Transitioning from Knowledge to Synthesis Reflection EDUC-6712

How we educate our students for the 21st century and meet and keep up with the high demands for technological practice is a question that may never be answered. However, we can teach our students strategies that can prepare them for this ever changing, fast paced world. One strategy that can contribute to preparing our students for the future is through inquiry learning.
With the vast amount of information that students are given access to, it is very clear that they need to be taught the ability to locate, evalute, and use appropriate information for learning, living, and working with new technologies. Inquiy learning allows for all of that while learning. I found it striking how this one project offers motivation, reading comprehension, language development, writing ability, cooperative learning, and social skills. All of which are skills that are essential for life long learning.
This class allowed me to realize the importance of inquiry learning. With careful planning, close supervision, and ongoing assessments I will continue to teach inquiry learning throughout my teaching career. My ulitmate goal will be to develop independent learners who know how to expand their knowledge and expertise through skilled use of a variety of information sources employed inside and outside of school.
One professional goal that I have is to continue to be a life long learner and research inquiry learning before I teach it. This will help refresh my memory and add any new ideas or strategies to the project. In order to prepare them and get them excited I must become an expert on inquiry learning so they are guided and coached more and lectured less. I really want my students to be motivated and want to learn more and create ways to share what they have learned. Therefore, if I dedicate myself to polishing up my inquiry learning projects both student and teacher will have a good experience and success.
Schools are faced with the challenge of preparing students to be successful, productive citizens in a fast changing world with huge amounts of information. Students need to be taught how to properly exercise the new literacy skills for future success. Inquiry learning will be a strategy that will prepare them to use the new literacy skills and become life long learners.