What in the world is I.B.I. ?

I B I... what does that stand for?

Well if you guessed Inquiry Based Instruction (which I am sure that you all did, ha ha) then you would be right!

Inquiry Based Instruction is a method of instruction that allows students to learn through questions and problems. As one teacher in a focus group on IBI in the research by Thoron, Myers, and Abrams said, it might not be the easiest or most natural way to teach a subject it is "definitely a natural way of learning" for the students. Other teachers in the study : Inquiry-based Instruction: How is it Utilized, Accepted, and Assessed in Schools with National Agriscience Teacher Ambassadors? applaud IBI. One said, “IBI is more rewarding and students are actually engaged in learning.” Other teachers agreed that while creating inquiry based lessons required more planning and thought, they resulted in better lesson, engaged students, and excited learners. 

So how and why does this happen?

According to Warner and Myers, inquiry based instruction allows "teachers to expand students' science skills and help mold lifelong learners" 

Well, I want to do that with and for my students!

When students engage in IBI, they learn through inquiring about the essential question or problem. For example, why are some of my plants dying in the second greenhouse?

Students engage in this IBI process through 5 steps

1) Question
2) Investigate
3) Utilize Evidence in order to Describe, Predict, and Explan
4) Connect evidence to Previous Knowlege... and if not, gain more knowledge!
5) Share Findings... that's right, sharing is caring!

IBI is effective because this is how our brains work! If there is an issue at home, we don't have someone (a teacher) there to tell us information, we normally have to investigate the issue and problem solve for possible solutions or answers. However, this is a pretty big change for the teacher... we become facilitators and not merely giving information in the front of the room (NOT to say that there is anything wrong with that!) With IBI, teachers facilitate the learning process, introduce the problem,  provide resources, and help keep students on track.

Warner and Myers in the article on Implementing Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods provided a helpful outline of what the teachers new role is in IBI. While the teachers role might change slightly, the goals of student success and student engagement remains the same.

So here it is, the list by Warner and Myers:

Teacher Role
1) starting the inquiry process
2) promoting student dialog
3) transitioning between small groups and classroom discussions
4) intervening to clear misconceptions or develop students’ understanding of content material
5) modeling scientific procedures and attitudes; and,
6) utilizing student experiences to create new content knowledge

The teacher needs to plan ahead for Inquiry Based Instruction. From gathering new materials and discerning possible questions students might have before the lesson even takes place, teachers will also be engaged in the lesson.

Edutopia has many articles and videos relating to IBI... check it out --> http://www.edutopia.org/topic/inquiry-based-learning

Thanks for reading!
Best

-Sarabeth