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Using Inquiry-Further Questions and Bibliography

Further Questions

1. Besides closed-ended or open-ended questions, what other inquiry options might writing instructors use?
2. How does the writing instructor in an open-ended inquiry class know whether a student’s thematic conclusions are valid or not? Does it really matter as far as the learning objectives are concerned?
3. What are some specific steps that a basic writing instructor can take to foster student development in asking and answering higher order questions?
4. What reading strategies might be best supported in a class that focuses on inquiry?
5. How does “inquiry” differ from “project-based learning” and/or “problem-based learning”?
6. What other teaching/learning methods might be effective in a theme-based course?

To respond to these questions, you may choose to start a new FAQ or add to this one, see guidelines / instructions for Using CompFAQs Wiki

Annotated Bibliography

Ballenger provides a detailed roadmap for implementing inquiry-based teaching methods into the writing classroom. He provides real student examples, accessible analysis, and suggestions for inquiry driven writing lessons.

An early advocate for using inquiry- based teaching methods in the college composition class, Hawkins takes the reader from foundational theory to practice. His big push is for a greater level of small group collaborative inquiry.

Remler’s article is an account of how the author was able to spark active learning in her classroom by encouraging students to be more involved in determining the direction the class would take. By empowering students in this way, Remler was able to guide her students toward higher level thinking and more meaningful written work.

Wilhelm shows how to take traditional teaching lessons and transform them into inquiry-based lessons. While his research and lessons are primarily developed out of his work in middle schools and high schools, the theory is grounded in the works of Dewey, Piaget and Vygotsky, and is applicable to all levels of teaching and learning.

Wood provides an historical account of how reading instruction has changed in the college classroom over the years, as well as an analysis of theoretical influences that caused the changes. She combines psycholinguistic research with more than forty years of teaching experience to draw her conclusions.

Links

Bruce Ballenger, The Curious Writer
<http://wps.ablongman.com/long_ballenger_cw_1/0,10486,2059149-content,00.html>

Thom Hawkins, Group Inquiry Techniques for Teaching Writing
<http://www.heidelberg.edu/writing/facultylibrary.html >

Nancy Lawson Remler, “The More Active the Better: Engaging College English Students with Active Learning Strategies”
<http://bedfordstmartins.com/basicbib/ >

Jeffrey Wilhelm, Engaging Readers and Writers with Inquiry: Promoting Deep Understandings in Language Arts and the Content Areas with Guiding Questions
<http://www.basicsplusbooks.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=0439574137>

Nancy V. Wood, “College Reading Instruction as Reflected by Current Reading Textbooks”
<http://calbears.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb3247/is_199703/ai_n7941518>