Inquiry Studies: Needed Skills

by Liz Deskins, February 2012

"It is nothing short of a miracle that modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry."
—Albert Einstein

Students of the 21st century must master inquiry studies including both the comprehension of nonfiction text and the use of critical thinking skills. Current curriculum expectations, as well as the Common Core standards, reflect the importance of mastery of these skills. But what role does inquiry play? Perhaps one should look at this question in another way: What role do nonfiction reading skills and critical thinking skills play in fulfilling inquiry studies?

Defining Inquiry

The first step is defining the meaning of "inquiry." The following excerpts provide clear definitions of inquiry:

• "Inquiry is a stance toward learning in which the learner is engaged in asking questions and finding answers, not simply accumulating facts presented by someone else that have no relation to previous learning or new understanding. Inquiry follows a continuum of learning experiences, from simply discovering a new idea or an answer to a question to following a complete inquiry process" (Kuhlthau, Maniotes, and Caspari 2007).
• The National Science Teachers Association's (NSTA) definition is: "Scientific inquiry is a powerful way of understanding science content. Students learn how to ask questions and use evidence to answer them. In the process of learning the strategies of scientific inquiry, students learn to conduct an investigation and collect evidence from a variety of sources, develop an explanation from the data, and communicate and defend their conclusions" (National Committee on Science Education Standards and National Research Council 1996).
• Kuhlthau et al. go on to explain, inquiry "is an approach to learning whereby students find and use a variety of sources of information and ideas to increase their understanding of a problem, topic, or issue. It requires more of them than simply answering questions or getting a right answer. It espouses investigation, exploration, search, quest, research, pursuit, and study. Inquiry does not stand alone; it engages, interests, and challenges students to connect their world with the curriculum. Although it is often thought of as an individual pursuit, it is enhanced by involvement with a community of learners, each community learning from the other in social interaction. However, without some guidance it can be daunting" (2007, 2).

Reading Nonfiction Text

Nonfiction reading skills/strategies include "comprehension," which is defined as "the act or fact of grasping the meaning, nature, or importance of; understanding," (C. R. Adler 2007) and "metacognition," which can be defined as "thinking about thinking"(Flavell 1979). To be successful and contributing members of the 21st century, students must master both, and in order for that to be accomplished, comprehension and metacognition require skillful scaffolding throughout the K-12 student experience. "Scaffolding [is] the framework that envelops a building while it is under repair. In the classroom, teachers serve as this steady 'platform,' supporting instruction for those students who 'don't get it' by giving them precisely the guidance they need to solidify their understandings of the concepts or strategies" (Ross 2003). "Comprehension strategies are conscious plans—sets of steps that good readers use to make sense of text. Comprehension strategy instruction helps students become purposeful, active readers who are in control of their own reading comprehension" (Adler 2007). Effectively using metacognition is evidence of the understanding of one's own learning. Students must realize, when seeking understanding, what strategies are available, and when and how to use them appropriately. It is important to note that both of these skills—comprehension and metacognition—require organization of thinking by a number of means, such as reading for meaning, prioritizing importance of information found, or noting information that needs further explanation or research.

According to William Huitt, "Critical thinking is the disciplined mental activity of evaluating arguments or propositions and making judgments that can guide the development of beliefs and taking action" (1998). This explanation shows that learning how to think critically is accomplished by careful scaffolding from one grade level to another. Students first discover how to find information in the early grades, then how to analyze it and synthesize it in the middle grades, and finally internalize it by taking a stand or point of view by the end of high school. Both comprehension and critical thinking must be used to effectively conduct inquiry.

School librarians believe it is not only using the mechanics of nonfiction conventions but also infusing that instruction into an engaging inquiry unit that can be a powerful vehicle in learning how to navigate nonfiction. Inquiry-based learning is more than just a lesson about strategies to use when searching for the correct answer. It gives an authentic purpose to search, not just for a correct answer, but for a greater understanding about the process.

The following is an example of how the inquiry process was put into action with a 2nd grade class incorporating nonfiction reading skills with critical thinking.

"Wonder Leads to Wisdom" by Socrates

One year I had a 2nd grade class that was very lively and loved to view things through the lens of science. They were entranced with the squirrels that they could see outside their classroom window. This strong interest, which sometimes led to class disruption, sparked an inquiry idea. The teacher and I decided to begin several science units—local habitats and life cycles—in October to be revisited throughout the school year. We combined these with nonfiction reading and writing standards to create a squirrel study unit. We used the Stripling Model of Inquiry as our framework (see Figure 1). We introduced the unit by reading Lisa Campbell Ernst's picture book Squirrel Park, and followed with a conversation on what parts of the story were true and which were fiction. We then discussed what the students thought they knew about squirrels (Connect stage). At this stage, the definition of nonfiction was reinforced with concrete examples that continued to lay the foundation for comprehension.

This naturally led into brainstorming questions the students wanted answered about squirrels (Wonder stage). For students of this age, it was difficult to create a thought-provoking question. They would much rather talk about what they know or think that they know. Developing a question that requires more than a yes or no answer takes cognitive development and practice. As a group we practiced taking a yes or no question and editing it to become a "juicy" question, one that is thoughtful and layered and requires higher-level thinking to reach a comprehensive answer. For example, the initial question, "Does the squirrel have a fluffy tail?" evolves to "Why does the squirrel have a fluffy tail?" to finally "How does the squirrel's tail help it adapt to its habitat?" After a few group-designed questions, students created their own. We also watched a series of video clips of squirrels doing various things such as climbing, balancing, and collecting food. As we watched, I would think aloud, "I wonder how that squirrel can balance on the phone wire," "I wonder if squirrels hibernate or how they make it through the winter," or "I wonder why they make those different sounds." Once the students had a list of questions to research, they helped create designated research tables full of print resources by selecting books from the library shelves (Investigate stage).

At this stage, students were so engaged with finding answers (researching) that this was a natural place to introduce using the library catalog. They learned that choosing the correct word and correct spelling on the search line was important. They experimented with mixing keywords and decided whether to use those words as subject searches. The next step was the "aha" moment when they discovered that most of the books they found were shelved together. At this point in their reading development, they needed a variety of books for the breadth of readability levels, lots of pictures with captions to help them find facts on a page, and books with table of contents, glossaries, charts, and indices. Magazines like Ranger Rick and Zoo Book provided information through illustration and helped those who were not yet strong readers. Links were also made on the library home page to appropriate websites (many of which were suggested by students themselves), a further example of investigation based on ownership of the project.

We created a "naturalist journal" for nonfiction writing by providing students with a graphic organizer for their research and reflection (Construct stage). The journal contained spaces for observation, taking notes, gathering information, clarifying questions, etc. All of these strategies were to be used with the naturalist journal to meet writing for nonfiction standards. These journals also contained different kinds of graphic organizers, providing some differentiation for students of varying abilities. (As a side note, if I were to do this project again, I would create a variety of graphic organizer pages and allow students to self-select the style that works best for them.)

At the conclusion of this study, students were offered various product choices for sharing their information with other students (Express stage). These final projects included posters, Voicethread, Pixie books, and video reports. Students chose their final projects by conferencing with the teacher or librarian to determine which medium best suited the research material and the academic strength of the student.

Through informal sessions, groups of students offered reflection on the project, what they enjoyed about the process, and what they would change (Reflect stage). It was clear to see that there was a greater understanding of why and how the habitat supported the animal and what adaptation the animals made to survive in that habitat. It also served as a demonstration of students successfully using their critical thinking skills and nonfiction reading strategies to foster inquiry research. As students began to understand how to use their search skills to find information (which sometimes led them to new questions and ideas) they began to use the critical thinking skills of comparing, refining, and constructing to begin to scaffold those metacognitive skills into higher level thinking strategies of collaborating and producing a product.

This example shows how powerful the tool of inquiry is, and how it can be used to infuse education with a zest and joy for learning. Inquiry learning establishes 21st-century skills that are necessary to be successful in today's world. Students should be prepared to learn new things and handle the rapidly changing world of work that awaits them. Adults who possess critical thinking skills, strategies for nonfiction reading, plus the drive and interest to pursue answers to questions and solve problems will be able to meet challenges with success.

Inquiry over Time

In order for inquiry to be effective as a learning tool, it must be modeled by teachers, by the school librarian, and by other teaching specialists in the building. It should not be a once-a-year activity, but rather a practiced method of teaching and learning that is used daily. If a student visits the school library, he/she should be encouraged to think about the purpose for visiting. The librarian can pose this question as an inquiry and encourage the student to share follow-up thinking or further questions. The librarian can ask about strategies used to answer the inquiry and have the student explain his/her "critical" thinking leading to that answer. Student-designed charts and posters explaining the inquiry process can be created to hang in strategic places, and students can be invited to share these completed projects in the school library. The school librarian, when appropriate, can model thinking aloud as she solves an issue, thus embodying behavior for students to emulate. In these ways critical thinking and nonfiction reading strategies can be used as natural steps in a student's mastery of the inquiry process.

Works Cited and Further Reading

Collins English Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged. n.d. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/comprehension (accessed November 2, 2011).

Adler, C. R. "Seven Strategies to Teach Students Text Comprehension." Reading Rockets (November 1, 2007). http://www.readingrockets.org/article/3479/ (accessed November 9, 2011).

American Association of School Librarians. "School Librarian's Role in Reading Toolkit." American Library Association, 2009. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslissues/toolkits/slroleinreading.cfm (accessed October 28, 2011).

American Association of School Librarians. Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. American Library Association, 2007. (Downloadable for free at: http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards).

Ernst, Lisa C. Squirrel Park. Simon & Schuster, 1993.

Flavell, J.H. "Metacognition and Cognitive Monitoring." American Psychologist (1979): 906-911.

Harvey, Stephanie, and Anne Goudvis. Strategies that Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement. 2nd ed. Stenhouse, 2007.

Huitt, William. "Critical Thinking: An Overview." Critical Thinking Conference,1998. http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/critthnk.html (accessed November 9, 2011).

Kuhlthau, Carol C., Leslie Maniotes, and Ann K. Caspari. Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21st Century. Libraries Unlimited, 2007.

Moreillon, Judy. Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension. ALA Editions, 2009.

National Committee on Science Education Standards and National Research Council. National Science Education Standards. National Academies Press, 1996.

Ross, Laura. Teaching Reading in Social Studies, Science, and Math. Scholastic Professional Books, 2003.

Stripling, Barbara. "Inquiry-Based Learning." In Curriculum Connections through the Library, edited by Barbara Stripling and Sandra Hughes-Hassell. Libraries Unlimited, 2003.