Welcome to the Life Patterns Unit: Inquiry and Project Based Learning

Hello everyone, throughout this course I will be exploring both inquiry and project based learning. However, before I discuss the importance of inquiry and project based learning lets review what they are.

INQUIRY LEARNING
Inquiry learning is a natural process which occurs throughout an individuals life. Students recognize their own thought process and apply their background knowledge, or schema, to the task at hand. Inquiry based learning is not a process in which someone retains knoweldge, but the pocess of which they gained the knoweldege. If an individual is unable to successfuly go though the process of learning by asking questions, they will not be able to gain the knoweldge to retain.

PROJECT BASED LEARNING
Project based learning is an instructional method in which students analyze and research questions they connect to their everyday life. Due to the fact that students are actively involved in the learning process and are researching topics that appeal to them personally, the students become more engaged in and enjoy the learning process.

IN THE FUTURE
Inquiry and project based learning are essential for effective learning. The goal of the educational system is to create learners who are actively learning in society. Both inquiry and project based learning train students to be actively engaged in their own learning. The unit, Patterns Within Life, is designed to allow students to make connections through multiple content areas by recognizing the patterns within them. In my Unit Plan, students are going to be engaged in inquiry as well as project based learning.

Ms. S.K.