While a week off for reading week was a much-appreciated break for recharging, it was also nice to get back into the class to keep things moving along to the end of this semester.
Our guest speaker this past week was Simone Littledale, Principal of the Vancouver Island School of Innovation and Inquiry (VISII). This was our first in-person guest speaker, and I didnât realize how much I had longed for in-person guest speaker until it was the reality.
Although we did not receive any unsolicited bird facts, we did receive an informative and passionate talk about Simoneâs process of starting the school, the mission of the school, and the inquiry approach that is paramount to the philosophy of VISII, an inquiry school for middle school-aged students. Especially given that my inquiry project is on the inquiry process, it was reaffirming to know that inquiry is gaining enough traction that independent schools based on the inquiry approach can begin to survive.
I felt a lot of admiration for Simone as she talked about the struggles with funding and licensing, and I appreciate her fortitude in making this type of school a reality. I can almost empathize with Simoneâs process of starting a school with my own project in Japan, Education Beyond English (webpage no longer exists). But I wasnât creating an alternative to day school; I was offering a supplement to regular school, and I canât imagine how much red tape there must be for VISII to exist. Kudos to Simone, and I hope to visit VISII at some point in the near future.
In preparation for a Zoom meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 20 with @trev_mackenzie, who has been so kind to offer some of his time that I may ask some questions about his book and inquiry in the classroom, I have expanded on last week’s post to include a few select points from my notes for chapters 7 – 13 of Dive Into Inquiry(MacKenzie, 2016).
Dive into Inquiry Chapters 7 – 13 Notes
âI am confident that if we gave students, from a young age, the opportunity to ask questions they were encouraged to explore, it would guide them to a more meaningful and enriched educational experienceâ (MacKenzie, 2016, p. 45).
âBy empowering students in the direction of their education, we are nurturing an intrinsic motivation with awesome benefitsâ (p. 46)
Four Pillars of Inquiry
Explore a passion
Use passion prompts to have students, on their own, with partners, or with the whole class, to reflect on and define what they are passionate about
Introduce students to passionate people
Aim for a goal
Allows students to explore more deeply where they want to be in their future and how they can get there
Interview students to help them identify a goal
Delve into your curiosities
Create a curiosity journal
What if questions lead to amazing learning opportunities (see page 60-61 for a list of great questions)
Take on a new challenge
Individual challenges, small group challenges, or single long-term group challenges
Equation for passion: exploration x discovery + time2 = passion
Path to inquiry question â select a topic, determine what a student already knows about the topic (W5H helps with this), do some preliminary research with strong resources, form an essential question
Essential Questions: Opening Doors to Student Understanding by Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins
Make Just One Change: Teach Students to Ask Their Own Questions by Dan Rothstein and Luz Santana
The Question Formulation Technique (QFT) in Make Just One Change
A strong essential question must be open-ended, be related to the course and grade level of the student, and be meaningful to the student
An explicit list in the text states, an essential question shouldâŠ
Provoke deep thought
Solicit information-gathering and evaluation of data
Result in an original answer
Help students conduct problem-related research
Makes students produce original ideas rather than predetermined answers
Encourage critical thinking, not just memorisation of facts (MacKenzie, 2016, p. 77)
An essential question may not have an answer
Some great question stems to initiate a studentâs construction of a question: Which one? How? What if? Should? Why?
MacKenzie (2016) also provides a list of the essential question stems with a little more direction on page 78.
During a meeting with students to discuss their essential question, he asks three questions:
Is your essential question open-ended?
Does your essential question provide the depth of study demanded by the course?
How is your essential question meaningful to you?
The Free Inquiry Proposal has six parts:
Identify the essential question and include a description of why/how itâs meaningful. (The meaningfulness of the question can become the prompt for hooking an audience when itâs time to display the learning.)
What will be the authentic piece that demonstrates the learning process, and how will that be made public?
What sources will be used to research/explore the question? (This is usually just the starting point, as new sources will be found during the exploration, and even new questions asked during the process.)
What is the goal(s) of the inquiry project? (Teachers can use these goals to know how to support the student.)
How will you provide evidence of your learning?
What is the day-to-day, calendar plan that will lead to a successful learning experience? (Map out the milestones of the project, using the date of public display and working backwards from there. Periodically reflect on calendar and revise as necessary.)
Question: What is the importance of âthe pitchâ?
Question: How can inquiry projects be used in elementary school? Which subjects are well-suited to inquiry projects?
Page 92 has a list of a variety of authentic pieces/performances and the learning evidence each produces
Teacher keeps all inquiry proposals in a binder for quick reference and check-ins with students
Some tips shared with students for the explore and research stage:
Take time to explore
Be flexible about what you expect from your time
Take time to reflect and relax
Use an inquiry journal
Excellent inquiry journal teacher-to-student prompts on page 98
Frequent learning evidence check-ins are valuable for supporting students
Providing specific, meaningful, and clear feedback throughout the Explore and Research stage leads students to feel supported
The authentic piece âmust summarize their learning and reflect, to an extent, the must-know content [the] course demandsâ (p. 104) and fit into the learning objectives of the course
Use examples of other peopleâs work to get an understanding of what you (the student) would like to achieve/demonstrate in their authentic piece
When the authentic piece is outside the knowledge of the teacher, collaborate with a professional to do the assessment
Public displays of inquiry learning include 3 components:
A visual representation of the authentic piece
An inquiry statement that includes the question and background of the inquiry, including motivation
A five-minute inquiry reflection video (using Explain Everything app)
Adopt inquiry with three things in mind:
Think big and plan for the future classroom you want for your learners
Start with small changes first to add inquiry to your class
Always keep the learners at the heart of inquiry
(and a fourth) Find comfort in the mess of uncertainty
Great quote: âIn order to see results you have never seen, you will need to do things youâve never doneâ (MacKenzie, 2016, p. 120)
In my 3rd attempt at prompting Micrsoft Copilot to generate my weekly reflection, I revised my input to:
Write a blog post that includes a concise summary of Chat GPT and generative AI. Express pleasure for listening to todayâs guest speaker, Chris Du, the creator the innovative project management tool called Ensightful. Finally, express appreciation for todayâs plan, which included having some time to practice with generative AI programs (Canva, quickdraw with Google). Embed links to Chris Du, Ensightful, Canva, quickdraw with Google. Temper the self-aggrandizing tone.
This is what the Copilot generated from my prompt:
Exploring the World of Chat GPT and Generative AI
In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, Chat GPT and generative AI stand out as remarkable innovations. Letâs delve into what they are and how they impact our digital interactions.
Chat GPT: Conversations with an AI Companion
Chat GPT, powered by OpenAIâs language model, is a sophisticated conversational AI system. It can engage in natural language conversations, answer questions, generate creative content, and assist users across various domains. Whether youâre seeking information, brainstorming ideas, or simply having a chat, Chat GPT provides an intelligent and responsive companion.
Generative AI models, including Chat GPT, produce new content based on input data. Theyâve come a long way since their inception, with key milestones dating back to Claude Shannonâs work in 1948 and Alan Turingâs introduction of the Turing test in 1950. These models have evolved to create powerful language generation tools like Chat GPT1.
Guest Speaker Spotlight: Chris Du and Ensightful
Today, we had the pleasure of listening to Chris Du, the visionary creator behind Ensightful, an innovative project management tool. Ensightful streamlines project workflows, enhances collaboration, and empowers teams to achieve their goals efficiently. Chrisâs insights into project management and technology were truly enlightening2.
A Day of Exploration: Generative AI Programs
Our agenda included hands-on time with generative AI programs:
Canva: A versatile platform that allows users to create stunning designs, presentations, and social media graphics. Canvaâs generative features enable effortless creativity, making it a go-to for content creators.
As we continue to embrace AI-driven technologies, Chat GPT and generative AI promise to shape our digital experiences in profound ways. Letâs stay curious, learn, and celebrate the fusion of human creativity and machine intelligence! đ
— End of Copilot —
Reflection question prompts: Do you view AI as a beneficial tool for education, or does it present more challenges? What potential issues or advantages do you anticipate?
When considering AI, I understand the ease of use, but I think that same ‘ease of use’ is going to produce a negative impact on society. We would like to think that every technological advancement has been completely, or mostly, beneficial, but I think, if we use a pendulum or a teeter totter as a model, we can recognize that there are also downfalls.
The downfall to AI is that people will discontinue thinking for themselves; they won’t need to. They will stop reading, critiquing, formulating opinions, and believing in their own abilities. AI will become God. All hail the all-knowing, omnipresent AI god.
As a society, had we walked as slow as our slowest member, I think we would have been able to establish a solid value base that could, potentially, ensure that we all use new technologies with care, understanding, and ethics. Because we seem to be so scattered, I don’t think it’s possible to ensure everyone will use new technologies responsibly. But, let’s keep opening these boxes Pandora continues to give us and see where it goes! (And I hope I’m proven wrong.)
And these are a few of the screenshots taken while in class:
As an aside, did Roald Dahl foresee the coming of ChatGPT as early as the 1950’s, as might be interpreted from his short story, The Great Automatic Grammatizator (1954)?
For this week’s inquiry blog post, I will expand on a few select points from my notes for chapters 1 – 6 of Dive Into Inquiry(MacKenzie, 2016).
Dive into Inquiry Chapters 1-6 Notes
I have heard that some administrators expect to see a year’s plan before the beginning of the school year. And so, my question is: How does administration view the process of using the first few weeks of school to co-design the curricular content with students for the year/semester? Does this freedom need to come with established trust? What did MacKenzie (2016) need to overcome or provide in way of evidence to have administration support his approach?
âMake learning visibleâ (p. 20) sounds very reminiscent of the early childhood education (ECE) literature pertaining to Reggio Emilia, documentation, and pedagogical narrations in British Columbia. I wonder if this terminology has from ECE…
Inquiry is âthe process of being open to wonder and puzzlements and coming to know and understand the worldâ (Alberta, Focus on Inquiry, 2004; as cited in MacKenzie, 2016, p. 22)
Inquiry-based learning is âa process where students are involved in their learning, create essential questions, investigate widely and then build new understandings, meanings, and knowledge. That knowledge is new to the students and may be used to answer their essential question, to develop and may be used to support a position or point of view. The knowledge is usually presented to others in some sort of a public manner and may result in some sort of actionâ (Alberta, Focus on Inquiry, 2004; as cited in MacKenzie, 2016, p. 22)
MacKenzie (2016) talks about flipping control in the classroom, empowering student learning and scaffolding with the Types of Student Inquiry (Structured Inquiry, Controlled Inquiry, Guided Inquiry, Free Inquiry). Question: I wonder if there have been students who are so acclimatized to a teacher-led model that they do not ever feel comfortable with the gradual release of responsibility approach he talks about taking with the students in his class(es).
The author refers to Understanding by Design by McTighe and Wiggins, which is a resource I will need to look into.
I appreciate the listing of the twenty-first century learners soft skills: curiosity, creativity, initiative, multi-disciplinary thinking, and empathy, growth mind-set, grit, character. Having experienced the Japanese macrosystem, it is the last two, grit and character that I think students in Victoria, BC may need to focus on. It would help if the adults in their lives were more able to model characteristics like grit and character.
Partway through chapter four, MacKenzie (2016) provides a QR code link to a video entitled, If students designed their own schools. I have revised my inquiry planning sheet to add this as next week’s learning task, including the activity of listing the pros and cons, as described in MacKenzie (2016).
I appreciated having some time in class to, not only hear about new technologies, but to also have an opportunity to use the technology introduced to us. With the advice of our instructor, Andrew, I chose to try using Notion for creating a lesson plan; a lesson plan that Cameron and I will use for our Greenspace Lesson Assignment in EPHE 312.
Creating an account was as easy as entering my email address and then the signup code sent to my emailâs inbox. Once inside Notion, I was able to find a template for a lesson plan and start filling it in, beginning with the title and due date. After reviewing the assignment requirements for the Greenspace Lesson, I realized that our instructor for EPHE 312 had given us a lesson template we are supposed to use. With a simple Ctrl âAâ and Ctrl âCâ, I was able to Ctrl âVâ the EPHE 312 lesson template right into Notion. Easy.
In class, we quickly used Notionâs AI to generate a list of the predators and prey species that live in the Southern region of Vancouver Island. This helped kickstart our idea for the Food Chain Game we would like to create for our Greenspace lesson.
Our guest speaker this week was Joseph Gamble, who has a combined role of EdTech Support and Teacher at Ăcole Catholique Saint-Dominique-Savio in Owen Sound, Ontario. The most salient message I got from this talk (which seems to be a theme of the course) was: If you donât know, ask. Schools and school districts, pay people to help teachers navigate the world of tech, and, no matter how tech-savvy a teacher may be, it is good practice to ask and make sure, because there may be aspects of tech-related use, such as the legal aspects, that we may not be fully aware of. As we will be working in education, it makes the most sense to practice education as a community, to learn from those who know, and be humble in our own unknowing.
I have finally created a tentative plan for my inquiry project with the same document being the tracking sheet. Taking it slow for now, I have planned to read half of the chapters of Dive Into Inquiry (2016) by next Friday and the rest of the book by the following Friday. As the author, Trevor MacKenzie is an educator in SD61, this will provide me with a local voice that advocates for inquiry in the classroom.
To widen my own understanding by listening to all perspectives, I will follow the book with a podcast by John Sweller, Why inquiry-based approaches harm student learning. It will be interesting to hear what evidence there may be that suggests an inquiry approach is actually harmful to student learning. I am always open to listening to all the degrees on the circle.
From there, I would like to have some in-person conversations, but because I have yet to confirm whether anyone can offer their time to me, I will leave this as a to be determined.
And finally, my goal of this inquiry is to create a document or resource that I can use to possibly implement an inquiry project into my six-week practicum – or sometime later in my career, depending on the goals and perspective of the teacher who will be overseeing my practicum. But, having something tangible to show my practicum teacher that explains how I plan to go about the process will likely increase my chances of being able to do so instead of just going into practicum with high hopes and germinal aspirations.
This past week we had Jesse Miller of Mediated Reality as a virtual guest in EDCI 336 talking to us about the topics of social media awareness, mobile communications and associated behaviours and online content evaluation. An experienced presenter, Jesse Millerâs talks are âdesigned to reveal the truths behind the concerns, address the issues within your organization and provide participants with the awareness tools needed to better equip themselves for social media useâ (Mediated Reality, 2013, About).
In our class, Jesse used questions from the cohort to drive the presentation while he offered anecdotal evidence and research as explanations for the need of teachers in the public sector to be informed and conscientious of the potential realities that exist with social media and technology use.
Some of the examples of the type of technology/social media that have captured the attention of employers/administrators in the education sector, and subsequently led to professional conversations and/or disciplinary action, were more humorous than shocking, to be honest. Being someone who has little-to-no online presence, I found myself smiling for most of the presentation. I was also very grateful for the plethora of knowledge and tips Jesse brought to our classroom discussion.
I was, however, drawn to do a Google search on myself and found three instances of my presence online, all connected to the University of Victoria: my MA project on UVicâs dspace; a Facebook post from the Chilliwack Child Care Resource & Referral office forwarding my invitation to participate in a research study; and a UVic news story connected to a COVID bursary my family and I received during the pandemic. Iâll hope future potential employers care to take a look!
With the goal of understanding how to best incorporate inquiry into my teaching practice, it is important that I begin inquiring about inquiry from any perspective available. And so, when speaking to representatives of school districts at a career fair in the Learning Commons at UVic, I inquired about inquiry.
âHow are inquiry projects being done in your district?â
âIf I was a practicum student in your district, would the supervising teacher(s), administration, and/or district be open to me doing inquiry projects in the classroom during my practicum?â
The answers I received to these questions led me to a thought:
Inquiry is now a buzzword in education, and just like the term pedagogical narration in early childhood education, the consumer of information needs to be wary of unsubstantiated conjecture masquerading as knowledgeable-by-experience. Educators need to be diligent in discerning between those who talk the talk and those who walk the talk, as there is a substantial difference. And when interacting with those who only talk the talk, my recommendation is to politely smile, say ‘thank-you’, and move along.
The next stop on my journey through and to inquiry is with Trevor MacKenzie’s publication, Dive Into Inquiry (2016), which I have borrowed from the UVic library. Reading through and taking notes will be my task for this upcoming week.
This past week we had a guest speaker, Dave, from Live It Earth, an online educational organization that offers programs, blended learning resources and education challenges that connect the classroom to the outdoors.
For me, because most of my professional experience has been as an early childhood educator with the 0 – 6 age groups, and being someone who intentionally refrained, when and where possible, to limit screen time with children in the formative years, I do not have a lot of experience with online sources for education. More than that, however, I probably also need a lot more convincing than those who have grown up in the tech age.
Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic forced education to go online for a time, I do recognize the value in this type of resource and how it could supplement online education (especially for the demographic who were, up until the pandemic, technologically unversed). Now that we have all been released from the lockdown, I would hope, however, that educators would take advantage of utilizing the outdoors for outdoor education. But, thinking about those communities that are too urban, too remote, or experience too extreme weather conditions at different times of the year, I think, if used to compliment an already outdoor, hands-on, feet-dirty program, that there could be benefits. Still, my only hope is that educators would not subscribe to a pedagogy of laziness and just turn on the programming because it’s easy – no matter how well-produced it may be.
For this week’s tech-task, we were asked to produce a screencast. (I had to type the question in a search engine, ‘What is a screencast?‘ After following the instructions and convincing myself to accept less-than-perfection, I managed to create a screencast introducing an online Japanese-English dictionary resource. I was able to add a title page but was unable to edit the sound, or do some fade-ins/fade-outs. But, with this first experience of creating a screencast, I can confidently say that I would be able to do it again, and I hope that I would become more apt with the editing aspect in future experiences.
I also turned on the H5P plugin, and I am about to attempt to something interactive to this post. If it doesn’t happen on the first attempt, I will continue trying!
For this inquiry project assignment for EDCI 336, I will look at how I can support the inquiry process for other learners. Inquiry as a process aligns with my philosophy of learning and educating, and is an educational approach that I have been in relationship with since my training in early childhood education.
The Reggio Emilia-inspired style of education that was the foundational approach of my diploma in early childhood education, challenged me to think about the interests, explicit or implicit, of the child, along with the underlying developmental stage of each domain and respond in a curricular way to scaffold the childâs understanding, abilities, and development. In the last semester of my diploma, we were introduced to theproject approach (Helm & Katz, 2000).
Whether as a practicing early childhood education in Ontario, Japan, or in British Columbia, it was my initial training that set the foundation for my interest in self-driven learning. Before entering the PDP program at UVic, my career in early childhood education culminated with this project; an effort to help early childhood educators understand and practice an inquiry-driven approach referred to as pedagogical narrations in British Columbia.
As an education student, the inquiry project I did for EDCI 360, entitled, âWhat if the Goal of Education was Flow?â, was driven by the, slightly, more digestible question, âHow do we help students reach a state of flow to maximize engagement and learning?â One of the criteria for reaching a flow state, according to Csikszentmihalyi (1988), is intrinsic motivation. Reflecting on my own life, the moments I felt the most joy in a success, as defined by my own parameters/conditions, I had decided the learning path to embark on; I knew what I knew, and I knew what I didnât know â which led me to the understanding of I wanted or needed to know â which led me to a state of knowing. And Iâm not saying that that knowing is all-knowing, that the knowing is complete or perfect, or that my knowing is better than anyone elseâs knowing. No. But what it does mean, for me, is that when I was able to act on my own interest in something, I tapped into intrinsic motivation and that energy source fueled my inquiry. And now, it seems like a natural progression to learn more about Reggio Emilia, project-based learning, pedagogical documentation/narration from the perspective of inquiry; to develop my skills using another set of literature, resources, and experiences. And so, as stated above, I will start this inquiry by looking into the inquiry-based learning literature to find out how I can support the inquiry process for other learners.
