Lesson 1: Inquiry Based Learning vs Traditional Teaching Study
Study: Linked is a study conducted that compares effects of inquiry based learning vs traditional learning in a college algebra course. A study is a great thing to look at for our mini course because we can see actual results and statistics on what we are exploring. The results truly show how an inquiry based learning approach can benefit even college math students! To help us understand what makes an inquiry based approach different from our traditional approach, I have included an excerpt from the study below.
Within the study, the following is provided on page 4:
The following steps were implemented with the inquiry-based learning section:
(1) at the beginning of each lesson, the instructor presented an overview of the topic and demonstrated some examples using the whiteboard,
(2) groups were formed, a leader for the group was selected by the group, and students were instructed to collaborate together to solve a given problem,
(3) students were asked to think about the problem for five minutes individually before they joined their groups,
(4) the instructor moved between groups listening to their discussions, asking them to explain their strategies in order to uncover their prior knowledge and understand their thought process,
(5) the instructor asked probing questions that engaged students in re-examining their thinking and allowed them to identify the flaw in their strategies and interpretations,
(6) the instructor continued to be a facilitator who provided students with a safe environment that allowed them to share their thought process; the instructor did not provide answers. Instead, hints were provided through probing questions,
(7) the steps were repeated multiple times throughout the lesson,
(8) at the end of the group discussions, the leader of each group was required to write a detailed solution on the whiteboard Ho(which was divided into six sections), explaining the process that led to the solution,
(9) the solutions were compared, and
(10) the members of each group presented their solutions to the whole class, answered questions, and provided
explanations
Resource: Khasawneh, Elaina, et al. “Examining the effect of inquiry-based learning versus traditional lecture-based learning on students’ achievement in college algebra.” International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 18, no. 1, 1 Jan. 2023, https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12715.
Reflect: Use the linked google doc to share your thoughts to discussion questions and engage in others’ responses:
Looking at the 10 implemented steps of the inquiry based lesson in the study, what steps are similar to things that you already implement in your classroom? Which steps are out of your comfort zone, or something you would be nervous about implementing? Provide explanation.
Complete: Complete a graphic organizer venn diagram to compare and contrast the differences between traditional and inquiry based learning in the math classroom. Use what you learned from the study to help you.
Some ideas to consider while completing the graphic organizer:
- How do you start off each class?
- What does collaboration look like in your classroom?
- How much time do your students spend thinking independently vs collaboratively
- How often do you ask probing questions?
- What do you think the difference in being a facilitator vs the instructor is?