Learning for Life through Inquiry

I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Ancient Chinese Proverb The agricultural education profession has long prided itself on using problem-based learning (PBL) as a pedagogical approach. The Methods of Teaching Agriculture text by Newcomb, McCracken, Warmbrod, and Whittington (2004) dedicates a whole chapter to problem-solving. In that chapter, the authors draw a comparison between the steps in the learning process and the steps in problem solving. They go on to explain that the problem-solving approach fits well within the learning processes making it an ideal teaching method within the context of agriculture. Recently, Parr and Edwards (2004) draw comparisons between the inquiry-based learning (IBL) concepts utilized within science education and PBL used within agricultural education. Parr and Edwards conclude that there is substantial pedagogical agreement between the concepts of IBL and PBL. In fact, PBL could be considered as IBL when the learner, rather than the teacher, determines and defines the problem to be solved. Because of the similarities and the academic achievement that has been realized using these pedagogical approaches in science education, Parr and Edwards suggest that both IBL and PBL are effective means for student learning. The PBL, IBL, and even the learning process models are highly congruent (Doolittle & Camp, 2003; Parr & Edwards, 2004). However, IBL is conceptually broader and problem-solving serves as one teaching strategy within the context of IBL (Thirteen Ed Online, 2004). Therefore, rather than using, IBL and PBL interchangeably, perhaps the agricultural education profession should consider developing and promoting IBL as the context for teaching agricultural education and offer PBL as one means of inquiry. Children are naturally curious. They use their senses to start exploring their world even before they begin to talk. Once they learn to talk, they begin asking some of the most important questions in life because they are trying to understand the world in which they live. As any parent knows, they ask lots of "why" questions related to the purpose of things, how they came about, and what they are made of. As the years go by, curiosity sometimes gives way to matters of fact, but is never entirely extinguished. IBL can rekindle curiosity, increase motivation, and maybe even promote creativity. IBL takes the natural born tendencies of inquiry and uses that inquiry process within the educational system to construct knowledge and understanding of how to get and make sense of things in today's complex society (Thirteen Ed Online, 2004). IBL enables the student to construct an understanding of the natural and socially designed worlds and seek appropriate resolutions to questions and issues rather than looking for a single, correct answer. Using IBL, the acquisition of facts is not the ultimate goal; rather, facts are the means to higher levels of cognition including analysis and synthesis. Thirteen Ed Online (2004) identify four key principles of IBL: 1) the utilization of information processing skills from observation to synthesis should be the focus of learning; 2) the learning process is student-centered; 3) the role of the teacher is one of facilitator and co-learner; and 4) assessment focuses on both what is valued and the student's conceptual understanding. The IBL approach focuses on using and learning content as a means to develop information-processing and problem-solving skills. The results include: * Student construction of knowledge through active involvement * Increased student motivation, interest, creativity, and engagement * Learning becomes more fun and less of a drudgery * Movement from "learning about things" to "doing, understanding, and creating things" * Learning and retention of the content is improved because facts are relevant * Students take more responsibility for their own learning * Students seek collaboration and work cooperatively with others to accomplish learning * Students become more confident in their abilities as learners * Students learn to process information and find answers to their questions * Students become life-long learners. …