Getting Ready......

After reading Bell et al, 2005, it is clear that there is not one idea of Inquiry Based Learning.
He proposes that there are different levels of inquiry: Confirmation, Structured, Guided and Open. For this project I believe we are embarking on a Structured form of Inquiry, one in which the learning is Teacher guided and directed, with a prescribed procedure.
However I can see that by choosing our own topics and learners in which to contextualise the project, Guided Inquiry is on the horizon.
Guided Inquiry is an approach in which we as students" find and use a variety of sources of information and ideas to increase their understanding of a problem, topic, or issue.” (Kuhlthau et al, 2007) In this case the topic is our Information Learning Activity.
This type of inquiry has a familiarity to it as it seems to align closely with the KWL framework, that I have so often used with my students... in my case with early years children for the majority of my teaching career:   What we Know,What we Wonder about, and What we Learned
After listening to the Week 1 lecture slides and reading the journal articles this week, I did feel like I was on the cusp on an investigation.
I Know a little, I Wonder About...a lot, and I hope to Learn much!

In reading it is evident that Kuhlthau's Guided Inquiry is grounded in constructivist theory, especially the work of John Dewey.(Kuhlthau et al, 2007) Dewey's approach was that the student constructed their own knowledge by activity...his motto was "Learning by doing" (Dewey,1915 in Kuhlthau et al, 2007)
I know that the way I learn and retain knowledge is by this process of construction.....to seek out what matters, to do it and to learn. This type of learning is lifelong for me, deep and lasting and worthy of engagement and reflection (Kuhlthau et al, 2007) 
The other part of the constructivists' notion of learning is that of reflection. It is through reflection of the activity in every part of the learning process, that further ideas and questions are formed or posed and that leads to further questioning and investigating for understanding (Dewey, 1915 in Kuhlthau et al, 2007)
For Kuhlthau, research into the process of the inquiry method also forms the basis of Guided Inquiry. Her Guided Inquiry approach appeals to me as a method I want to undertake, both for my learning activity with my students, and in writing the research assignment and this blog.
I like the way that Kuhlthau's Guided Inquiry and her research into the Information Search Process, which underpins it, addresses the emotive side of learning and the thoughts and actions that come about because of reflection within it. I will endeavour to write my blog within Kuhlthau's Guided Inquiry approach and use her Information Search Process to articulate my different thoughts, actions and learnings at each stage along the way.

The model below shows Kuhlthau's Information Search Process.(Kuhlthau et al, 2007)
(Please click on the model to enlarge it)






Bell, R; Smetana, L & Binns, I. (2005). Simplyfying inquiry instruction The Science Teacher, 72 (7), 30-33

Kuhlthau, Carol C. ; Maniotes, Leslie K. & Caspari, Ann K. (2007). Chapter 2: The Theory and Research Basis for Guided Inquiry in Kuhlthau, Carol C. ; Maniotes, Leslie K. & Caspari, Ann K, Guided inquiry : learning in the 21st century, Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited, pp.13-28.