Enquiry based learning
An intensive introduction into the multi-faceted field of enquiry-based learning (EBL), ranging from problem-based tasks to more open inquiries. Enquiry-based learning may take place face-to-face or online, as part of students’ individual research or through group learning, so being able to share your work context and bringing ideas on where you might wish to include EBL will help you to get the best out of the course.
Aims
This short course aims to:
- Support the development of your understanding of the pedagogical context of enquiry-based learning (EBL) and problem-based learning (PBL)
- Help you to identify where EBL might fit into your own teaching by exploring EBL in a variety of contexts
- Help you reflect on and continue to monitor and develop your teaching practice
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of this course you should be able to:
- Explain what EBL is, including a variety of interpretations of the term
- Discuss the application of EBL in a number of teaching contexts
- Identify where EBL might fit into your own teaching
- Design suitable EBL tasks for your context
Course participants
EBL has its place at all levels of teaching and staff development, and in all disciplines. The course is therefore suitable for any teachers, lecturers and trainers wishing to move beyond a transmission model and willing to explore a more flexible method of teaching. Reliable and regular access to internet services is a pre-requisite - broadband is an added advantage - and we welcome international participants.
Learning and Teaching Activities
The course itself will follow an EBL-format, so all participants are expected to play an active part in shaping the direction of their learning through online discussions and regular input. Through discussions and suggested readings, we will explore issues usually regarded as difficult when it comes to designing EBL tasks, such as equity in group work, students identifying their own research question or inquiry, differences between EBL online and face-to-face, recognising and facilitating students’ changing information needs in an EBL setting, and suitable assessment for EBL. We will also discuss the tutor role in EBL, and explore opportunities for working in partnership with students. In some weeks, special interest groups will be set up to allow you to explore issues of particular interest to you, and you may be asked to facilitate your group in order to practice co-ordinating an EBL setting.
The course will be supported by some suggested readings that will serve as an introduction to topics, and discussions will explore these readings within disciplinary and institutional contexts to maximise an individualised outcome for each participant.
You will be provided with a course text Foundations of Problem Based Learning by Maggi Savin-Baden and Claire Howell Major, although we will move beyond this text for literature on more open-ended EBL design.