Tag: 5%

Inquiry-based learning within a Technology-Mediated Environment

Inquiry-based learning is a process in which learners acquire knowledge by asking questions, investigating problems, and reflecting on their understanding. Rather than passively receiving information from the teacher/instructor, students are encouraged to discover and investigate.

Since Bruner (2006) said that “the most uniquely personal of all that he knows is that which he has discovered for himself.” This implies that self-discovery is the primary means of meaningful learning and understanding. This aligns with constructivism, in which learning is constructed through experience and interaction with the environment.

Technology plays a huge role in supporting inquiry-based learning, which can be achieved through discussion forums or collaborative platforms, such as the Learning Pod C or the general channel in Teams. However, too much structure can reduce inquiry-based learning into a checklist, while too little guidance can lose learners’ understanding. Bruner (1961) also distinguishes between teaching in expository mode and in hypothetical mode. I’ll personally go for the hypothetical one in my design since it promotes learners to be active and participate in evaluating their thoughts, questioning ideas, and reflecting on their understanding.

Thus, scaffolding strategies come in handy when dealing with inquiry-based learning tasks because they can reduce cognitive load, provide guidance, and assist students in their ways of thinking and acting (Hmelo-Silver et al., 2007). The way my design works is I would conduct it is to include checkpoints and feedback for learners to feel as if they are supported without removing the element of discovery.

This approach will definitely have its place in my final interactive design because it promotes a deeper understanding and longer retention in learners’ memories. Upon discussion and comparison within the learning pod, we decided it’d be best to use Zoe’s experiential learning as it aligns well with our topic due to its relatability with learners’ daily experiences. Even though experiential and inquiry-based learning can sometimes overlap due to their similarities.

References

Bruner, J. S. (2006). THE ACT OF DISCOVERY. In Search of Pedagogy Volume I (pp. 67–76). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203088609-13

Dsouza, John. (2016, April 7). Based Learning 9: IBL — Inquiry-Based Learning. Medium. https://medium.com/innovative-learning/based-learning-9-ibl-inquiry-based-learning-89770af4babc

HMELO-SILVER, C. E., DUNCAN, R. G., & CHINN, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and Achievement in Problem-Based and Inquiry Learning: A Response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark (2006). Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520701263368

Kinvig, Z. (2026, June 1). Experiential Learning in the Psychology of Social Media. Zoe KinVig. https://zoekinvig.opened.ca/post-2/

A story about my best learning experience in AHVS 295B

Enrolling in AHVS 295B: Introduction to Film Studies has to be one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. What made the course so memorable is how different it is from the required engineering courses I must enrol in. From the beginning, this course used a cognitivist approach, gradually introducing topics such as Films as Language and Genre Films, with clear links that connected new concepts to existing knowledge. This was accomplished through tutorials and lectures. However, the course also used a constructivist approach by encouraging students to share their interpretations, ideas, and debates about films such as The Player, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and others.

Through these interactions, students enriched and expanded their learning experience by listening to different perspectives and opinions from their peers. Last but not least, the course embraced connectivist concepts that define learning extended beyond the classroom, such as the use of Brightspace and informal discussions in office hours or with peers, normally after class lectures. Students were not isolated in the instructor’s lecture slides or textbook, but it comes from the connections/interactions between peers, media, and digital resources. According to connectivism, knowledge is transferred across a network and not confined to individuals alone. Furthermore, the course is integrated with behaviourism, which was evident in how tutorial participation is reinforced by including it in the grade total contribution of 10%, creating a consequence of grade impact. Not to mention, the course repeatedly instructed students to include screening notes, construct a point-form outline, and an introduction. This encourages students to develop a routine when dealing with the assignments.

Why did I enjoy it?

I thoroughly enjoyed this learning in this course because it let me choose which films I wish to write about between a certain time, such as from January 6 and January 27, for an assignment. Moreover, before enrolling in this course, my interest in film has always been there since I was a child. This occurs because of my parents’ love for movies, so it naturally rubbed off on me.

References

Ertmer, P. A. & Newby, T. (2018). Behaviorism, Cognitivism, Constructivism: Comparing Critical Features From an Instructional Design Perspective. In West, R. E. (Ed.), Foundations of Learning and Instructional Design Technology (1st Edition): Historical Roots and Current Trends (pp. 133-151). EdTech Books. https://edtechbooks.org/lidtfoundations/behaviorism_cognitivism_constructivism

Hawks, Howard. (Director). (1953). Gentlemen Prefer Blondes [Film]. Twentieth Century Fox.

Weller, M. (2020). Connectivism. 25 years of EdTech. Athabasca University Press. https://read.aupress.ca/read/25-years-of-ed-tech/section/198057f5-1a3e-4436-a4b8-c6e1a3e0bd69