- What basic skills do inquiry based learners in STEM need to truly "create" their own products, conclusions and calculations. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using screen casting, video based instruction, and recorded lecture? Peruse the slides and read the embedded research paper.
- How do you select a method of Inquiry?
Felder and Prince Explain
- To what degree are methods of inquiry impacted by facilities? (reference Felder and Prince in your Answer) What are potential limitations and advantages to the Architecture in Video 1? How does selective VS non-selective admission and SES impact decision making and this style of learning?
Video 1
HTH- Video 2
Apple Park
- What does STEM with an emphasis on Technology & Engineering look like? What are some ways T&E supports Science & Math? Browse student work, read Sanders, interpret Hattie's data (on bottom of student work web page) and answer in terms of both implicit and explicit connections.
Article 1
Article 2
- What is the difference between scaffolding and differentiation? Read the article and draw an analogy to the two products linked below. How can we apply the concepts from the balance bike vs training wheels to other skills based learning activities?
Balance Bike
Training Wheels
Balance Bike Results
- How does spatial ability impact a student's ability to problem solve across STEM subjects? What are developmental milestones? How can we help students strengthen this? Does digital technology improve this?
This is a T&E perspective
Spatial Intelligence
- Why does the author make the argument for teachers as facilitators and not experts in the 21st century? How important is understanding and practicing this approach when using inquiry based learning? Is it possible to meet 21st century learning standards such as NGSS with didactic teaching methods?
Read here
- What does time management and instructional planning look like when using PBL? Is it essential to have long class blocks? Can you create the same effect by flexible planning and letting one day feed into the next? What are the pros and cons of long blocks and what is appropriate in different schools.
- What are the similarities between 5e lessons plans and traditional lesson plans? What situations or what kinds of teachers along S-T-E-M are they most appropriate for? How is Bloom's taxonomy built into the Scientific Method and/or Engineering Design Process?
- What state standards have changed in the past ~10 years? Analyze the middle school STEM facility design below. What considerations in the facility design were made in terms of relevance to grade level? Answer with references to cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domain. Propose additions and modifications.
Facility Design*
*Note this plan was never implemented see me for background story.
- Iteration produces creativity, repetition produces stability. Defend or disprove the statement in terms of student assessment.
- Since Inquiry based learning is different to rote learning, What does classroom management look like? How can you maintain, "controlled chaos"? If there is too much student control what are some causes?
- How does this subtle change and seemingly menial detail support the concept of play based learning? Does play based learning have to stop in upper grade levels? How can it be incorporated into inquiry methods such as case based learning and upper level STEM content?
*Many of these essential questions and articles are selected to provide quick information. Some articles are omitted or abridged. E-mail me for full information.