Guidelines for Designing Inquiry-Based Learning Environments on the Web: Professional Development of Educators

1. Guidelines for Designing Inquiry-Based Learning Environments on the Web: Professional Development of Educators Byung-Ro Lim IST, Indiana Univ. July 20, 2001

2. What’s going on in the classroom? • Current practices • Teacher-centered • Dissemination of knowledge • Dominant textbook-based view • What is missing? • Higher-order thinking skills, self-directed learning, & multiple perspectives

3. Why? • Many factors influence this: • Test-driven curricula • Practical difficulties • Social, cultural factors • Teachers lack training • My focus is on developing teacher competence.

4. How? • Innovative professional development • Overcoming traditional approaches: training, dissemination, & “fire-fighting” approach • Social constructivist perspective • Using inquiry-based learning to learn inquiry • Using online technology

5. What is this study all about? Online inquiry-based learning for educators

6. Research Questions • What are guidelines for designing inquiry-based learning environments (OILEs) on the web for teacher professional development? • What are the critical characteristics of OILEs? • What structure and scaffolding are necessary? • What design elements would be effective?

7. Methods • Multiple case studies • Interpretative case studies (Merriam, 1988) • Naturalistic formative research (post-facto) (Reigeluth & Frick, 1999) Select cases Collect & analyze data Fully develop tentative theory (Cont’d)

8. Methods • Case selection • WebQuest • Inquiry Page • Learning to Teach with Technology Studio (LTTS) • Research agenda: • Data collection & analysis • Tentative guidelines • Expert review (Cont’d)

9. Methods • Analytical framework • Purposes & concerns • Relevance of the case to TPD • Structure for inquiry process • Features of inquiry process, visual representation, amount of freedom/structuredness, etc. • Scaffolding • System for problem articulation, providing background knowledge, tools, & resources (Cont’d)

10. Methods • Documents analyses • Web pages, forum data, journals, proposals, chatting scripts, etc. • Semi-structured interviews • Designers, developers, & teachers for each case • Focus group interview • Inquiry Page developers (Cont’d)

11. Methods • Data analysis process • Organizing data into existing categories • Generating & testing emergent categories • Identifying design elements in each category for OILEs • Identifying implications for OILEs

12. Results • General principles for building OILEs • Use various ways of doing inquiry • Develop interactive working space • Center around an inquiry module and lead learners to a community of inquiry • Provide a structure for inquiry • Develop a nurturing environment (Cont’d)

13. Model for designing OILEs (Cont’d)

14. Structure for Inquiry Ask: An overarching question/problem or case scenario is provided as a springboard. The springboard should be connected to the learners’ lives and stimulate their curiosity. Design (Plan): Learners design their own learning plans and problem solving strategies within a certain time frame. Explore: Exploring is a systematic way of carrying out an investigation. Construct: Learners make meaning out of the data, synthesize what they found, and construct new knowledge. Reflect: Learners reflect on their conclusion and on their own inquiry process.

15. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Checking preconditions • Mission statement of the institution • Sufficient infrastructure and funding • The method of assessment • Designer/facilitator competence • The nature of content • Resource availability • Learner motivation and preparation (Cont’d)

16. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Inquiry Module Design: ASK • Prepare a springboard to start inquiry • Use overarching, meaningful problem/case/scenario with multiple representations • Allow learners to generate their own problem(s) • Encourage learners to design an inquiry module (Cont’d)

17. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Inquiry Module Design: DESIGN • Provide tentative inquiry agenda & methods • Allow learners to develop their own plan • Allow learners to revise their plan during the inquiry process • Encourage learners to review others’ agenda & methods (Cont’d)

18. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Inquiry Module Design: EXPLORE • Provide meaningful tasks/processes • Encourage multiple perspectives/solutions • Organize/sequence activities in a meaningful way: e.g., a spiral process • Avoid too many, complex tasks/processes • Provide necessary scaffolding (Cont’d)

19. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Inquiry Module Design: CONSTRUCT • Provide brief, possible solution(s) to overarching problems • Provide a space for learners to develop their own conclusion(s) • Allow learners to revisit their own problems and to submit the solutions • Encourage learners to review others’ solution(s) (Cont’d)

20. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Inquiry Module Design: REFLECT • Prepare three types of assessment: self-evaluation, peer-evaluation, & facilitator-evaluation • Provide template & rubrics • Ask for a new idea or problem to start a new cycle of inquiry • Ask learners to reflect on the module and inquiry process (Cont’d)

21. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Nurturing Environment Design • My Work Space: • Learner profile, learning progress, problems & solutions by the learner, feedback from others • Resources: • Provide general & specific resources • Allow learners to add/review resources • Tools: template, rubrics, visualization tools, EPSSs, etc. • Facilitator • About inquiry, Inquiry modules, Inquiry in action (Cont’d)

22. DESIGN GUIDELINES • Design of a Community of Inquiry • Gallery • Place learners’ final product • Encourage learners to review others’ product • Encourage learners to contact former learners • Discussion forum • Organize structured discussion • Use various social techniques to foster discussion • Communities

23. Discussion • Issues Regarding Design Guidelines • Asking a right question • Promoting ownership of the problem • Multiple representations of the problem • Using national standards • Using a design mode • Planning & carrying out inquiry • Using inquiry performance • Ensuring effective reflection • Providing scaffolding • Building a community of inquiry (Cont’d)

24. Discussion • Other Issues • Visual representation of inquiry process • Circular, recursive, & evolving • Teacher-as-designer approach • Strengths & weaknesses • Sequence of three learning modes • User mode • Critical reading mode • Design mode (Cont’d)

25. Limitations & Future Research • Limited number of cases • Tentative guidelines – not empirically tested • Two cases not fully developed • Limited expert review • Remaining questions – motivation, tools, interface design, CoP, etc. • Additional formative research needed

26. Questions?