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An introduction to Enquiry Based Learning

Ivan MooreDirector

Mike BramhallAssociate Director

Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning:Promoting Learner Autonomy

Faculty Head of Learning, Teaching and AssessmentSheffield Hallam University

www.shu.ac.uk/cetl/cplahome.html

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The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity....

Dorothy Parker

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We are from here

WE are not from here!

. Sheffield

Where are we from?

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Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

• Government funded, five year initiative 2005-10

• competitive bidding process• £4.5M maximum award• 74 funded centres

– Single and collaborative– Subject-specific– Themed

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Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning

Sheffield Hallam UniversityCentre for Excellence in

Teaching and LearningPromoting Learner Autonomy

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A definition of learner autonomy

• An autonomous learner takes responsibility for his/her own learning

• They can identify:– their learning goals (what they need to learn)– their learning processes (how they will learn it)– how they will evaluate and use their learning

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Characteristics of ‘effective’ autonomous learners

• they have well-founded conceptions of learning

• they have a range of learning approaches and skills

• they can organize their learning• they have good information processing skills• they are well motivated to learn

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WILLINGNESS TO LEARN Balance of vocational, academic,

personal and social motivations to learnIntrinsic motivationExtrinsic motivation

GoalsShort - Medium - Long

Confidence

MANAGEMENTStudy Skills

Planning and problem solvingEvaluation & Metacognition

Self-assessmentFocus & ‘stickability’

Time and project managementBalancing social, work and learning

needsAssessment

INFORMATIONInformation handlingAccess to resources:

On line and Paper-basedRole models (people, exemplars,

designs)Equipment

Other learnersContexts

STANCE TOWARDS LEARNING

Orientation to learningAppropriate conceptions of learning

Deep approach to learningA range of appropriate learning

strategies

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WILLINGNESS TO LEARN Balance of vocational, academic,

personal and social motivations to learnIntrinsic motivationExtrinsic motivation

GoalsShort - Medium - Long

Confidence

MANAGEMENTStudy Skills

Planning and problem solvingEvaluation & Metacognition

Self-assessmentFocus & ‘stickability’

Time and project managementBalancing social, work and learning

needsAssessment

INFORMATIONInformation handlingAccess to resources:

On line and Paper-basedRole models (people, exemplars,

designs)Equipment

Other learnersContexts

STANCE TOWARDS LEARNING

Orientation to learningAppropriate conceptions of learning

Deep approach to learningA range of appropriate learning

strategies

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Factors that can influence the development of autonomy

• The potential for autonomy in learning (Fazey and Fazey, 2001)– Autonomous people are intrinsically-motivated,

perceive themselves to be in control of their decision making, take responsibility for the outcomes of their actions and have confidence in themselves

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Three factors

motivation perceived control perceived competence

Intrinsicinterest in the subject, topic or activity (task)

Extrinsic1 identified - inherently valued, but not self-initiated2 introjected - values the activity because of the goal it achieves (success or failure)3 external - job, qualification

outcome, success (learning) is dependent on themselves. They have control over the task, learning, outcomes

outcome is dependent on others (in power)

the task or learning is controlled by others

…or confidence

'sufficiently high self-perception of competence to be prepared to risk short-term failure at a task which they feel is important.'

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Motivation

• interest in the subject/task• clear goals, tasks and standards• support• feedback• sense of belonging and sharing• success - improvement

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Learning as a journey

• We become more autonomous as learners as we make more of our own choices about what we learn and how we learn it.

dependence

Independence or autonomy

interdependence

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The learning journey

Relative dependence

Independence or autonomy

Collaboration is not inter-dependence.Autonomy does not mean working on your own.Collaborative learning still requires you to work on your own some of the time.

Inter-dependence

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The learning journey

Relative dependence

Independence or autonomy

Enquiry Based Learning

Inter-dependence

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Knowledge(breadth and complexity)

Independence

Intellectual capacity

Level one

Level two

Level three

Learning as growth

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How do people learn?'Tell me and I will forget, show me and I may not remember, involve me and I will understand'

Kung Fu Tse (Confucius)

2500 years ago

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What is EBL?

• What does the term EBL mean to you?– What words come to mind?– Definition, rationale, practices, outcomes, issues,

challenges, opportunities

• Write your thoughts down on a post-it– (one thought per sheet)

• Now stick your sheet on the wall and call out what you have written

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A starting point

EBL represents a shift away from passive methods, which involve the transmission of knowledge to students, to more facilitative teaching methods through which students are expected to construct their own knowledge and understanding by engaging in supported processes of enquiry

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What is Enquiry Based Learning?

• Enquiry Based Learning is a natural form of learning, borne out of our innate sense of curiosity and desire to understand

• It is generically applicable, and has grown from modelling learning in a number of subjects

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Recognisable forms of EBL

• Design• Problem Based Learning• Case Based Learning• Field Study• Dissertations, projects• Research

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Active, student-centred, authentic, supported

• Learning driven by a process of enquiry or investigation• Involves complex, intriguing, authentic, stimuli

– Intentional– unintentional

• Student-centred• Requires action• Connects theory and practice• Supported process• Develops skills• Social • Enjoyable

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Some ‘drivers’….

• Supports transition into and through Higher Education– Practice in a safe environment– Opportunities for reflection and review– Accommodates different learning styles– Socialises the learning and the learner

• Develops lifelong learning skills – information explosion

• Inter-professional and interdisciplinary learning• Promotes the links between teaching, learning and

research• Autonomy, employability, and professional body

requirements

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Academic skills

• Research• Students determine and pursue THEIR OWN lines of enquiry

– Large scale enquiries- macro– Small scale enquiries- micro

• Information• They build on what they already know• They identify what information they need• They find, evaluate and use the information• They may communicate their learning to others

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Professional skills

• Team working and leadership• Inter-personal skills

– Negotiation– Decision making– Handling conflict– Sharing

• Communication skills– Presentation, explaining, questioning

• Managing projects and meetings• Practical application of theory

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Professional skills

• Team working and leadership• Inter-personal skills

– Negotiation– Decision making– Handling conflict– Sharing

• Communication skills– Presentation, explaining, questioning

• Managing projects and meetings• Practical application of theory

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Personal skills

• Taking and accepting responsibility– Ethics, empathy and

tolerance

• Encourages exploration, curiosity

• Creative problem-solving• Balancing creativity with

resilience• Planning• Time-management and

organisation

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Motivation

• Authentic• Realistic challenge• Locus of control• Feedback and support• Shared learning

– success

• Socialises the learning

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Where to begin

• Select a topic or theme• Determine timescale for investigation

– Allow for induction, presentation and assessment– Pilot over 3 or 4 weeks in a module– Evaluate it

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Preparing the students for EBL….

• Clarify expectations –theirs and yours• Be aware of the ‘peaks and troughs’ in the

calendar• Provide practice sessions

– Practice in a low-risk situation– experienced students as models– Allow time for the groups to ‘gel’ – socialise– Begin to understand group dynamics and rules/roles/skills– Create the environment– encourage students to give and receive feedback

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The scale of the investigation

In-class

Between classes (1 week)

2-3 weeks

6-12 weeks or longer

• Resources provided, small scale investigations, may or may not be linked

• Initial discussion, students find information from different sources. Need to share outside class. Report back week 2

• Middle week(s) for ‘catch up’, consolidate, review and plan

• Large scale investigation, significantly more autonomy, opportunity for in-depth investigation (deep learning)

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Creating ‘problems’

• What do we want students to do?– Gain understanding, retain knowledge– Make decisions based on their research– Analyse, synthesise and evaluate rather than simply

define and explain– Adopt a positive attitude towards their subject/profession– Take more responsibility for their learning– Develop transferable skills

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The enquiry….

• Compatibility with learning objectives of the course

• Must engage students and motivate them

• Relationship to the ‘real world’

• Encourage students to make decisions or judgements based on information and facts

• Move students beyond recall of information

• Should encourage collaboration and co-operation

• Open-ended, connected to existing knowledge

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Possible routes to generating an enquiry….

• Design exercises

• Critical incidents

• Real case-histories or patient care-plans

• Present and past controversies

• Application of important concepts to everyday situations or personal situations

• Video-clips, novels, newspaper articles, research papers, cartoons

• Re-write a typical exam question as an open-ended, ‘real-world’ problems

• Work with colleagues to decide the approach

• Test the problems on students

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Role of the students

• Accept responsibility for their learning• Establish group roles, if any• Analyze the stimulus • Identify learning goals• Determine a plan of activity and agree individual

tasks/responsibilities• Report individual findings and collate research• Complete the task (e.g. present findings)• Undertake assessment tasks• Give and receive feedback

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Refine the problem

What do we know?

Information gap

Develop a plan

Share tasks

Discuss and consolidate

Undertake the investigations

Share the learning

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Refine the problem

What do we know?

Information gap

Develop a plan

Share tasks

Discuss and consolidate

Undertake the investigations

Share the learning

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Enquiry Based Learning as a continuous cyclical process

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Role of the tutor/facilitator

• Prepare the students – benefits and expectations, change of role, working in teams

• Establish the teams

• Devise the stimulus– Carefully crafted scenarios, triggers,

problems

• Prepare the resources, determine the assessment methods and any deadlines

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Facilitation….

• Acceptance of the ‘shift’ from content expert to facilitator

• Establishing the environment• Taking an active role - keeping the

balance • Allowing freedom to explore and

exchange ideas• Ask open-ended questions• Encourage reflection and review• Offer progress checks – move things

forward• Challenge the students• Guidance on appropriate resources• Sensitivity to group dynamics

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Characteristics of an effective facilitator….

• Willing to spend time building relationships• Negotiates rather than dictates - shares• Draws energy from outside themselves as well as within• Enthusiasm• More like a coach than a scientist• Naturally curious about people, things, life in general• Flexible• Listens• Confident• Honest• Attentive• Humorous• Checks understanding – closure

and consolidation

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Tutor role Facilitation typology (style)

Facilitation approach continuum

Establisher (trigger)ObserverMonitorFixerMemberAssessor

SocialTechnicalOrganisationalMotivational

hands off hands onreactive proactiveinformationup front held back

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• Questioning (why do you think that is important?)

• Guiding (Have you thought of….?)

• Challenging (How does that work….?)

• Devil’s advocate (so what if I said….?)

• Mirroring (well, what do you think it means?)

• Laddering (ok, so what do you know about…?)

• Stimulate discussion (what might the pitfalls be? Have you thought about cost/ethics/time…?)

• Support the process (I thought you agreed that….? Could you re-cap for me?)

• It is Ok to remain silent at times!

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Preparing students for EBL

• Forming the student teams– Belbin– Myers-Briggs

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An introduction to Enquiry Based Learning

Ivan MooreDirector

Mike BramhallAssociate Director

Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning:Promoting Learner Autonomy

Faculty Head of Learning, Teaching and AssessmentSheffield Hallam University

www.shu.ac.uk/cetl/cplahome.html

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• To enable examiners to certify that the students have met a certain standard of performance

• To certify levels of achievement

• To inform the studentsby giving them accurate information on their strengths and weaknesses, with

the aim of improving the quality of their knowledge, understanding and skills

• To motivate the studentsby providing them with an opportunity to review and consolidate what they have

learnt

Purposes of assessment

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Effective assessment in EBL

• Clear criteria aligned with the desired learning outcomes

• Assessment FOR learning – continuous

• Formative and summative

• Range of methods (including examination!)

• Include evidence from the EBL process

• Self and peer