Dear Mrs. Summer

 

 Dear Mrs. Summer,

Thank you for involving me in the ideation for your project. Economics is not my subject, but I would try my best to help. I understand that you wish to do an Inquiry based lesson (IBL) or a problem-based lesson (PBL).  Both of them are off shoots of Piaget’s Constructivism model. Let’s see how they are related: IBL is based around a question by the teacher that would instigate the students to think through and by the process of reaching the answer, learn more about the content. There is an overlap between IBL and PBL in the sense that PBL would take the question as a real-life investigation question (Kimberlin Education, 2019). The topic that you have – supply and demand – is tilted on a real-life investigation and that is helpful, for we can combine IBL and PBL.

Here are some questions that may help you to design the lesson:

●        What is the ONE essential question that you can take, for this topic that would lead to a real-life investigation by the students?

●        Would you like them to create the sub questions themselves or would you hand them a ready question map?

●        PSL works best as a team approach (Kimberlin Education, 2019). What do you think is the best group size?

●        What is the goal of inquiry? Is it to learn investigation skills or to expand one’s knowledge (Dynarski, 2015)?

●        Would it be a structured inquiry guided by you or an open inquiry where students are co-creators (Dynarski, 2015)?

Before beginning the design, I would urge you to consider these factors for designing questions (Education Development Center, 2016):

●        The question must have an answer, but it should not be very obvious, instead one that evokes thinking. The question should also lead the students to do data-based research.

●        Allow the students to brainstorm to understand the question and also come up with sub questions that convert the big idea-based question into manageable tasks.

●        Give the student some resources to do their work but also allow them to keep a list of other sources that they use.

●        Create a tech space through folders online where students can share with each other their work, resources used and also raise questions for peer help.

●        Do have in the task list space for the students to share their work at least twice, in the middle and the end, to the rest of the class and invite feedback.

●        Based on the age group, create the groups judiciously for optimum output from the students. Be flexible in group creation and involve the students to have a say in how they wish to work. Use research to know about as many models of self-work as possible (Dynarski, 2015) without getting trapped by any one of them.

●        Have a system of regular monitoring of the student's using technology and face to face interactions (Dynarski, 2015). Periodically review their work and also give them time to talk of the blockers that they may be facing in the work.

●        Once in a while, surprise them with a short video or invite someone experienced in the supply and demand process to talk to the students (Dynarski, 2015).

The entire list above is focused on the logistics, however, end of the day we learn in an eco-system of care and concern. Get to know the students well, develop a positive mindset and eco system of encouragement, ask students to give feedback on the task and the processes that you followed and continuously stay on your own growth path (Calnin, n.d.)

I wish you all the best!

Take care

Monica

References

1. Calnin, G. (n.d.). Establishing the conditions for student learning growth. Retrieved from https://www.studiosity.com/hubfs/Studiosity/Downloads/Research/Establishing%20the%20Conditions%20for%20Student%20Learning%20Growth%20-%20Review%20by%20G.%20Calnin.pdf
2. Dynarski, M. (2015, December 10). Using research to improve education under The Every Student Succeeds Act.  https://www.brookings.edu/research/using-research-to-improve-education-under-the-every-student-succeeds-act/
3. Education Development Center. (2016). Inquiry-based learning: An approach to educating and inspiring kids. http://youthlearn.org/wp-content/uploads/Inquiry_Based_Learning.pdf
4. Guido. M. (2017). All about inquiry-based learning: Definition, benefits, and strategies.  https://www.prodigygame.com/blog/inquiry-based-learning-definition-benefits-strategies/
5. Kimberlin Education. (2019, August 13). IBL, PBL and PjBL, what's the difference?  http://kimberlineducation.com/ibl-pbl-and-pjbl-whats-the-difference/.