What my ILA is all about ...

At last I’ve found a class to observe! It is a year 9 SOSE class and their task is to examine and report on the concept of the ecological footprint. This is part of the subject SOSE or “The Study of Society and Environment”. The class starts in term 4 and continues throughout the term. I’m very excited as the teacher running the unit is considered an expert in inquiry learning! The culminating event for this learning experience is an exhibition showcasing their discoveries. Family and friends are invited to this evening event.  Each student has a stall displaying their project and they get to explain their “research results” to anyone who’s interested.

The teacher-librarian (TL) in this school is dedicated, knowledgeable and involved with all aspects of curriculum within the school. Both the TL and the teacher running the inquiry unit are part of the leadership team of the school. The teacher and the TL have offices within the spacious and picturesque library and they share a staff room/kitchen apart from the “official” staff room. They therefore have ample opportunity to discuss matters of mutual interest.

The ILA has been designed to help the students attain a number of learning outcomes. The students are guided through a number of steps on their way towards these outcomes. The first step is for them to gain an understanding of the concept of an ecological footprint.  The second helps them identify an area of interest that will be the focus for the inquiry.  The third helps them identify suitable research strategies to gather relevant information about each section of the inquiry. They are expected to gather both primary and secondary data. The primary data gathered would be; taking and using photographs, collecting and analysing statistics, conducting interviews, constructing and conducting a questionnaire or survey or an audit and, direct observation. The fourth step is to identify a strategy that students and their families could implement to reduce their “footprint factor”. The last step in the inquiry learning unit is to analyse the results of their inquiry and decide on the most effective ways to present the data. Part of their presentation is in the form of an annotated visual display. The rest consist of artefacts with which to make their stall appealing to visitors during the exhibition, in the hopes of starting an interesting conversation about their topic.