Personal Connection

My approach to inquiry before starting this project was solidified. After completing this project my understanding of the later stages of inquiry learning was deepened. I enjoyed this process and I wish the high school students in my building could experience more of it. Inquiry learning is a processing of information not just a find the correct answer type of learning. With the advent of the web for learning I see future generations becoming more inquiry based. One example of this is the popularity of Google. So many people conduct searches (inquiries) on the site looking for information. We’re slowly evolving as a culture of keyword wordsmiths. We’re used to one-stop shopping at Wal-mart, why can’t our web experience with tools such as Google be the same?

As I completed my steps for this project I began to feel full-circle learning is difficult to create in a high school setting. As I mentioned in an earlier posting too often in education we’re in the mode of solve it, answer it, and move on. Inquiry learning requires more time to complete yet allows for much more flexibility. While inquiry involves stages of thinking and learning, its difficult for the evaluator or instructor to see concrete evidence of it unless a significant amount of time is allowed for it to take place. And intermediate steps (documentation) are required, hoops for students to jump through. I think in public education, my background, this luxury of time is something we don’t have therefore we steer more towards task oriented lessons that allow for quicker, faster, speedier results. I unfortunately see this attitude being reinforced with NCLB. While inquiry allows for a more well rounded learning experience it often doesn’t fit into the schedule of teachers who feel the pressure of a six week grading period, weekly required grade reports, and mandatory state standard coverage. Shying away from inquiry learning is a safe approach for most teachers. Most teachers who feel this way are simply playing it safe or trying to keep things simple / easy. The problem with this approach is it fosters a complacent or I see the approach by several teachers

Starting out I had a firm grasp of what tools and where to find information. Using the web I was able to gather resources rather quickly. What changed for me were the levels and types of thinking I encountered as I sat down to piece together what I had gathered and what I’d discovered. As I gathered more and more information I realized that my approach to the topic changed over and over. I felt myself torn between what was happening at the corporate and governmental level versus what local interested citizens were doing. I became interested in what the large entities with lots of money were doing while at the same time I wanted to know how I as the small guy could make a buck. My questions focused on the lower level because I felt this would benefit the students and folks locally that I interact with most.