruction on the use of literacy strategies to comprehend text online. My students still have a ways to go in mastering these skills, but the amount of effort that students placed into the project made me feel proud. 

        With all the strengths that I have thought about, there were also many weaknesses. I should have took more time to evaluate and think more about what my students were able to do. This would have helped me plan to spend more time on teaching the students how to use the internet efficiently. There were many tips, tricks, and basic navigation tools that my students needed to learn and should have been given a separate lesson to practice. I also should have considered collaboration to be more essential in my plan. During my implementation I realized its importance and started providing my students with more opportunities to collaborate and share their interests more often. As a teacher

this project has shown me that a large portion of learning comes from when students are able to interact with each other. I also feel there was also a weakness in my description of the digital tools. During the final portion of my implementation plan, I caused students to have self doubt that they could complete what I had planned for them. This caused me to realize that when things are new to students and teachers it is best to have a completed model or representation that the students can view and base their project on.

        As a teacher I learned more than I expected to learn. Of course I knew that plans do not always go as you planned, but I learned to put more trust in my students. Spoon feeding students and not allowing them to learn and discover on their own is detrimental to their improvement. I also learned the importance of reflecting more after each lesson and then taking time to read over those reflections before the next lesson. When teachers take time to reflect it gives us the opportunity to think about the changes that need to come. In the future I would like to include more opportunities for my students to reflect throughout the personal digital inquiry project as well. In my plan I originally only planned for the students to spend one lesson reflecting and synthesizing their information. I am hopeful to implement another personal digital inquiry project into my classroom next semester and make changes

based on what I have learned during this inquiry project.  

If you would like to try to implement personal digital inquiry or my personal plan, please read through some of my suggestions:

• Include more opportunities for students to collaborate and self reflect. 
• Be prepared to change the lesson based on the needs of the students. 
• Provide consistent and targeted feedback to all students and monitor their progress.
• Be prepared to extend time and make sure the students do not feel rushed. 
• Have a model representation that shows the expectations for a completed project. 
• Include multiple formats of text and resources for the students to use. 
• Encourage students who feel discouraged, as well as yourself. Things may not always go as you or your students planned for them to go. 
• Create and maintain a learning environment to engage students in the process for the entire project. 

Digital and Disciplinary Literacy

        As a teacher it is even more important to acknowledge the digital expectancies of the classroom.

There is a need for teachers to purposefully integrate technology that supports students' learning.

When considering the aspects of digital tools and the web, teachers should consider the amount of

literacy that goes into students reading, analyzing, and comprehending content online. This played

into how I considered teaching the social studies unit in my classroom covering the northeastern

states of America. I wanted my students to be able to learn how to use digital tools while also ensuring

that I was teaching the curriculum. Implementing an inquiry practice into a classroom is a great way for

teachers to teach digital and disciplinary literacy. Before truly understanding digital inquiry can be

effective, I believe it’s important to know how digital and disciplinary literacy instruction can support

each other. 

        There is a synergy that should be acknowledged between digital and disciplinary literacy.

According to Manderino and Castek (2016) disciplinary literacies are the literacy practices used to

engage in disciplinary inquiry, while digital literacies represent the use of digital tools to consume and

produce knowledge. Teachers can aim to engage students in intellectual practices of inquiry, reading,

and building knowledge through exposure to online resources and tools. Using digital formats of

materials enables teachers the ability to provide students with access to additional content related to

disciplinary content. Teachers can view digital literacies as literacy that can be shaped by disciplinary

learning (Manderino & Castek, 2016). Teaching with digital literacy prepares students for their future

participation in society as digital technology in itself is an evolving society. Chase & Laufenberg (2011)

state that many teachers can confuse digital literacy with new literacy, cautioning teachers to

understand that digital literacy is simply reading and writing in a digital environment.

        Bruce (2011) states that digital literacy can have a beneficial influence on the practices in schools across all grade levels. Mentioning that digital technology and tools are a part of  students’ everyday life and experiences. As teachers, it is imperative that we consider the amount of technology that students use daily and will be required to use as they move throughout grade levels. Which presents the need for teachers to feel more comfortable with implementing digital literacy in their classrooms. There should be a pedagogical approach to how teachers select and implement technology (Casey & Bruce, 2011). The digital tools that are selected should directly correlate to what the teachers expectations are for students, their learning, and the practice of selective skills regardless of district purchases or affordances of technology. Evaluating and carefully selecting digital tools can help teachers begin to become more comfortable with their integration. 

        Incorporating digital and disciplinary literacy into one instructional practice produces the best results. According to Bruce (2011) digital literacy encompasses the purpose, setting, and practice in which technology is used to convey meaning and understanding. Citing that the inquiry process is the best way to expose a cycle of learning that can inform and guide learners through digital and disciplinary learning experiences (Bruce, 2011). During the inquiry cycle, shown below, students inquire, research, collaborate, present, and have opportunities to reflect on their learning (Chase & Laufenberg, 2011). The goals of the inquiry process can be directly related to the content of a specific discipline, which allows teachers to ensure students are building knowledge over time. With careful selection of digital tools, the learning operations evolve as students are offered a variety of ways to create in spaces that allow them to express themselves at any age level. Spires et al., (2016) sees disciplinary literacy as highly complex, including instructional approaches that differentiate literacies by content domains. In disciplinary literacy students are using reading, speaking, writing, and listening to learn and form content knowledge. The inquiry process is a perfect way for teachers to begin to implement digital technology and teach appropriate strategies and disciplinary concepts. 

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FQ7mCW7aX9efEVTP1k-ZrhJ9EdG

zK2qzLJxqUofhF9A/edit?usp=sharing

Integrating Subjects Through Inquiry

        While deciding to implement personal digital inquiry (PDI) into my classroom I needed to consider the content and standards that were required to be taught in my classroom. I wanted to ensure that I engaged my students in learning while also adhering to the state standards and curriculum materials. My students are the least motivated during my social studies lessons and I decided that integrating reading and social studies would benefit my students the most academically. I would still be able to provide adequate literacy instruction and well as incorporate the use of the Teachers Curriculum Institute fourth grade materials. Students would also be able to make personal connections to the content and have intrinsic motivation to learn more about how different people live in the United States. 

In order for students to comprehend social studies content reading is fundamental and students need to be able to read to learn. Bradley (2016) states that reading consists of four strands, writing, listening, speaking, and language. Students build on these still through the use and practice of skills and strategies as they are exposed to different content knowledge. Through adequate instruction and academic fostering of these skills, students can apply multiple strategies across different content areas. Bradley (2016) also stated that an instructional approach that fosters student's natural curiosity about people, places, and the world promotes critical thinking and problem solving skills. It is imperative that teachers provide instruction to students that engages them in curiosity about the word as well as different literature. Utilizing the PDI framework provided me with opportunities to allow students to practice literacy skills while engaging in their curiosity about other parts of social problems, people, and geographical locations. Establishing students with a routine way to practice literacy skills and engage in the social studies curriculum. 

When integrating subjects using PDI it is important that teachers plan strategically and help students focus on the essential questions and use those questions as guidelines for students. Essential questions can lead to genuine inquiry and require students to seek out additional information or support their positions with evidence (Bradley, 2016). Please watch this video for an example of adequate planning and utilizing essential questions to foster student inquiry. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVJCjRaHIJc) Proving open opportunities for students to collaborate as they discuss findings and locate answers to questions that have specific connections to their interest. When students interact with their peers and teachers it helps students learn to work together, make compromises, and ask questions in a clear and precise manner. During the exploration process students learn multiple methods for communicating with others as well as critical thinking skills to solve their own problems all while engaging in cross content area curriculum (Bradley,2016). As a teacher, I know that part of social studies is learning the social standards and teaching students the appropriate way to conduct themselves in society. When integrating subjects using PDI teachers incorporate more opportunities for students to engage in discussion and practice the necessary language and social skills needed to succeed later in life (Dobler et al., 2015). As well as creating more opportunities for authentic learning and use of literacy strategies across content areas. Utilizing different strategies that require students to read the web, analyze the text they have read, and form their own understanding. 

As students engaged in the inquiry process throughout my lesson implementation plan I provided students with resources related to the content subject area. Currently my students are learning about the Northeastern portion of the United States of America. The instructional practices I decided to use include literacy skills for reading digital texts and comprehending the content they located. It is imperative that teachers incorporate instruction on the proper use of digital tools in order for students to research adequately (Johnson, 2014). I am currently in the last portion of my implementation plan and students are more engaged in the literacy aspects of this plan than I originally thought. Students consistently review the social studies materials to find additional questions and practice using literacy skills as they discover new content and share in their learning. Inquiry has been a great way for me to scaffold learning as I integrate curriculum. 

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FQ7mCW7aX9efEVTP1k-ZrhJ9EdGzK2qzLJxqUofhF9A/edit?usp=sharing

Choosing Digital Resources

         When choosing resources teachers should be sure to consider the importance digital resources have to instruction and student learning. Incorporating digital resources that are pointless can limit the benefits of their use. A wide variety of resources have different affordances that would be better suited for certain activities. The digital resources that I chose for my implementation plan were purposely chosen based on the usefulness to the activities I have created and instruction. I also consider how much knowledge my students have before implementing the resource into an activity or instruction. When teachers have a clear understanding of student knowledge, teachers can plan instruction based on student current levels(Casey & Bruce, 2011). Each resource chosen should be modeled to students and the purpose clearly expressed. Students should understand how necessary each resource is to their learning and the inquiry process (Coiro, et al., 2016). Digital resources are always fun and engaging for students to use and I want my students to have fun completing activities. The three resources I have evaluated are Jamboard, Seesaw, and BookCreator. I have used Jamboard and Seesaw in my classroom often, the students will have their first experience with Book Creator during my implementation plan. 

Jamboard

Jamboard is an online resource that is provided through Google. This resource is a great way to keep track of students' questions, responses, and notes. The tools provide a wide variety of ways for students to add notes, draw responses, add pages, visual elements, and attachments. This resource is easily accessible through a link that is created through a Google account and provided to students. Students who are struggling readers can easily manipulate and use this resource due to the pictured tools located and their diversity of uses. Students who have their own google account can also create Jamboards on their own to create activities and share resources with other students. This source can be comparable to Padlet, a posting digital webpage that I have also used in my classroom. 

Students are eagerly engaged when using Jamboard as multiple students can actively participate and collaborate at the same time. I chose to use this resource in my implementation plan because it allows for adequate opportunities for students to share, critique, and create responses. Teachers can engage students in a critical thinking activity by using Jamboard for discussion to prompt students to communicate with each other while they offer suggestions and reflect on their own ideas and posts. The drawbacks of the Jamboard resources is the requirements for adequate internet service and devices. Many classrooms do not have adequate access to devices or steady access to the internet. 

Seesaw

Seesaw is an interactive webpage source that is used in classrooms worldwide. This source was mandated to be used in my classroom this year and was easy to implement. The affordances it provides to students at all levels of learning are spectacular. Classrooms as young as pre-kindergarten can all have uses for this online web page program. The program provides ways to add activities and link outside resources to the activities. Teachers can post critical thinking activities that help students engage in collaboration and self reflection as all activities have to be approved by the teacher. My students enjoy utilizing the variety of tools that are available when working on activities. Students who have difficulty writing have the option of video or voice recording their responses to questions or using drawing tools. The blog option provides an interactive way for students of all ages to actively engage with their peers and people in their community. This resource can also be used to include parents and get them more involved in the work your students are doing in your classroom. The family option allows parents to continuously monitor what activities their children are working. Students then have the opportunity to share what they are learning as they practice organization skills through the options of having a personal activity journal.

This resource can be implemented to use for any subject at any time. It supports literacy through the abundance of affordances it offers to students and teachers. The greatest part about this resource, in my opinion, is the activity library that is shared between teachers worldwide or within a school district.  Teachers can even differentiate activities by assigning certain lessons to a particular set of students. The drawbacks that I have noticed in my classroom pertain to student access to technology and student digital skill levels. Seesaw may be easy to use, but requires extensive teacher modeling due to the amount of classes that can be added to a students journal. Even though this resource is mandated in my district, using this resource in my implementation plan will allow students to feel more confident when keeping track of their work and navigating through the internet. It will also help me with my organization skills, helping me keep all student work located in one location. 

Book Creator

        Book Creator is a very fun and engaging resource that provides a seemingly endless variety of tools for students to create interactive eBooks, drawings, or videos online. I chose this resource because of the options it has for students to be more creative in their final project of my implementation plan. The affordances it provides allows students at all levels of understanding to input videos, pictures, voice recordings, and other visual elements to express their new found knowledge. This resource can be easily used in any grade level, as students have independence of their creations and have opportunities to collaborate with others. Many projects created with Book Creator can be completed independently or in small groups. When I decided to use Book Creator in my implementation plan, I considered the engaging aspects of this program. My students  are always interested when they can actively use information they found online to create a digital representation that displays their understanding, identity, and pride in their work. The versatility of this program allows it to be beneficial to use in any content area and incorporate a variety of literacy skills. Teachers should be aware of the drawback that students can possibly share personal information online when using this program. Teaching digital citizenship and responsibility is an important concept to teach when implementing any digital resources into the classroom. 

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FQ7mCW7aX9efEVTP1k-ZrhJ9EdGzK2qzLJxqUofhF9A/edit?usp=sharing

Implementing PDI

 I have developed a plan for my fourth grade students to integrate the social studies and reading curriculum. Currently in my class we are working on locating and synthesizing information in the Wonders reading curriculum materials. In social studies, the students are learning about the Northeastern States in the United States of America using the TCI curriculum materials. My students actively work together on a wide variety of projects and treat others well. Over the last few weeks I have been setting up a community of learning and exploration. In previous years it was often difficult to get students interested in learning new social studies content. Often when learning about the states, my students would have little interest in learning about the different components. I used the PDI framework to frame a learning environment and I am using the PDI for these groups of lessons to engage my students in exploration of social studies content that relates to their interest. The goal is for students to actively learn about the different components of the Northeastern states and how people live there. 

Student Pairs in My Current Classroom

The first lesson engages students in learning about different ways people live in the Northeast. I use discussion and collaboration to engage students in wonder. I plan to guide the discussion and utilize online formats, like Jamboard, to assist students in keeping track of the questions they have over time. The lessons then progress students through the process of exploration. I plan to incorporate lessons that teach students the importance of evaluating the sources they choose. Due to the abundance of information that is provided online, it is important that students understand how to navigate through and evaluate valid resources. Students are provided with graphic organizers to help them organize the information they find, questions they have, and sources they have chosen. 

Utilizing graphic organizers will ensure that students can monitor their understanding and progress through the project. During each lesson and component, it will be imperative that I provide adequate feedback to my students. As they begin to evaluate resources, search for answers, and synthesize the information, I need to be sure to observe student progress. When teachers consistently observe and provide feedback it is easy to notice which skills need to be modeled again. It also provides opportunities to clarify any misunderstandings and guide students towards their own personal goals. Students will be provided with opportunities to collaborate, discuss, reflect on the process and understanding, and use what they have learned to make sound decisions. 

        This project will allow many of my students to be more independent in their learning and decision making. In my PDI implementation plan, linked below, students consistently communicate during whole group and pairing collaboration opportunities. They engage in critical thinking activities as they synthesize and share information they find online. Students participate in digital citizenship as they evaluate resources and make sound decisions when using the internet. Engaging in activities that allow them to plan their own creation as they create a final product that displays the new knowledge they have learned. During the plan I made adjustments based on the opinions of colleagues and professors from the University of Oklahoma. It was suggested that I add more forms of text, include the PDI planning guide, and consider how I wanted students to interact with each other during the project. When making the changes, I included the planning guide at the beginning of my plan, added a library visit, and included the option for students to use the digital online library to find additional texts. 

The choice in digital tools I selected were to help learners at all levels feel confident in their exploration. The text-to-speech tool will be used to assist students in my class that are struggling readers. Using a digital and traditional KWLS chart will ensure students who have writing or organization difficulties can keep focus, while utilizing multiple search engines will ensure students have access to a wide variety of content. It was important to include the options for students to browse through the school library, online libraries, and curriculum materials in order to ensure students were being exposed to different formats of text. Click the link below to view my plan on implementing PDI into my classroom, I am hopeful and excited to start this process.

Link: Implementation Plan

Student Engagement with Digital Inquiry

        I decided to learn about integrating subjects using personal digital inquiry (PDI) when considering the student engagement levels I have observed in my own classroom. I wanted to learn a way to create lessons that engage my students in social studies content while utilizing more reading skills. PDI and digital inquiry are great ways to integrate subjects. PDI provides a groundwork for student engagement that centers on using inquiry to peak and maintain student interest. Coiro et al., (2016) referred to it as cultural forces for grounding and growing personal digital inquiry. These grounds can assist in building a learning environment that creates opportunities for students to build an inquiry mind-set (Coiro et al., 2016) and become more engaged in their learning experience (Dwyer, 2015). 

        Student engagement is sparked through teacher interactions and expectations. Teachers should have an expectation that students will focus on deep learning, teaching students to embrace challenges they may have and search for their own answers (Coiro et al., 2016). Interacting with students in a positive light, as they begin their research, demonstrates a positive attitude towards learning and discovery. Encouraging students to develop their own questions, search for answers, and then challenge the information they locate is an important aspect to successfully engaging students in digital inquiry. When teachers communicate and provide consistent feedback to students can feel more empowered and confident in the process and their decisions (Loon et al., 2012). Positive interactions should happen between teacher-to-student and student-to-student throughout the entire process. These positive interactions can be promoted and scaffold through collaboration and discussion opportunities. 

        Student collaboration is a necessary engagement component in personal digital inquiry. Coiro et al., (2016) state that learning is social and a part of a process that involves listening, speaking, processing information, and consensus building. Creating opportunities for students to collaborate ensures students make connections, negotiate differences, hear different perspectives, and share interest (Coiro et al., 2016). In collaboration students are able to challenge their own thinking, and at times, work towards a single goal with others.

 

        Structuring collaboration opportunities also provides more chances to facilitate student-to-student learning. Collaboration is a way to include instruction for students on all levels of learning. A great way to do this could be students completing projects relating to the same topic or discussing answers to questions they have researched. Coiro (2017) stated that learners grow and change when they are provided more opportunities to identify problems in their community, generate personal wonder, and engage in collaborative dialogue around problems or questions. Teachers should aim to transform a students' thinking and offer them an environment that encourages their wonder and discovery while also acknowledging the power of student collaboration. Schofield and Honore state that learners prefer and expect to have opportunities in the classroom that allow them to collaborative construct meaning, support each other’s thinking, and discuss new ideas and actions to take next (Coiro, 2017). While students collaborate it opens more chances to observe student understanding and model skills and strategies. 

        Modeling is an important aspect of getting students motivated to learn and keeping them engaged. When students feel lost or frustrated they are more likely to give up or feel discouraged. Learners should be provided with ample opportunities to observe models of how to make decisions and why those decisions are necessary (Coiro, 2017). Using a gradual release of responsibility formation will help mirror phases of instruction that are needed as students go throughout the digital inquiry process. It is a great way to not only ensure students are scaffolded through the process, but they are aware of the purpose of using certain skills and strategies at particular points. The more confident students feel in the process, the more independent their reading and discovery experience can be. Students build upon their knowledge as they are personally connected to a quest, while also being supported and feeling confident that the support will be there when needed. 

        Students become increasingly engaged as they are able to take their new found knowledge and create a representation of their understanding (Loon et al., 2012). Creation and participation are essential for knowledge construction and provide students with a variety of mediums to express their understanding. Students also explicitly tie their background knowledge and cultural experiences into their personal creation. This encourages students to make connections to their home, school, and community. Students first share their new found knowledge among their peers and with their teacher. Before and during the process it is necessary for teachers to keep student creative freedom in mind. Using purposeful digital tools, that have been selected with student electronic and web skills taken into account (Scanlon et al., 2011). Students cannot properly utilize tools that have not been modeled, they have little to no experience with, or have no purpose to their project. Allow students to have opportunities to consistently reflect on their progress throughout the project. Their final creation should reflect all of the hard work they have put into their learning. Self-reflection is a great way to help students become more understanding of their own learning and the process. Through this teachers can engage students and make a shift from engaging students to also empowering them to learn and create. 

Resource Videos:

Teaching Collaboration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Mb9-At2Ss0

Collaboration and Digital Tools

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3wBBdBdDRA

References

Coiro, J. (2017). Advancing Reading Engagement and Achievement through Personal Digital Inquiry, Critical Literacy, and Skillful Argumentation. Improving Reading and Reading Engagement in the 21st Century, 49–76. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4331-4_3

Coiro, J., Castek, J., & Quinn, D. J. (2016). Personal Inquiry and Online Research: Connecting Learners in Ways that Matter. The Reading Teacher, 69(5), 483-492. doi:10.1002/trtr.1450

Dwyer, B. (2015). Engaging All Students in Internet Research and Inquiry. The Reading Teacher, 69(4), 383–389. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1435

Loon, A.-M. V., Ros, A., & Martens, R. (2012). Motivated learning with digital learning tasks: what about autonomy and structure? Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(6), 1015–1032. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9267-0

Scanlon, E., Anastopoulou, S., Kerawalla, L., & Mulholland, P. (2011). How technology resources can be used to represent personal inquiry and support students' understanding of it across contexts. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 27(6), 516-529. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00414.x

  

Learning Through Inquiry

 

        Students are often more engaged when concepts are related to their lives or have a purpose. They enjoy learning about things that are interesting to them and encourage creativity. Students often need to be presented with the opportunities to inquire about new topics and think deeply. Inquiry is a way to ensure that all students are engaged and using a variety of skills needed to be successful and career ready.

        The ability to ask questions is essential to learning, reading, understanding, and student development (Coiro, 2015). Teachers should aim to build a community of wonder in their classroom by using intentional and unplanned opportunities to capitalize on student curiosity. Inquiry based learning engages students as they become more positive, confident, and independent in their learning. As they work through their questions, they gain new knowledge and meaningful understandings (Coiro, et al., 2014). Through inquiry students are introduced to and learn about different perspectives and ways of communicating meaning. The inquiry process is not linear, but can follow a format to aid in student development and exploration.

        It is a great idea to begin framing inquiry instruction with an essential question or relating it to the current curriculum content being taught. Inquiry can help organize instruction around topics that students can bridge off of and according to Wilhelm and Wilhelm (2010), lead to the development of a studied knowledge. Asking essential questions can change the dynamic of the classroom, the questions can be teacher or student centered. Student generated questions, stemming from essential questions or topics, provide benefits of motivating both teachers and students to engage in exploration (Coiro, 2015). They also can aid in students knowing the purpose of their learning, assist them in finding their own connections, and can help highlight concepts and processes that may be useful (Wilhelm and Wilhelm, 2010). 

        The purpose of learning is an essential motivational tool for students. The digital tools and resources used, questions generated, and the process of inquiry should all be portrayed with a purpose to students. When students are able to place a purpose to their learning they become more engaged and motivated to continue developing their skills which can lead to an increase in student understanding (Corio et al., 2016). Engaging in inquiry-based learning without a purpose lowers student engagement and willingness to learn which can undermine and disenfranchise students from school (Wilhelm and Wilhelm, 2010). It is often that teachers can lose student engagement when activities, strategies, or processes do not have a reason and students do not want to learn or understand the content. 

        An additional way to encourage curiosity and learning through inquiry would be conducting a student survey or allowing students to ask additional questions on a curricular concept. When students are allowed to voice their own curiosities and questions it builds their confidence in realizing that their ideas and interest are important (Coiro et al., 2016). Currently in my classroom I am beginning to include an option for students to always list questions they have that pertain to the current concept. This provides me with more opportunities to learn about student interests, their current knowledge of concepts, and encourage curiosity in the classroom. When students begin to become more curious it is a great starting point for students to learn through inquiry. 

        Teachers can take time to show students how to build on their knowledge and search for new answers can encourage critical thinking skills as they create representations of their understanding. Modeling and scaffolding learning in a gradual release format that provides students with the support and independence they need. It is important to model and think aloud strategies that can help students generate interesting questions and access resources to answer the new questions they have (Coiro, 2015). When learning through inquiry students have to utilize a variety of literacy skills in knowing how to locate information, synthesize information they have learned in order to convey their new understanding. 

        Inquiry also provides teachers with the opportunity to include more student collaboration activities and strategies into the classroom. Students who are able to share and express their understanding with peers can learn from each other as they exchange questions and ideas. Coiro (2015) recommends inquiry buddies as a way to get students involved with searching through sources, materials, or generating new questions about related topics. From discussions and collaboration, they can continue to generate more ideas and utilize critical thinking skills to search for more knowledge. Students can then present information they have learned through a variety of projects that they create. 

        Projects can be assigned by the teachers, or student driven, and can easily tie into curriculum mandates or requirements. Consider watching the video below that provides more information on how student driven inquiry can be. To encourage student’s learning and consistent engagement in inquiry, it is important to provide students with a sense of choice and independence in their explorations and creation of products. Students who stake a personal claim or expression may create representations that require a deeper understanding of the material and may cause them to make connections to themselves and the world through their representation (Wilhelm and Wilhelm, 2010). Teachers can also structure tasks that scaffold students’ abilities to question, navigate, and negotiate the meaning of text online directly relating literacy skills into learning through inquiry (Coiro, et al., 2014). Providing students with particular projects that will allow them freedom of representation is a great way to model and scaffold understanding ensuring students utilize strategies and resources planned by the teacher.

Resource Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAYh4nWUkU0

References

Coiro, J. (2015). The Magic of Wondering. The Reading Teacher, 69(2), 189–193.                                  

https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1399

Coiro, J., Castek, J., & Quinn, D. J. (2016). Personal Inquiry and Online Research:                            

Connecting Learners in Ways that Matter. The Reading Teacher, 69(5),                                      

            483- 492. doi:10.1002/trtr.1450

Sekeres, D. C., Coiro, J., Castek, J., & Guzniczak, L. A. (2014). Wondering + Online                      

Inquiry = Learning. Phi Delta Kappa, 96(3), 44–48.                                     https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721714557452                                                        

Wilhelm, J. D., & Wilhelm, P. J. (2010). Inquiring Minds Learn to Read, Write, and                     

  Think: Reaching All Learners through Inquiry. Middle School Journal, 41(5),                             39-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2010.11461738