Design Thinking – A New Tool

I’ve been shopping for a new tool, lately.  I’ve spent time doing the research.  I’ve read (and continue to read) books, I’ve talked to people and I’ve played with idea...

Tightrope Walking

We started a new Guided Inquiry unit this week with a Grade 8 Creative Writing Class.  The idea behind this unit is that students use research around world issues, specifically the UN’s 17 Sust...

Learn to Make – Make to Learn

I’ve been spending my Spring Break wading through Learning Logs, interviews, assignments, and surveys trying to distill common threads from the thinking of a number of students in a Social Studi...

Boston Guided Inquiry Reflections

I started this week in Boston spending some quality time with Leslie Maniotes, two members of my school’s Social Studies Department and the Librarian from our Jr School.  We had the opportunity...

Guided Inquiry – Evaluation

What a week!  I’ll write about my fantastic trip to Boston with members of our Socials Department, my Librarian colleague from our Jr School and Leslie Maniotes in another post, but while I was...

Guided Inquiry – One Overview

If you are looking for the, quintessential overview of Guided Inquiry, look no further.  You should be reading Carol Kuhlthau, Leslie Maniotes, and Ann Caspari’s books on the topic Guided Inqui...

Guided Inquiry – a Midpoint Reflection

I’ve been exploring Kuhlthau, Maniotes, and Caspiri’s Guided Inquiry model for some time now.  (read Guided Inquiry and Guided Inquiry Design) For the most part, this has involved reading...

Maker Meditations

Those who are regulars around these parts, will know that I’m engaged in an Action Research project that is involved in looking at the broad question of maker learning as an inquiry approach to ...

Jargon – Questions more than answers

As I prepare to head back to classes next week, I find myself thinking a lot about use of various terms that are being tossed about in my corner of education these days (and, as I write this, I find a...