Hailey Arnold: Wilkes EDIM

 Creating a full 5E lesson plan has made it easier to visualize how I can use inquiry-based learning in my classroom. While a lot of planning, searching, and organizing was required to put together the resources on my Google Site, it seems as though once everything is put together, it will be easy for students to follow and complete at their own pace.  As I teach more than one science course, I find myself thinking of ways that I could create a similar website for my Zoology class. I like the idea of having several days of plans available for students to see what is coming up in future classes.  Overall, I feel far more comfortable with IBL than I did at the beginning of this course. Being introduced to different parts of inquiry over time was more helpful than being overwhelmed with everything all at once. 

 As my understanding of inquiry based learning has evolved over the past few weeks, I now feel like I have a better comprehension of how to use IBL in my own classroom. By creating the unit plan, IBL seems more feasible since I have been able to apply it to my own content area in a manner I can use in the future.  I have also realized that I already use elements of IBL in my instruction in the form of different Web 2.0 tools. While reading my classmates' posts about presentation tools, video tools, mobile tools, and community tools, I have come to see that I already incorporate a lot of the ones mentioned in my instruction in various ways. This has changed my view of IBL and how I can use it in my classroom, considering I seem to already use it!

  Since beginning this course, my views about inquiry-based learning have changed. I originally thought that IBL was going to be difficult to incorporate into my instruction, knowing the population of students I have in my classes. I was worried that I would have to sacrifice classroom management. After reading the various resources throughout the units thus far, I realized that that is not the case! Because there are different types of IBL, I can use more structured inquiry, rather than open inquiry. Teaching science allows me to easily incorporate inquiry into lessons in small chunks where appropriate. Previously, I had thought that the entire class period would need to be inquiry focused in order to be effective. The abilities and understandings of IBL also help provide a better picture of what inquiry-based learning is supposed to look like. Keeping those ideas in mind when creating an inquiry lesson will help things stay on track. Overall, I feel like I have a better understan...

  Create a blog entry that describes how your thoughts about inquiry based learning have developed over the past week.   What new insights have you developed? Has anything changed? Are there any "burning questions" that you feel need to be answered? When first logging in for this course, I had the idea that inquiry based learning was something that was going to be difficult to incorporate into my classroom. I believed that this kind of learning was going to be chaotic with little structure. Keeping in mind the students that I have in my classroom and knowing their personalities and learning abilities, I was concerned that I would not be able to use inquiry based learning. After reading the information in Topic C and learning more about what IBL actually is, I realized that with some forethought and planning, I could make it work with my students. With the right topic and lesson, inquiry based learning could be very beneficial in my instruction. With that in mind, I would like...

     Project Based Learning is enhanced with the use of technology. Whether students are investigating a topic by researching, collecting data, or presenting their findings, technology can be used. The SAMR model, created by Dr. Ruben Puentedura in 2010, discusses how technology can be used to enhance learning in four different tiers: substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition (Terada, 2020). When considered in conjunction with PBL, the SAMR model can take technology integration to the next level. Each level of SAMR involves taking technology and adapting it to different ways to support learning. The first two levels, substitution and augmentation, involve transformation - this level often includes taking traditional forms of learning and replacing them with digital ones. In terms of PBL, these two tiers may include gathering research on a Google Doc, rather than with pencil and paper or creating a digital portfolio of all of their work and resources. The ...

   Project-Based Learning, also known as PBL, allows students to think creatively about the information they are learning in the classroom and apply it to real-world situations. Within PBL, students can work collaboratively to answer an essential question by doing an in-depth investigation that includes researching, planning, and sharing their findings (Edutopia, 2007). Oftentimes, PBL will include aspects from different subject areas, allowing students to build meaningful connections between the content they learn. Project-Based Learning allows students to show their mastery of content knowledge and is also a way for students to develop critical skills in today’s society. As expressed by Edutopia, solving complex real-world problems allows students to work on fundamental skills, like reading, writing, and math, but also allows them to practice their 21st century skills, such as teamwork, time management, research gathering, and using tech tools (Edutopia, 2007). John L...