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Last week I started an online course aboutProject-Based Learning for Global Citizenship through Taking it Global. So, I am thinking this is a good time to get back into blogging & reflecting on my learning! One of the readings for this week was Powerful Learning: Studies Show Deep Understanding Derives from Collaborative MethodsBy Brigid Barron, Linda Darling-Hammond, 2008 The article explores research that supports co-operative learning and inquiry-based teaching. The research suggests that inquiry-based lessons and meaningful group work can be challenging to implement. They require changes in curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices -- changes that are often new for teachers and students. It is exciting to see these changes evolving throughout Simcoe County! Earlier this week I visited a classroom that has jumped right into inquiry based learning. Students are creating and investigating questions instead of relying on the teacher as the sources of knowledge and the one who chooses information for students to master. This shift in classroom instruction is prompting a shift in assessment and mindsets.
The spirit of inquiry is driven by open ended questions and investigations by students!
"Students must learn how to learn, while responding to endlessly changing technologies and social, economic, and global conditions." (Barron, Darling-Hammond, 2008)
