Does inquiry based learning increase academic student performance for high school Latino/Latin ESOL students?
Introduction
Effective content delivery by teachers often requires that they research, adopt and implement the most suited techniques that will be easily understood by most students. Among the most common teaching and methodology techniques is the inquiry based learning which has been found to have tremendous positive impact on students performance regardless of the subject taught. Inquiry based learning is thus defined as a teaching and learning approach in which the learners begin by having a set of questions or scenarios and develop on the same, thereby intuitively establishing findings rather than situations where the instructor presents established facts to the students (Garcia, & Hoenick, 2013). In inquiry based learning, the students begin by formulating questions or describing imaginary scenes which need to be solved. Attempts to provide answers to the formulated questions or to provide solutions to the imaginary scenes are what constitute the actual learning process.
Learners therefore ask questions, investigate postulates, criticize findings, discuss opinions and reflect on the established facts. This has greatly been compared to factual learning in which students are presented with facts and findings and thus expected to internalize or even cram, provide they are able to recall and produce the same whenever required to, such as in examinations and evaluation tests. Given such a preamble, it is therefore true that inquiry based learning indeed increases students’’ academic performance, especially for high school Latin/Latino students.
Sociocultural Problems Faced by the Latino Children
The Latino population faces myriads of social and cultural problems in the USA. In the first case, this population is a monolith, having English learners as a subgroup. This means that English is not a common language among them. Some other elements of sociocultural identities of the Latino population relates to its heterogeneity, and multiracial status, and having diverse educational and socioeconomic backgrounds (Benuto, 2012). Just to appreciate the problems that Latino children experience in the quest to learning, it is worth enumerating the demographic trends of their social parlance in learning dynamics. For example, data shows that the K-12 student had only 17% of the Latinos by 2002, and this data is projected to rise to 25% by 20125. This lower rate of projection considering that education is the heartbeat of every society
Today, only four of 10 Latino students are English language learners, with up to 45% of this population attending schools in areas zoned as poverty stricken. Indeed, most Latinos are impinged by poverty, and thus do not get access to the basic services that other students would get in established areas. Another date reveals that more than two times the number of Latino as African-American hail from families where their parents hardly possess high school diploma and this ratio is estimated to be up to five times against the white students (In Milne, et al, 2015). Besides, the population of the Latino children in nation’s largest district school is low, and it is equated that there is only one Latino student out of three students in these schools. However, the population of Latino Students is vast in the leafy suburbs of San Antonio, Los Angeles, among other low-class settlements.
Despite highly published sensitization to the Latino population on the importance of education, no much progress has been achieved over the past 30 years, but the negatives have skyrocketed with this population leading in the higher number of dropouts, as well as insignificant enrolment in the college preparatory and postsecondary enrolments (In Jackson, et al, 2012). Therefore, it is ideal to examine the impact of inquiry-based learning to this community, which is already limited by social disparity. Indeed, applying a proper learning to this population would bridge the huge disparity gap, and enhance their achievement gap in education acquisition (Benuto, 2012).
Theoretical Framework of Inquiry-Based Learning
The foundation and manifestation of inquiry-based learning was founded on the precept of the constructivism, and was supported by the Chinese proverb that says, “Tell me and I will forget, but show, I will surely remember”. This is the philosophical premise in which this theory of learning is constructed. Therefore, this system of learning is based on an inquiry platforms and students and subjected to make discoveries or construct information, instead of relying on teacher’s efforts and capability.
According to Volante, (2012), inquiry-based learning is a core learning principle in which the students are subjected to construct knowledge and understanding after they have received ample encouragement from the teacher. Therefore, this theoretical intervention will give the students a vital platform to think critically, and make good use of the knowledge already cultivated. The origin and foundation of this learning approach could be traced back from 1900’s in the documentation of John Dewey in his book, “The Child and the Curriculum.”
The notion behind the evolution of this learning approach was founded based on the laxity or loopholes realized from the Traditional learning approach. The traditional learning approach had some shortfalls, which needed to be corrected by this new learning precept. One such limitations attributed to traditional learning approach was its apparent inconsideration to the needs of a child since it concentrated on the eccentricity of a teacher providing knowledge to a child, while disregarding his or her learning capability or needs (Fingon, & Ulanoff, 2012). Besides, this learning notion cultured an archaic mindset where a teacher had a preconceived notion based on the subject matter, and relied on something already made up in him, and was determined to transfer this knowledge to a child without letting a child learn from his own discoveries during the learning process.
According to Dewey, Traditional learning approach triggered social standoff in the life of a child, and this increased the knowledge and learning gap among children who were subjected to units, and lesson plans. In addition, he views this learning approach as inconsequential to a child’s ability since it concentrated so much on covering lesson and topics, than considering the individual plight of a child. Therefore, how can Latino child who is already limited by identity complex survive under this class of learning? This is a question that is yet to be answered as we explore about the inquiry-based learning, and its empirical evidence of success.
Principally, the traditional learning approach did not successfully meet the demands of children, who were either limited by sociocultural factors, or had certain cognitive and learning difficulties. It is in the backdrop of these underpinnings that scholars like Dewey postulated for a new concept that would meet the social needs of children who were being subjected to an archaic and a subjective learning concept. Inquiry-based learning was based on constructivism idea, and it was more learner-centered compared to the old system.
The constructivism paradigm upholds a child as the center of core of a learning process, and disregards units and topics that had been predisposed by the traditional education approach. In fact, this learning paradigm puts a child at the start and the end of a learning process, and disregards lessoned learning inherent with the old system of learning (Babione, 2015). In addition, this learning approach is very proactive and cognizant to the learner’s potential. For example, a child would feel as part of a learning process where the educational paradigm puts him before any factors like curriculum and unit coverage. This process of learning creates an active platform where the student interacts, and questions the teacher. Moreover, this is the precept upon which inquiry-based learning was developed, and has evolved to become an esteemed system for both academic and social learning paradigm, having the capability of bridging the knowledge gap between students to different sociocultural identities.
Empirical Studies Supporting the Manifestation of Inquiry-Based Learning Model
The first research was conducted to establish a fact that Inquiry-based teaching inspires students to engage in more leaning and even learn more thoroughly. According to this research, middle-school students outperformed their colleagues in the high school who were taught with the traditional methods of learning.
The physics teacher in the middle public school had adopted a computer-based inquiry curriculum to his students, while the teacher in the high school applied the traditional learning approach to teach similar concept in physics. When these two schools were subjected to a similar test on the concepts of force and motion to the real world manifestation, the low-performing students who were subjected to inquiry-based learning method scored higher marks compared to high-achieving students who were exposed to traditional methods of learning (National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), et al, 2011). This study thus shows that inquiry-based learning is critical in enhancing the achievement gaps of students, without compromising on the curriculum standards. In addition, this percept conforms to the social leaning theory, which stipulates that leaning should be interactive, and students must feel free to ask questions.
The state of Ohio conducted a research about the importance of inquiry-based learning on students from lower sociocultural setups. This approach was administered by middle school teachers, and they realized that it increased the student’s achievement gaps, and also increased the performances of children from African-American and Latino backgrounds. In addition, this research revealed that the achievement gap between male and female students narrowed upon the application of the inquiry-based learning.
In addition, the urban middle schools had different performances, and students whose teachers participated during the inquiry-based learning process outperformed student whose teachers did not participate in this form of learning workshops (National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), et al, 2011). Other than the higher achievement of gaps of students taught by teachers who participated in the inquiry-based workshops, the result realized that the score differences between male and female students narrowed in the schools and class whose teachers applied inquiry-based learning approach.
Impacts of Inquiry-based Learning to the Performance of High School Latino
The major impact of inquiry based learning on the performance of high school Latino students is that it gives room for the learners to ask questions. Questions are both intuitive and explorative in nature. The two terms basically imply that the questions serve as stimuli which propel student to ask explorative questions on what they know, perceive, speculate or even suspect (Garcia, & Hoenick, 2013). In giving response to such questions, the resource person will not only be providing answer to the questions asked but also increasing the learner confidence on such concepts and thus enriching the learners’ understanding.
Another important aspect with regard to allowing students to ask questions on concepts they do not understand is that is that it initiates endless research into the concept. In the process of doing such research, the learners are likely to come up with new concepts, ideologies and even more information on the question at hand (Blessinger, & Carfora, 2014). In fact, the major weakness of high school Latino students is that they easily accept and abide by taught concepts and rarely take time to find additional information on the same.
Poor performance therefore comes in where the evaluation exercises tend to test on such assumed additional information. Training high school Latin students on inquiry based learning has thus been the initial step in preparing the same students to have an inquisitive mind, and subsequently helping them develop the urge to go beyond what there instructors give. Statistics show that students with such inquisitive minds perform better academically than those who are often satisfied by the resources given by their instructor.
Inquiry based learning builds on the investigative abilities of students, an attribute largely required for exemplary academic performance. Investigation can be thought of as a process of seeking to find out the extent of authenticity in already formulated facts. In learning, investigation is essential as it helps the learners to find out any possible sources of error, identify any limitations in the application of the verified facts or even come up with modifications that can enrich the content of such facts (Babione, 2015). Investigation therefore involves asking questions, reading available literature, carrying out experiments and initiating verification processes in most cases. The learner thus assumes that there is something that was either not done properly or needs to be revised and thus embark on efforts to find out the exact fault in the facts as established. Numerous researches conducted on inquiry based learning have established that investigative learning yields students who are eager to find out what no one has ever done. Students try at all times to establish concrete relationships between what they obtained from their investigative activities and the existing information. Most inventions are initiated by such investigative students. An established relationship between academic performance and investigation is that the later helps learners to go an extra mile and thus get access to extensively large chunks of information, which later culminates into improved academic performances.
Another aspect of inquiry based learning that contributes to improved academic performances is the fact that it hugely emphasizes on criticism. Criticism is closely related to both investigative learning and inquisitive learning. In fact, inquisitive minds are what eventually develop into investigators (In Blessinger, & In Carfora, 2015). After investigations, the next step is thus a critical evaluation and analysis of the established facts.
A good learning process is one which gives room to students to openly voice their views and opinions on what the resource person or instructor reveals to them. A good illustrator or teacher will thus easily evaluate the level of internalization of taught concepts amongst their students by the nature of criticism he or she receives from the same students. A contented bunch of learners might either have understood the concept taught or totally missed out on the same. Criticism as a component of inquiry based learning thus helps evaluate the effectiveness of the illustrator as well as content retention ability of the learners. The illustrator is thus in position to either change tact and approach or carry on with a certain effective approach so as to realize improved performances.
Inquiry-based learning would have a major impact on the performance of the high school Latino students since it promotes free interaction between a teacher and the students. In fact, it is a more learner-centered system that invokes positive interaction between a teacher and students, thus enabling them to get the best out of the learning process. This concept of learning is equally supported by the fundamental of Yyogotsky social Development Theory, which stipulates that social interaction is major portfolio to development, cognition, and consciousness. Just like in this theory, learning requires deeper involvement of cognitive abilities and senses, and as such this theory fully conforms to the precepts of inquiry-based learning.
The application of this Yyogotsky social Development Theory to inquiry-based learning is a critical lens to generating the interactive learning prospects among the High school Latino students who are limited by the sociocultural odds. Besides, this theory is well in, line with the social learning theory, which again postulates interaction as a fundamental precept of learning.
Conclusion
In the foregoing discussion, a lot of discussions have been centered on the importance of inquiry-based learning, and it would be impactful on high school Latino children. An assessment of the Latino children revealed that this group is buoyed by many challenges, which translates to their rating as a low subculture in the USA. Accessibility to education has been a major challenge to this group, and it significantly limits them from engaging in a fair competition towards the acquisition of education. One such platform that would remedy the education challenges facing the Latino high school students in the backdrop of these sociocultural underpinnings is the intervention of inquiry-based learning process. This model has been empirically tested to steer interactive education among students, and it is associated with higher achievement over traditional theory (Benuto, 2012). Therefore, inquiry-based learning increase academic student performance for high school Latino
References
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