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Enquiry Learning - The 2020 Program
The following article is drawn from materials created within the College by a number of educators.
What is a Learning Enquiry at GWSC?
A Learning Enquiry at GWSC is an in-depth and scaffolded investigation in which students use an enquiry method to achieve a deep understanding of a central question, referred to as a "fertile question".
A fertile question is one that is open (meaning it has many possible answers, as opposed to a closed question, such as "What is the capital of New Zealand?", which has only one answer) and charged with emotional, social, and political implications (that is, it has an ethical dimension). It undermines the student's existing perceptions and opinions, is rich in content, motivating to explore, and practical (in the sense that it is answerable).
A fertile question demands critical consideration. It is connected to learners, their society, and to central concepts in the discipline (e.g. Science, Mathematics, English, Humanities) being studied. This fosters deeper disciplinary understanding.
The teacher sets the fertile question as part of establishing a context and framework in which to organise the enquiry, and students are guided to ask and enquire into their own research questions - research questions that they formulate.
The structure of the students’ inquiry or research within a Learning Enquiry varies from discipline to discipline.
The purpose of Learning Enquiries at GWSC incudes:
- To teach for deeper disciplinary understanding
- To provide a sustained learning focus
- To immerse students in the timely use of a range of skills and literacies in ICT, Communication and Thinking
- To involve students in learning that connects strongly with communities and practice beyond the classroom
Who Delivers the Learning Enquiries?
At Year 7, English and Maths teachers are responsible for facilitating a disciplinary based enquiry. In this case individual Maths and English teachers work with their own class. Additional support would be provided by the head of faculty.
The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary enquiries, however, are delivered by a team of teachers from different disciplines (as the names suggest). There is one major enquiry, encompassing several Key Learning Areas ("faculties") at years 7-9. These generally last one term, during which teams work together to deliver the program.
It is usual for teams to meet once a week to discuss student progress, although this is not always necessary. During the learning enquiry, a teacher would be involved in planning with other teachers, monitoring student learning, and assessing their understanding.
The learning enquiries offer possibilities for team teaching and collaborative curriculum development. Feedback from teams suggest that this approach to teaching and learning yields benefits on many levels. Teachers have often reported gaining deeper insights into their students, as well as being able to see their discipline within a wider context of learning at the College.
How are Learning Enquiries Assessed?
Learning Enquiries incorporate the following three dimensions of assessment:
» Assessment FOR Learning
» Assessment AS Learning
» Assessment OF Learning
Therefore, assessment is embedded within each stage of a learning enquiry and does not simply occur at the end of the unit.
For instance, students will undertake some form of assessment at the beginning of an enquiry, to test their prior knowledge. This might be done through a Socratic dialogue, concept maps, or written reflections. The processes students undertake during an enquiry (graphic organisers and research tools, discussion forums and blogs) will also comprise part of the overall assessment. Lastly, a final Performance of Understanding will be used to assess student achievement. This culminating piece of work should demonstrate the concepts and skills that have been developed throughout the enquiry.
The 2020 Program
The 2020 Program is run specifically for Year 9 students.
The concept of sustainability is the central curriculum driver for the program and, stemming from this idea, students will explore topics such as energy and water use, waste management, population growth and biodiversity.
The fertile question providing a framework for the interdisciplinary unit is ‘How can we ensure a sustainable future for our blue planet?’
After the fertile question has been posed, students embark on an intensive period of enquiry. Each House group (the College has four Houses) is allocated a three week block in Semester 2, to complete the program. During this time students are encouraged to leave the boundaries of the traditional classroom and to collaborate with other students in their House group.
The rooms MU2-MU4 in the Middle Centre provide an open and flexible learning environment, especially when the operable walls are set to the open position. Students also have the opportunity to leave the school site, make links with people in the wider community, and identify an authentic audience for their research findings.
The 2020 program challenges students to not simply be aware of current issues, but instead to form solutions and act upon the findings of their enquiry. On completion of this project students are positioned to see that they can make a real difference to the communities they belong to.
The Role of Team Teachers
- Within each house there are four team teachers, from Science, English, Humanities, and Health and PE. These teachers generally have two or more yr 9 classes and play a significant role in the program.
- Team teachers decide student groupings and allocate appropriate research questions (this process is, of course, informed by student interest and choice)
- Team teachers are responsible for approximately five groups each, or twenty students. All students in the program have one team teacher who supports their research and helps students guide their enquiry.
- Team teachers are in charge of the final assessment of students
- Team teachers deliver a series of ‘Tool Box’ lessons designed to support students in the program (e.g. how to write a bibliography)
The Role of Teachers Supporting the Program
- Supporting teachers supervise students in the program (only during lessons when they would normally be timetabled to take a core class in the respective house). Clear instructions are left to inform teachers of their deployment.
- Students have a tool booklet, including activities and a timeline, that supporting teachers use to monitor student progress and help facilitate their enquiry projects.
- A program co-ordinator is present at all times, along with usually one or more team teachers, to support staff who may only be in the program for a few lessons a week.
- Supporting teachers are invited to help assess student’s performance of understanding, although this is not a mandatory requirement.
© GWSC
Published: 2009-03-25 17:00:00.0
Article contact: Ms A. Gilbert
Views: 1424
Filed under: Curriculum
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