Inquiry+and+Research

=Inquiry and Research=

=[]= =Summary thoughts 3 minute Pause:﻿= Summary thoughts on 3 minute pause: Time to summarize; add my thoughts and pose clarifying questions to all I have learned Changing Times The advent of technology based tools puts a whole new slant on how students need to learn to be ready to embrace the 21st century workplace. What is involved in making this happen? video, texting, email, wikis, wordle, etc., are the new buzz words for the 21stCentury. It is captivating and does hold students’ attention and keeps them motivated and engaged. Schools want this to create a life long learning desire so they employ these new technology tools. We must continue to keep in mind they are merely tools. Wikispaces, I see the practical side of utilizing this technology to reach many students both in and outside of classes/ schools, gain instant feedback, create dialogs 24/7 and proper use of Internet search engines to get the correct info on topics. Guidelines to site evaluations are critical for students so their time is efficiently used and they do in fact get the right information. I agree and take it all in, So schools must groom students for this challenge. One way is Inquiry based learning which helps to teach problem solving, critical thinking and the grasp of content area building self directed learning for students, it allows them to take ownership of their learning making it personal, giving them a sense of power. It creates the stage for developing skills required for the process of life long learning. This process pushes/drives students to find out on their own, not just for that particular content area, but for the sake of using this strategy for skills needed for the betterment of society. Questions lead to answers which lead to other questions engaging students to drive themselves towards self-learning where it is student centered. It helps them acquire and analyze information. It pulls in all forms technology via video, internet, email questions for experts, integrating arts for deeper meanings, collaboration within groups of different backgrounds, how to manage time, predict, so that all these pieces are put together to problem-solve and provide leadership opportunities. It creates an environment of natural learning not data driven learning. Teachers have to realign their bag of trick to incorporate this method of learning and that is a shift away from how we have always done it. We have to be up on this method so that we can model for our students. I take all this in, I agree, but a certain business world part of me wonders: It is essential to be only technology savvy? Does a company hire people to create wikispaces and/or wordle, etc., or do they want results, and bottom line profits, but then again if all this is helping students learn a new way of gathering information and becoming that life long learner then this is all vital for the next generation to know.

Additions after readings:
There is something to be said about the move towards IBL being incorporated into our teaching. Instead of text/lecture/regurgitate as the only method of learning, (is it good learning?) the development of technology, the ever shrinking world, and the complex issues that all this creates does make one see that education has to change to meet these needs and prepare students properly. With additional readings I believe that anything that we can help students learn,embrace and utilize via IBL to expand their knowledge base is moving toward 21st century teaching/learning which is demanded in our global world today. IBL encourages students to seek answers for themselves. It helps them see that they do have a foundation of prior knowledge that they can build on and use, see what they know, add to it, evaluate and make changes to their knowledge, learn new vocabulary, listen, take turns, consider other's points of view. This is definitely empowering. It may prompt a deeper involvement for students in their own education to figure out answers and solutions and apply what they learns to their own life for continual life-long learning. IBL will give them a jump start when they go into the work world because they will be confident,they will have the tools, and realize the IBL is a natural progression in problem solving issues within their jobs,while collaborating with co-workers and clients to get any job done.