Double Journal Entry #7

What are some challenges to inquiry based approaches to learning?

Inquiry based learning is a new approach to most teachers and with their lack of knowledge on it, they aren't quite sure how to approach it themselves. Not only do teachers have the lack of information, they have lack of tools and support to fully integrate this new way of teaching and learning. The teachers aren't sure of the complexities and may find them unstructured. This will result in failure to provide proper scaffolding, assessment, and redirection.

The teacher isn't the only one at risk with this new way of teaching. The students have to learn a new way of learning as well. Students lack a prior knowledge of this approach and may not know how to manage their time or work together. They also have trouble posing meaning driven questions.

The teachers not only have to make more time for this extended inquiry driven activities but they have to change their management plan around as well. The key to making this new approach work is to plan carefully. Teachers need to do the research and develop new plans for classroom interaction , collaboration, and assessment.

Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. Teaching for meaningful learning. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/edutopia-teaching-for-meaningful-learning.pdf