WHY+Inquiry?

According to //The Conference Board of Canada//, three critical skills required of the Canadian Workforce are**: Academic Skills**, **Personal Management Skills** and **Teamwork Skills**. []. Inquiry projects combine all of these elements into "work" that students enjoy doing. Student-led Inquiry projects combine research, critical thinking skills, and collaboration and teamwork strategies. Students enjoy these “action research” activities because it makes their questions matter and “transform[s] our classrooms from lecture halls to researchers’ workshops.” (Harvey & Daniels, p.14, 2009).
 * __Why do an Inquiry project at all? __**

The benefits of Inquiry learning to students include: development of social, language, and reading skills; independence in transferable research skills and learning strategies and a high level of motivation and engagement. (Kuhlthau, Maniotes & Caspari, 2007, p.6). Inquiry is an approach to learning whereby students find and use a variety of sources of information to increase their understanding of a topic. It is not simply “getting the right answer” but is a process whereby students are engaged and challenged to connect their world with the curriculum. (Kuhlthau, Maniotes & Caspari, 2007, p.2). Inquiry is based around what students //want// to find out, not what teachers feel they //ought// to find out. Once questions about a topic of choice are established, students work in small, collaborative groups to research, synthesize information and present their findings. The three critical workforce skills are highlighted in this process.


 * __Academic skills __**

During the process of an inquiry project, students communicate in a variety of ways – reading, writing, listening, speaking, presenting - with a plethora of materials – print resources, online tools, graphs, maps, experts and specialists. Critical thinking and problem solving are highlighted. Research suggests that using inquiry-based learning with students can help them become more creative, more positive and more independent (Kühne, 1995, as reported in Focus in Inquiry, 2004, p.1).


 * __Personal Management Skills __**

When completing an inquiry, students must learn the steps of the process and self-monitor as they work through each area. They must show responsibility and accountability to get their portion completed. The ability to be flexible is a big part of completing an inquiry project, as questions may result from research that were not accounted for and groups must take new learning into consideration.


 * __Teamwork Skills __**

The ability to work with others is a crucial element for many employers. //“Employers consistently rank collaboration very high on their list of “must have” competencies...experts predict that creativity and innovation will [also] become more important…Employers also thought it much more important that students be comfortable facing a problem with “no right answer”…”// (Jerald, 2009). Inquiry projects are most often completed with a small group, which if very much a real-life phenomenon: Almost everyone in the “nonschool world” works in some kind of group, crew, office, team, staff and so forth. (Harvey & Daniels, 2009, p. 37). Group work is beneficial in many ways:
 * It’s similar to life outside of school, where every student will one day end up
 * The collective brain of the group is smarter than any individual
 * Diversity is an asset in group situations
 * Individual student achievement may actually be increased by well-structured group work (Harvey & Daniels, 2009, p. 37-43).


 * __How do you Build a Culture of Inquiry? __**

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Alberta Learning’s //Focus in Inquiry// (2004) makes several suggestions on how a school can build a positive environment for Student-Led based learning: //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">A systematic approach to the development of these skills is essential to prepare students for problem solving and lifelong learning. //<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">(Focus in Inquiry, 2004, p.3-5).
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Administrators in the school or district need to have a clearly articulated vision for inquiry.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Two or more “champions” promote the vision for inquiry at the school / district level.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Resources and space for inquiry are readily accessible.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers collaborate and support each other, as well as have mutual trust and respect.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Problem-solving and investigative skills are valued throughout the school/school system.
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers approach inquiry with enthusiasm and excitement (even though they know it is sometimes “loud” and “messy”!)
 * <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Teachers model the inquiry process in their instruction (show as well as tell)

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">So begin your journey into Inquiry-based learning. We have included an outline for a project that can be school-based, or classroom-based, if you would prefer. Do expect that there will be bumps along the way. Do expect that you won’t have all the answers (you aren’t supposed to!). Do expect that you will need to be flexible, supportive and might have changes for next time. Do expect to have fun! Remember the words from Kuhlthau, Maniotes & Caspari: “ **//<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Guided Inquiry is a preparation for lifelong learning, not just preparation for a test. //**<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">” (2007, p.4).

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Alberta Learning. (2004). //Focus on inquiry: A teacher’s guide to implementing inquiry based learning//. Edmonton, Canada: Learning Resources Centre.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Harada, V. H. (2010). Librarians as learning leaders: Cultivating cultures of inquiry. In Sharon Coatney (Ed.), //The many faces of school library leadership// (pp. 13-28). Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Harvey, S., & Daniels, H. (2009). //Comprehension and collaboration: Inquiry circles in action//. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jerald, C.D. (2009). //Defining a 21st century education: At a glance//. Retrieved from: <span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">[]

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2007). //Guided inquiry: Learning in the 21st century.// Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.