Functional adventures in the deep end: The evolution of a pragmatic 48-month undergraduate curriculum By C. Harold McManus, Ph.D. ? 2010 Excerpt 3/10

A Modest Proposal

Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) can be operationally defined as a student-centered approach that involves a driving question or questions that the individual seeks to answer through investigation. Some form of this approach is present in many classrooms around the world. According to Beach (2001), IBL is difficult to describe in a fixed and straightforward way. If it is viewed from a curricular perspective, it is often seen as a process that provides opportunities for learners to engage in the practices of life beyond the classroom. They do so by using the tools and methods of scientists, artists, problem solvers, or citizens in society to gain a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them. Even though this pragmatic approach has been around for some time, many educators trace its beginning to the early 1930s. 

IBL had its genesis in the revolutionary educational theories of John Dewey, who spearheaded educational reform during the first half of the twentieth century (Bruce, 2001). Dewey was the founder of the philosophical school of Pragmatism and was responsible for shaping the progressive education movement. His approach evolved from educational and psychological practices that were popular at that time and emphasized the seminal importance of curiosity.  If a student is curious, then she or he will ultimately have questions about a phenomenon and want to discover answers (Ashcraft, 1998).

  IBL is best characterized by a series of steps facilitating learning than it is best described as situated learning (Lave & Wenger, 1990). According to Edelson (1999), renewed interest in IBL stems from the recognition that the scientific approach is essentially a question-driven, open-ended process and that each student must have a personal experience with scientific inquiry to understand this fundamental aspect. Inquiry and investigations are natural conditions, and the goal of contemporary educators must be to take each student “back to the future,” in the words of a popular 1980’s movie.

In the United States, still too many college and university educational approaches are based on a convergent-thinking model and an archaic passive-transmission style of teaching. This style can stifle the natural curiosity of the student and lead to tunnel vision. Convergent thinking is fueled by the idea that there is one best answer and one best way to get to it. Karl Duncker (1945) and other Gestaltists espoused the opinion that convergent thinking led to tunnel vision and functional fixedness. Creative people sometimes have difficulty succeeding in convergent-styled classrooms (Toth & Baker, 1990). This instructional style can have an impact on student outcomes and expectations. A popular approach to teaching the “Transmission Model,” is an example of a convergent-styled classroom. According to Rumble (2001), a transmission model involves teaching and the dissemination of correct information, within a structured, synchronous environment, over time. In this model, there is a reward for correct performance based on collective practice, until such time as the information, skills, or behaviors communicated by the teacher have been mastered and can be repeated during an assessment. 

The approach is teacher-centered and involves very little if any, inquiry or student-teacher interaction.  The teacher takes on the role of “expert,” and all students, regardless of the level of preparation, are relegated to the status of a novice. The Constructivist view, on the other hand, makes the assumption that learning is an active process that leads to the development of personal understanding. In the Constructivist view, learning is based upon interpretation and selection, the personal construction of meaning, and its continuing review and integration with new information and understanding. There is evidence that this type of collaborative interaction can be beneficial to both the novice (Vygotsky, 1960; Slavin, 1988) and the expert student (Bodner, 1986; Brooks, 1986).

Step-by-step IBL for fall 2020

Example from 2003 Psychological Testing PSYCH 433-0A

Anastsasi, A. & Urbina, S. (1997). Psychological Testing (6th ed).         

Prentice-Hall Publishing Company: Upper Saddle River, NJ

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Testing is perhaps the most widely used method within psychology. Individual and group tests are used to assess intelligence, aptitude, achievement, interests, and personality. The course will focus on the construction, use, and interpretation of testing instruments used in social science and education. The student will develop, administer, and report on his or her own unique testing instrument. The course is organized based on the principles of Inquiry-Based-Learning and utilizes lectures, Socratic discussions, individual research projects, group research projects, class debates, and formal presentations. The course will cover the following topics:

·      The history of testing

·      Testing processes

·      Norms and reliability

·      Validity and test development

·      Intelligence testing

·      Test bias

·      Group testing

·      Vocational and values assessment

·      Personality testing

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

• Write and speak on the origin and importance of psychological testing
• Write and speak on the nature and use of psychological tests
• Write and speak on the early uses and abuses of testing in America
• Write and speak on norms and standardization of test instruments
• Write and speak on the concept of test reliability
• Write and speak on the concept of test validity
• Write, speak and actively engage in principles of test construction
• Write, speak and actively engage in the development of a complex research paper
• Write and speak on the concept of measured intelligence and IQ
• Write and speak on the concept of test bias
• Write and speak on the concept of vocational testing
• Learn to give and receive feedback via a Web-Based discussion board
• Learn to develop and maintain a Web-Based testing site
• Use SPSS 11.0 and Blackboard to develop class artifacts

COURSE GOALS:

·      Accurate critique of established standardized test instruments

·      Accurate critique of standardized test manuals and journal articles

·      Use reliability and validity data to assess the usefulness of a test instrument

·      Construct a 25-item forced-choice testing instrument on the Web

·      Perform “p” and “D” analysis on each test item and clearly explain findings

·      Administer and then establish reliability and validity coefficients for the test

·      Develop, write and defend a 15 to 20-page paper describing the test construction

·      Use appropriate APA formatting throughout the paper with at least 30 citations

·      Develop and maintain a Blackboard site named DSS43301—XX.

• Use SPSS Version 11.0 for all analysis (Pearson Correlation, One-way, Student t-test & Chi-Square)

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

·      This is not primarily a lecture course; the Socratic method is employed daily

·      There are compulsory class discussions daily…be prepared

·      Students will make individual presentations throughout the semester

·      Students will make group presentations and engage in group debates

·      Students will participate in group and course-related Web-based discussion boards via

Blackboard

·      Students with high course averages (>93%) will be asked to teach certain topics for

course credit

 Approach:

Inquiry-based learning encourages students to grasp significant principles and concepts, develop important meta-cognitive skill and cultivate the ability to develop knowledge with others and transfer the knowledge to a wide audience. Inquiry-based learning promotes the development of lifelong learning skills, creative problem solving, self-directed learning, and knowledge creation. It is based on the following five basic principles:

The driving question--investigation of original questions and problems that facilitate activities and the organization of principles and concepts.

Investigation-- engaging in research to study the driving question.

Development of artifacts or products--represent tangible products that result from inquiries and reflect a personification of the acquired knowledge. 

Development of learning communities--organized workgroups involving collaboration among students, instructors, and individuals outside the classroom to investigate the driving question.

Cognitive tools--help students to represent their mastery of key points and share ideas with others.

 Psychological Testing is a “student-centered” course. The professor is not the central figure—you are. The driving question this term focuses on the extent to which persons of African descent understand their history. We are going to develop the Africana Knowledge and Astuteness of History Test [AKAHT]. What does it mean to be a culturally intelligent person of African descent? It means knowing historical, contemporary and future trends germane to Africans in America. You will spend this term investigating this question. You will create artifacts to investigate this question individually and you will develop a project while working with your assigned Learning Enhancement Community. SPSS-PC, your BlackBoard Web site, the campus network, and the World Wide Web will act as your cognitive tools. Creativity and diligence will be the fuels that will drive you towards expert status in this class.   

GRADING PROCEDURES: Progress in this course is evaluated based on a points system. Points will be awarded as follows:

1.    Three examinations                   100 points each                       300 Points

2.    One mid-term examination         100 points                              100 Points

3.    Four Quizzes                               25 points each                        100 Points

4.    One Research paper                     50 points                                 50 Points

5.    One Paper defense                        50 points                                 50 Points

6.    Test specimen development        100 points                              100 Points

7.    Functioning BB.com Web-site    050 points                              050 Points

8.    Bulletin board participation        050 points                             050 Points

9.    Five vocabulary assessment        020 points                              100 Points

10. Four oral presentations                025 Points                              100 Points

TOTAL:                                                                 1000 Points

References

Ashcraft, M. H. (1998). Fundamentals of cognition. New York: Addison

Wesley Longman.

Beach, N. (2001). Inclusive Education. Science Teacher, 63, 5.

Bruce, C. (2001). Inquiry Page: Learning begins with questions. Retrieved

March 24, 2004, from https://www.inquiry.uiuc.edu/index.php3.

Dewey, J. (1933). How we think: A rethinking of the relation of reflective thinking in the

educative process. New York: D. C. Heath.

 Hawkins, D. (1965). Messing about in science. Science and Children, 2 (5), 5-9.

 Next installment--- Making an IBL Environment High Touch