We have recently spent a lot of time getting to know the problem-solving approaches (forked-road, possibilities factors, situations to be improved, effect/cause). In this week's readings we learned about problem based learning and how it evokes a higher level of thinking. This is magical for teachers because learning about problem solving and problem based methods provides a path on which students pick up 21st century skills! 21st century skills are essential in creating functional and successful adults. You can find 21st century skills in the image below.
Now, as I read and learned about involving students with an applicable problem that they will want to solve I am drawn back to inquiry based instruction. I am incredibly excited to learn more about inquiry-based as I feel that my knowledge on this method has been slowly increasing. I have applied to the Inquiry-Based Pre-Service teacher workshop at this year's National FFA Convention and am anxiously awaiting a response to see if I was accepted as a participant. I really do believe thatinquiry helps students to retain information longer and at a deeper level. It is said that students will learn what they do. If your class makes students memorize content then they will learn how to memorize. So by providing opportunities for students to utilize resources to solve real-world problems they will be able to do the same thing any time they encounter a problem. Project-based learning allows for this authentic process to take place. I can remember learning the scientific method and how to critically think about hypotheses and experiments and why these tests even mattered.
As teachers who strive for nothing less than the best, wouldn't inquiry be something that we would jump on board with without hesitation? I would believe so and therefore I can't wait to master it!
Check out this video below where a teacher from Bolder, Colorado shares his experience with inquiry based learning. It provides a good example that could be utilized in a wildlife or environmental classroom!
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References:
Kirkley, J. (2003). Principles for teaching problem solving. Retrieved from
Larmer, J. & Mergendoller, J.R. (2010). The main course, not dessert: How are students reaching 21st century goals? With 21stcentury project based learning. Retrieved from http://bie.org/object/document/main_course_not_dessert
Larmer, J. & Mergendoller, J.R. (2010). 8 essentials for project-based learning. Retrieved from http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/attachments/article/1058/8_Essentials_article_small_file_size_Oct2012version.pdf
Phipps, L.J., Osborn, E.W., Dyer, J.E., & Ball, A.L. (2008) Handbook on agricultural education in public schools, 1st Edition. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
(2015, August 18).
Retrieved October 01, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbqPaKTsDIU
Angie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. Always proud to have you Repping @TeachAgPSU
Remember:
The problem solving approach is on the appreciative inquiry continuum with inquiry-based instruction on the other end!
DF
Oh no! Looks like I need to learn about this spectrum more in depth. I'm sure I'll get there eventually.
DeleteAngie, it's awesome that you see the importance of PBL and IBL in ag! What are some ways that you plan to utilize both during your student teaching experience? Not sure if you'll be working with CASE at all, but it does an amazing job incorporating both techniques!
ReplyDeleteAngie, during my time at the Natural Resources and Ecology CASE Institute in the summer, we talked about inquiry-based learning nonstop, as this is the way that CASE is designed. What I really liked, though, is how there were authentic and realistic problems for the students to solve throughout the course. Since I went through the entire curriculum myself, I could really see how student-driven this teaching method became when using problem-solving techniques.
ReplyDelete