While the process went slower in one class than the other, the initial reflections were promising.Two days ago I launched the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) with both of my MYP Individuals & Societies classes. o ask their own inquiry questions. QFT is a step by step rigorous process in which students engage in writing their own inquiry and learning how to use their own inquiry questions. I would like to emphasise the second part of the process - learning how to use their own inquiry questions. This is the magic dust in this protocol. Student think deeply about when they need specific types of questions, such as open-ended and close-ended questions. The QFT process enables students to uncover the differences and when each question type is useful. I have used the strategy sporadically and through a few lessons I have seen the aha moments unfold in the eyes and through student conversations. However, this is the first time I am using it for an entire unit of inquiry and rolling it out in a blended learning environment. However, for the first class...I started slow.
When I introduced QFT to my two classes I provided a mini lesson which was approximately 10 minutes. Then I shared a template that had the 8 steps and a protocol. I currently have a K class with 19 students and a R class with 18 students. In both classes I have students working from home. had students working at home on Zoom and students in person in class. I have a K class with 19 students and a R class with 18 students. In both classes students were placed into 4 groups. I released the students into their Google Classroom groups with the QFT template that I crafted for the provocation below.
I walked the students through each of the first four steps, then I took notes as I circulated the room. While circulating I heard students asking each other questions to confirm their understanding with questions like What is open-ended questions? Is this a closed-ended question? When I popped into Google documents students were using the chat to include the students at home. I sighed with relief.
As a quick reflection at the end, I sent students a Google form with the following questions:
For the first question: What did you learn? there were 12 students who made references to the inquiry process. The promising responses were: learning how to create inquiry questions from pictures, writing open-ended questions and planning inquiry. I will have to see how it unfolds over the coming weeks.
When I introduced QFT to my two classes I provided a mini lesson which was approximately 10 minutes. Then I shared a template that had the 8 steps and a protocol. I currently have a K class with 19 students and a R class with 18 students. In both classes I have students working from home. had students working at home on Zoom and students in person in class. I have a K class with 19 students and a R class with 18 students. In both classes students were placed into 4 groups. I released the students into their Google Classroom groups with the QFT template that I crafted for the provocation below.
I walked the students through each of the first four steps, then I took notes as I circulated the room. While circulating I heard students asking each other questions to confirm their understanding with questions like What is open-ended questions? Is this a closed-ended question? When I popped into Google documents students were using the chat to include the students at home. I sighed with relief.
As a quick reflection at the end, I sent students a Google form with the following questions:
- What did you learn?
- How do you know that you learned it?
For the first question: What did you learn? there were 12 students who made references to the inquiry process. The promising responses were: learning how to create inquiry questions from pictures, writing open-ended questions and planning inquiry. I will have to see how it unfolds over the coming weeks.