Concept-Based Inquiry

What is Concept-Based Inquiry?

• Concept-Based Inquiry combines two pedagogical practices: Inquiry-Based Learning and Concept-Based Learning
• It’s driven by active questions
• Students pose questions and research to find the answers
• Students do the thinking instead of the teacher

Difference Between a Concept and a Topic

A concept is an overarching, abstract idea that can be applied to multiple cultures and periods of time. A concept is applicable to all students. Example: Conflict or Connectedness

A topic is specific to culture and time period. It’s narrower than a concept and may not relate to or interest all students. Example: World War II or Penguins

Models of Inquiry

There are several different models for teaching through inquiry available to follow. Although they have slight variances, the over-arching idea is the same. Students consider what they know and either form their own questions or have a guiding question presented to them by their teacher. Then, they conduct research to answer the question and reflection happens to see if more information needs to be learned. Finally, they present what they learned as a summative assessment or take action based on their learning. The below models of inquiry have slight differences but provide a framework for conducting an inquiry.

Kath Murdoch’s Inquiry Cycle

For a more detailed version of this model, please see the below file:

Kath-Murdochs-Inquiry-Cycle-1Download

The Points of Inquiry

Dimensions of Discipline Based Inquiry

Geo-Inquiry Process

How Can Concept-Based Inquiry Benefit Students?

• Concept-based inquiry helps students connect new and prior knowledge and transfer learning from one context to another.
• Promotes intellectual development in addition to gaining knowledge and skills
• Supported by research about brain functions
• Creates connections to current events
• Students can articulate their own understanding
• More engagement for both teachers and students

Planning an Inquiry

1. Using “backwards design,” decide what the end goal is for what the students should learn. This should be a concept, not a topic.
2. Plan guiding questions in reverse order based on the end goal of what students should know and work back to what they currently know
3. Design your formative and summative assessments before starting the inquiry
4. Figure out how students will begin to build an understanding of the concept that would allow them to answer the guiding questions and assessments.
5. Form lesson plans to accompany the inquiry process.

Inquiry can be student-led research and summative assessments can be real-world problems instead of repeating back facts.

Example Inquiry

In the grade 7 science BC curriculum, one of the Big Ideas is “Earth and its climate have changed over geological time.” Rather than immediately feeding students content about fossil records, climate change, impacts of humans, and other topics specific to this concept, students can be posed with the question “How and why have Earth and its climate changed over time?” They can figure out what they already know about this concept, investigate this concept, sort the information, fill in the gaps, and then present the information they now know that answers the guiding question. By guiding students in researching this concept, they learn transferable skills and digital literacy while also explore specific topics that may be more applicable to them personally.

To access this information in presentation, please refer to the below file (Prepared for Module 3):

Ready to Learn More?

In this podcast episode, teacher Trevor MacKenzie discusses how teaching through inquiry positively affected one of his students. It’s a very powerful story and worth listening to, especially if you’re worried about implementing concept-based inquiry in your classroom.

References

BC Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Science 7. Building student success – B.C. curriculum. https://www.curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/science/7/core

Ekdahl, M., M. Farquharson, J. Robinson, L. Turner. (2010). The Points of Inquiry: A Framework for Information Literacy and the 21st Century Learner. Vancouver, BC: British Columbia Teacher-Librarians’ Association.

French, R. (2024, July 22). Why moving to a concept-based inquiry approach just makes sense. Professional Learning International. https://professionallearninginternational.com/why-moving-to-a-concept-based-inquiry-approach-just-makes-sense/

Friesen, S., & et al. (n.d.). Dimensions of Discipline Based Inquiry. Focus on Inquiry. https://inquiry.galileo.org/ch2/dimensions-of-discipline-based-inquiry/

Love, Cassandra. (2020) Geo-Inquiry Process: Educator Guide. National Geographic Society. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Geo-Inquiry_Educator_Guide_K-2.pdf

Sabin, M. (2021, May 25). How to use concept-based teaching in your classroom. Atlas. https://www.onatlas.com/blog/how-to-use-concept-based-teaching-in-your-classroom

Silicon Valley International School. (n.d.). The Inquiry Learning Cycle. https://blog.siliconvalleyinternational.org/the-inquiry-learning-cycle