Inquiry-Based Learning Project

ED 307 students completed a module on inquiry-based learning. To begin the lesson, a brief overview was provided, leaving students with many unanswered questions....

1. What is the student’s role in inquiry-based learning?
2.  What is the teacher’s role in inquiry-based learning?
3. What does research say about student achievement/success when using inquiry-based learning?
4. What are the best practices associated with inquiry-based learning?
5. What are the steps involved in using inquiry-based learning in the classroom? 

To answer these questions, students were encouraged to search the Internet for information, determine relevance and correctness of information, and then organize the information in a mind-map, using MindMiester. Students then created digital presentations of their findings.

307 students complete this assignment each semester, but the presentations linked below are some of the best ever submitted. These students did an OUTSTANDING job - I am very appreciative of their hard work - work that is definitely worth sharing.

1. Alisha: http://www.screencast.com/t/EQ8xrgWju 
2. Barbara: http://youtu.be/-626K_YAyDg
3. Savannah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQbywV6w5R

If you had questions about inquiry-based teaching/learning before watching these videos, I'm sure they are answered now. Way to step up 307 students!!!

A bit more about MindMiester - it's a must have resource for the classroom. Here's why -

1. It's a great mind mapping tool that allows multiple forms of media to be attached to the map (videos, links, etc.). 
2. Lots of design choices
3. Mind maps can be shared and used collaboratively
4. MindMiester includes a presentation component
5. Apple and Android apps available too
6. And there's a FREE version!! But for those who have a little $$ to spend, there are educator discounts.

Be sure to check it out.

Teaching with Technology Presentations

ED 305 students really stepped it up with their teaching with technology presentations. For this project, students are encouraged to implement best practices for creating and delivering digital presentations. Overall the 305 students did a great job. One area of shortcoming for most students was the use of graphics in the presentation - I think this is mostly due to the availability of open-source graphics that matched their content.

One area where just about every student did an outstanding job was with presenting the information. There was VERY little reading of content. Most students discussed their content in a manner that made the presentation enjoyable and easy to listen to and learn from. I've never had a group of students do so well on this particular area.

A few students that I would like to recognize for their submissions are listed below. While these presentations may not be perfect, I've detailed the aspect of the presentation that was particularly good. You will notice that most of these had a nice presentation rhythm, with few extended periods of time on a zoom.

• Dylan Fisher: http://www.screencast.com/t/VKECm2xv - Excellent format and presentation skills. Provided a very nice overview of types of assistive technologies
• Kristi Kruse: http://screencast.com/t/GSctobXpXIa - Great word and graphic use along with presentation skills
• Brooke Kuykendall: http://www.screencast.com/t/wpBu9moI1o - Excellent word usage and lots of zooms. Presentation skills were good also.
• Erin Navy: http://www.screencast.com/t/SGm5jfkx4 - Very dynamic with excellent word usage.
• Jacob Ryan: http://www.screencast.com/t/ZrH80UC3k - Just an overall good job. The presentation included all required elements and was designed fairly well and presented nicely.
• Meagan Spears: http://www.screencast.com/t/lULVVIJ4DSDe - Overall really good job.