Inquiry

David Liotta

**1. http://cct2.edc.org/PMA/social_change.html**

The site is called picturing Modern America 1880-1920. The site provides 10-15 subtopics about the time period, such as immigration, families, technology, etc. and provides and array of pictures from the time period. Each task differs under each subtopic but all tasks include analyzing four or five photos from the time and comparing and contrasting the images. Some tasks as for you to find similarities or the commonalties in given photos to help reach a conclusion about the time period. For example, one photo analysis asked for the learner to look at three pictures from 1915 and to click on the object that is the same throughout all three photos. This particular one turned out to be electric lighting, in which, one photo included a street lamp, an electric light bulb and string lighting in Atlantic City. The conclusion was that their was electric lighting in 1915 outside of the household. The site generally breaks down the investigation process in analyzing primary sources and shows the learner how to lead to conclusions about the past. Also a brief background is given behind the photos from the time period learners will define.

· identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation. · plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project. · collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions. ·  use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
 * 2A.** Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
 * 2B. ** Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

** 3. Inquiry Based Learning** is a type of learning requiring research to gain knowledge, analysis of the knowledge, and synthesizing the research to create a new product or solution to a real or fictitious problem. The difference between **Inquiry** and similar words such as, research, investigation, inquest, question, examination, etc. is that **Inquiry Based Learning** is guided by an instructor who acts as a model and facilitator and deliberately plans out the task so that the student(s) are guided in a direction, in order to formulate their own conclusion without limitations. **Inquiry** types of tasks should include a clear explanation of what is required to be completed with a model or background information to guide the researcher. Further analysis should take place where the researcher examines, compares and contrasts the information collected and creates a new product or solution to a real or fictitious problem. However, the final product or solution should not be limited to just one or a few possible outcomes.


 * Inquiry** is not an independent research type of learning, whereas, other learning models are almost or completely independent of structure. No guidelines are given but the researcher is his or her own guide. **Inquiry Based Learning** is modeled and guided where the right, end results are infinite.


 * Rubric for Inquiry Based Learning **

**4.** None of the activities are inquiry based, in my opinion.
 * || ** Not Evident **
 * 1 ** || ** Partial **
 * 2 ** || ** Exemplary **
 * 3 ** || ** Score ** ||
 * **Critical Thinking and Analysis** || Activity does not require the participant to examine, compare and contrast data. || Activity requires the participant to examine data but does not call for further analysis. || Activity requires the participants to examine, compare and contrast data which extends to synthesizing information. || ||
 * **Background Information** ||  The instructor provides little or no background about the task required.   ||  The instructor provides  information about the topic, in which, help students perceive meaningful inquiries but missing a foundation and/or explicit instruction about the task at hand.   ||  The instructor provides a supporting model, which provides a grounding for creation, but doesn't limit creativity. Also includes explicit instructions for the task expected.   || ||
 * ** Clarity of Instruction ** || The task is unclear and confusing to the learner. No model or background information is provided || The task contains some structure but lacks a clear goal or outcome for the learner. Some modeling and background information is provided. || The task includes clearly defined instruction supported with a model and background information. || ||
 * ** Synthesis ** || The activity does not call for a **new** conclusion or product based on resources provided. || The activity calls for a **new** conclusion or product but the outcome expected is defined vaguely. || The activity includes explicit, concise directions for creating a **new** product. || ||
 * ** Final Product or Solutions ** || The activity is restrained to one final product or possible outcome. || The activity allows for only a few possible outcomes but limited in creativity. || The activity allows for endless possible outcomes without any restrictions on creativity. || ||


 * 5. ​** Ahmad's, Danielle's and my web activity did not include inquiry based activities because they only required answering questions to given questions. Ahmad's ESL assignment only included matching words, in which, is more like a study guide. Danielle's activity only seemed to be a book report, in which, did not require a new product or substance after analysis. My website only included analyzing photos through questioning and drawing conclusions but did not require a new product.


 * 6.** Out of our rubrics I would choose my rubric for assessing the activities because it depicts what to look for in an inquiry based learning activity, in my opinion. However, Ahmad's rubric is just as good in identifying the tasks needed for inquiry based learning. The fault I see in the rubric, though, is that it's a little broad for interpretation. For example, Ahmad's **//Connection//** part of the rubric assesses the learners desire, in which, can't be judged the same way in every inquiry based activity.