After reading the articles and viewing the videos, write a brief essay explaining how what you read and viewed challenged, reinforced, or changed the way you thought about inquiry in general or inquiry as related to the science standards. Use specific examples from the materials.

“Through the process of inquiry, individuals construct much of their understanding of the natural and human designed worlds” (O’Keefe, 2016). The article “Inquiry Based Learning”, is an eye opener towards students determining the pathways to the desired goal rather than the educator giving those students direct instructions on where to go and how to get there. Inquiry implies emphasis on the development of inquiry based skills and the nurturing of inquiring attitudes or habits of mind that will enable individuals to continue their quest for knowledge throughout life (O’Keefe, 2016). By enabling students the ability to try on their own more often, the trial and error process begins. If educators give students the directions, or let them know the outcome of non-examples, then this could truly lead to an injustice to the inquiry based learning process. Students must see failure as a lesson learned and a reflective pre-requisite as to what to try next in the future. Students of the art of inquiry based learning or experts will prove that determining these pathways to learning further adds to the fund of knowledge for others to benefit from.
The educator discovered new content by breaking down the content of inquiry based learning and how it is actually transmitted. Concepts, skills, and habits of mind all play a role in the transmission of content. The educator noticed several concepts reviewed in both videos that led him to believe that the skills necessary to become an inquiry based learner apply directly to those of any 21st century learner. The skills needed to become one, generally fosters the skills of the other. The educator has also learned from reviewing the articles that a 21st century level learning experience is one that must be fostered by the educator for the students to benefit from. The designed classroom must be in place for 21st century learning to occur. Once a classroom possess this quality, then inquiry based learning will be able to be fostered faster in the learning environment.
As a primary teacher (first grade), the educator will welcome all opportunities to align the inquiry based method of learning to the NGSS curriculum. A challenge that in now foreseen by the educator after reading the articles is placing the right equipment in every student’s hand. In a rural community such as the one the educator resides, finding funds to purchase the correct equipment to align these standards directly to inquiry based learning will be a struggle (if the educator could really have all the equipment wanted, not needed). Also, the educator will continue to work on fostering a learning atmosphere that allows students to develop these skills while staying within the boundaries of the learning target. When first grade students begin to explore options of problem solving, they will need to be reminded of the goal at hand at the same time. The educator has changed his view on inquiry based learning as it is not just something that appears in science, but it every subject, and every aspect of life. Looking back into previous aspects of his own classroom, the educator has determined that the goal and the path to inquiry based learning may be too obvious. A more “adventurous” and unique approach to doing science may need to be increased. Learning to apply inquiry based learning to all aspects of the educators time with students will be a process, but a beneficial one in the end.
Overall, the educator desires to increase the ability to keep students on task with a goal in mind, while helping them to develop the ability to create and apply strategies on their own that will help them seek out the truth, information, and knowledge. This skill is desired to be an area of focus, improved upon, and implemented within the learning atmosphere.