Inquiry Based Instruction

Student Inquiry and the Scientific Method

Two weeks ago in my agricultural education classes we talked about utilizing the Problem Solving Approach.  In my Methods of Teaching Agriculture lab I even had the opportunity to practice a lesson plan I wrote to demonstrate how I would utilize the problem solving approach.  

This week, we're looking into the Inquiry Based Instruction.  A method of teaching that is very similar to the Problem Solving Approach yet very different at the same time. 

While students identify the problem in both methods of teaching (i.e. the Problem Solving Approach and the Inquiry Based Instruction), how the question is answered is different.

I will not sit here and tell you how to complete the Inquiry Based Instruction for you can read about it here: What is Inquiry Based Instruction?

But I will tell you a few of my thoughts regarding this method of teaching.

First, I really appreciated the fact that there are multiple levels of teacher involvement for this approach.  As in, there is no one way to implement it.  The main requirement of the IBI, is that students are answering a research question through data analysis.  I personally feel like this opens up the window of opportunity to be creative and flexible in designing a lesson which utilizes the IBI. 

Additionally, this appears to be a great way to encourage students to participate in a research SAE.  Then students could compete in the Agriscience fair.  What a better way to encourage student involvement in the FFA.

These are the main interests that I found while reading about the IBI.  I'm really looking forward to learning more as this is the very type of learning that I thoroughly enjoy and love!