Inquiry and Discovery

Inquiry Based Learning  

The school follows an Integrated Inquiry process from Year Prep to Six.  Students in Year Prep, One and Two participate in Discovery Learning as part of their learning. The amount of time given to Inquiry and the degree of student control of their learning varies according to the age and development of the students.  Discovery is a time when students are empowered to make decisions about their own learning. They choose the learning they want to engage in, who they do this with, and where they do it. Teachers create environments that encourage children to investigate, play, create, discover and experiment in different ways. They provide materials and provocations to stimulate different kinds of thinking and responses.

The Discovery-based inquiry approach values the prior knowledge, interests and experiences that young children bring with them to school, as well as building new experiences as a springboard for extending children’s curiosity and scaffolding further learning. Discovery and Inquiry investigations complement one another and provide a context for both the purposeful learning and application of literacy and numeracy skills as well as the students’ capacities as effective learners.

Inquiry investigations enable teachers to broaden the children’s horizons and experiences, potentially sparking new interests and ideas. They also provide the opportunity for explicit teaching of inquiry skills and dispositions.  As students become familiar with the processes and skills they engage in more guided and independent inquiries to explore and investigate their own interests and questions, or to show their learning. Inquiry investigating may include the  learning areas of History, Geography, Science, Health, Design Technologies, Personal and Social Capability, Ethical Capability, Intercultural Capability and Critical and Creative Thinking. 

During the Inquiry process: - 

• The learning journey is to be evident within the classroom.

• Value is placed on the learning process and thinking skills.

• Students should be able to discuss their learning, have ownership and take action.

• Students develop the following dispositions for effective learning- Problem Solving, Risk Taking, Resilience, Persistence, Self-Managing, Curiosity, Reflective and Collaboration.

• Teachers work as facilitators with the children.