I have always thought of inquiry learning as a pretty necessary ingredient in teaching science. It is integral to the scientific method and, indeed, the entire scientific enterprise. Background knowledge is important of course, but knowing facts, figures, definitions, and basic concepts is just the first step. In an scientific classroom, doing science should take precedence over learning science. In other words, it is about the experience itself. And to me, that is what inquiry is really all about.
One key thing that I have taken away from this course is the distinction between investigable and non-investigable questions. When engaging students, showing processes, discoveries, innovations and phenomena that get them curious about the natural world, we want them to ask non-investigable questions--questions that may sometimes be unanswerable, at least for the time being. But to teach with inquiry, it is crucial that students be able to take their questions and hone them into something they can test. To do this, they really need to think about what variables are involved and which variables can be isolated and manipulated. This allows them to design an investigation that will yield actual results, with valid data they can analyze.
Another key feature that really stood out to me throughout this course is the importance of student choice. Rather than just telling students what they are going to learn and what they need to do, part of inquiry is giving them the chance to sort it out on their own. Giving them some free reign in their exploration makes it so much more relevant and meaningful, which also gives it staying-power. Of course the content itself is important, but the process skills they implement along the way are just as important, if not more so.
I would say that I implement a good amount of inquiry into my teaching on a regular basis. One of the biggest projects we do in 9th grade science in my district is a wonderful inquiry lesson on hominid evolution. Students work in groups to observe and measure various features of ten different fossil hominid skulls (replicas obviously). They are guided through the process but really have to generate their own data, analyze it, and draw conclusions to explain how they think all these different species of ancient humans are related to one another in a gigantic family tree going back over 3 million years.
I would say this entire unit is a great model for inquiry-based learning, and going forward, I would really like to try to capture the essence of this investigation and apply it to some of the other units we do in 9th grade science. I do not know that I will ever be able to use inquiry as the only or primary way I teach in my classroom, but I think doing a major inquiry investigation once per marking period would be a worthy goal and one my students would benefit from. Part of the issue is just letting go of some control. When it comes to pacing, staying on schedule, getting through content, these are all the things that get in the way of inquiry learning. But I think that handing the classroom back to the students a little more often could really have a big impact on their learning, while at the same time, giving me the chance to be the guide or facilitator providing assistance and feedback, rather than the instructor telling them what to do.
21st century learners are living in a world very different to the one we grew up in just a couple decades ago. Collaboration, communicating, networking, and critical thinking will be more important than ever as these students leave school and enter a workforce that is likely to include vocations that currently do not even exist yet. Providing them with authentic learning experiences that bridge the gap between different subjects is a great way to prepare them for the unknown that awaits.
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