Inquiry Based Learning Implementation Plan
 

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    In our preparation to implement teacher training inservices on Inquiry Based Learning (IBL), several factors will be taken into consideration. A district-wide survey will be aimed at assessing the current needs of the 6th -12th grade science teachers, in the following areas:     The results will serve as a guide to the district's Science Coordinator and our Team in constructing a well thought-out, powerful training program with the staffs interests and needs addressed, thus giving us a motivational basis for this particular form of teacher training. Perhaps, another motivating factor for teachers to attend workshops on IBL, will be the district's implementation (Spring '98) of an Open Ended Science (OES) assessment package, throughout the school district. The OES questions instruct students to read a short paragraph outlining real-life situations and problems. They must then use appropriate means of experimentation, investigation, and report their results, complete with a valid conclusion. Students will be supplied with all necessary equipment and have approximately 2 hours in which to complete all tasks.

    However, it is imperative that the students have prior knowledge about handling-techniques, the scientific method, and safety issues in a lab situation. Neither the teachers nor the students will know the question ahead of time, or whether the OES focus will be in the areas of Earth, Physical or Life sciences.

    Herein lies the motivation (and a great opportunity) for science teachers. By attending the IBL workshops (Spring, Summer, Winter) they will experience "hands-on", content based, "learn-by-doing" processes, through investigations, experiments and inquiry, that can be transferred to their classrooms.

In addition to workshops, support personnel (IBL team) will provide, (over a span of 18months):

    As a result of the implementation of the districts' Content Standards and extensive teacher education, the OES may serve as a means to measure the progress of the students in "real-life" situations. This process may also serve as a possible indication of the breadth and depth of individual classroom instruction in the utilization of appropriate tools and protocols used in the scientific community.

    To further support the district's endeavor to continue its journey toward performance based assessment, the IBL workshop will also instruct teachers in the use of information gathering, reporting techniques, and computer technology.