For this project, our group (Harj, Karen, Lisa, Doni) is working on the topic: How Teacher Librarians Can Support Teachers in Inquiry Projects. We came up with a few questions to focus us on our pursuit.
How do we come up with the Guiding Questions? (and enduring understandings/significant concepts, final project, backwards plan)
How do we create scaffolding sheets, assessment rubrics?
How do we use technology/apps in our inquiry projects?
What are the parameters/limitations within our school?
What curricular subjects are we going to focus on?
What is the IB learner profile?
How do we advertise/present our knowledge to teachers?
How do we advertise to our students?
Based on our goals, we found some websites to help teachers understand and plan inquiry units:
Calgary Science School
www.IBO.org
http://pbl-online.org
…and some books:
Wilhelm, Jeff. Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry, Scholastic, 2007.
Why are School Buses Yellow?
…as well as some research based sites for students to use (thanks Kate!):
Sweet Search
DOGO News
Wonderopolis
BibMe
At least two of us are still planning to modify our library website by providing tabs that direct teachers and learners to Inquiry Research and Inquiry Projects. Since our school community already uses our library website to search for books and online references, we wanted these links on Inquiry to be readily accessible on this platform.
Chartwell Elementary School has almost a 2:1 student /device ratio (when the laptops and iPads are all working and wireless is running smoothly!). With this technologically rich environment, we want ICT skills to be embedded in our Inquiry projects. Notwithstanding, we value hands-on tools and apparatus in research too – such as the rocks and minerals inquiry project we did last year that saw our students analyzing and testing hand samples against identification booklets.
I envision the teachers (and I) using laptop projectors and the Internet to show students how to begin researching their topics. The students will then use laptops in both the classroom and the library for their research. We may use blogs or email for students to share ideas and collaborate with a larger community base, for part of their inquiry (parent leads, community topic experts, other blogs, etc). Laptop projectors will also be used for students to present their work.
It is good to see members of the learning group deciding to use district provided resources. We might criticize how district technology resources are not conducive for fostering innovation in teaching, but if we don’t give district techs feedback on what works and what doesn’t we really don’t have a claim. I know a school district network administrator who went to one of his schools to check on the new computers that were delivered. He found them… under a blanket, completely unused in a teachers’ classroom! He was just shaking his head.