4.1. Think and reflect
How do the dimensions of quality teaching relate to inquiry learning and project-based learning approaches?
Examine this same question from the pedagogical perspective your school or education system is currently employing.
After reading the Quality Teaching to Support the NSW Professional Teaching Standards, I can see that inquiry learning and project-based learning lesson planning can ensure TL’s teaching practice would align with the requirements for quality teaching.
In the dimension of intellectual quality, inquiry learning and project-based learning enable students to come up with the original questions for their topic and they can also carry out research and activities to investigate the topic and solve related problems. This helps students develop higher-order thinking, deep knowledge and metalanguage.
In the dimension of quality learning environment, project-based learning and inquiry learning encourage students to interact socially and engage discussions within the student-directed learning environment.
Project-based learning and inquiry based learning enhance the connectivity and inclusiveness of the learning environment.
My school is actively pushing for project-based learning in the STEM program. Year 7 to 9 have STEM lessons every week during which students create a science product they initiate around a topic. The most recent project created by Year 9 was amusement parks using renewable energies. The end products are on display in the school library. I am teaching in the language faculty. We have not emphasised on inquiry learning or project-based learning. However, we have tried to make language learning practical and useful for students. For example, each language teacher has done a unit of study on celebrating New Year in the county where the targeted language is spoken. Students were required to make a craft in relation to the New Year culture of the county. The lesson plans can be expanded and adapted to inquiry learning. The inquiry unit of study can have a focus on research information about the New Year culture in a county where the targeted language is spoken.
Reference:
Quality teaching to support the NSW professional teaching standards. Retrieved from: http://currentreforms.weebly.com/uploads/2/6/9/9/26999857/quality_teaching_to_support_nsw_professional_teaching_standards.pdf
4.1 b Discussion and reflection
The present K-12 education climate has some opposing drivers. On the one hand, there is the move to 21st century skills, evident in the Australian Curriculum’s General Capabilities and Cross Curriculum Priorities; on the other, there is the requirement of accountability where students must perform on the local, state, Australian and International levels (school tests, NAPLAN, HSC and PISA, for example).
This can be a hot topic of discussion. What do you think?
- Are the acquisition of 21st century skills and the focus on accountability mutually exclusive?
You may wish to consider what problems and barriers teachers and TLs may face in schools which adopt inquiry learning.
- What issues might stand in the way of inquiry learning in the school?
- What issues might stand in the way of collaboration between teachers and teacher librarians to carry out inquiry learning?
Bonanno (2015) explicitly demonstrated how the core skills required in the Australian Curriculum, the General Capabilities and inquiry skills can be integrated in the unit of learning for students. This proves that the acquisition of 21 century skills and requirements for students to do the various tests are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the acquisition of the skills and passing the tests are inter-related. The skills are essential for students to do the tests well. On the other hand, students who do not do well on the tests would normally have poor skills in literacy and General Capabilities.
Inquiry learning is a method which TLs can apply to their teaching of the library lessons. While it can be effective, it takes a lot of planning and organisation to implement. It can be also challenging for TLs and the subject teachers to have time together to organise the lesson plans and discuss suitable topics of study. Subject teachers are under pressure to enable students to achieve outcomes required by the syllabus. They also plan their teaching around the assessments required for each term. Marking the assessments and writing the reports are the priorities with non-negotiable deadlines. They may not have the time to plan the extra library lessons with TLs. Therefore, TLs need to take the initiative to discuss with the teachers what they think might help their subject teaching and how the inquiry learning in information literacy, literacy and General Capabilities skills can be integrated into the lessons. TLs also need to have an overall understanding about the subject contents in order to plan the lessons effectively. Perseverance is important in the implementation of inquiry learning and collaborative work between TLs and teachers. The improvement of students’ information literacy skills and General Capabilities skills takes time to show up. It also takes time to develop the culture of collaborative work in the school community.
Reference:
Bonanno, K. (2015). F-10 Inquiry skills scope and sequence and F-10 core skills and tools, Eduwebinar Pty Ltd, Zillmere, Queensland. Retrieved from: https://s3.amazonaws.com/scope-sequence/Bonanno-curriculum_mapping_v1.pdf