Learning LOG #1

                                                               Learning Log # 1                 LLED 469                                                       


PLACE  BASED  INQUIRY LEARNING:

What did I do and what were my conclusions?

Using the free inaturalist app I walked around my apartment located in the inner harbour area of Victoria; BC. and took pictures of plants and trees. The snapshot then was connected with the most likely Genus name and picture and then top 10 species suggestion names and pictures. Included was a map of observations where you can zoom in on and a link to more information at inaturalist.org. This place based, learning by action inquiry exercise had me posing a lot of questions and developing my observation skills when matching my picture to theirs to determine its correct name.  It caused me to speculate and be intrinsically motivated on the many aspects of plants including origin; possible uses; classification hierarchy; etc;. I formed this web to outline my inquiry process and  interconnected pathways that as I discovered new information it created more questions along with use of further resources driving the inquiry learning. An example of this is the Utube video here: Leap Into Action , Collaborative Environmental Stewardship. Students were guided with higher order open ended questions then used free inquiry in choice of topic/problem and method/pathway of discovery and actively contributed to their classmates and community.

My Inquiry web

 My conclusion was this app is an exciting,stimulating tool to encourage as stated in  the; School Library article; Zeroing in on Inquiry by Sharon Coatner; wonderment,curiosity  higher-order thinking and it is messy and not linear."  My learning was sparked by taking pictures of plants and it was enticing to discover information that made me want to know more and more. I felt a part of a constructionist learning model building upon my inquiries including the opportunity to interact/contribute with other naturalist too in sharing and synthesizing  information.
The 4 major inquiry criteria as set out by  Kristin Fontichiaro is a quick assessment to check that the process is truly Inquiry based learning. Click here for more:What's Inquiry? Well, I know it when I see it.

How was Inquiry based learning incorporated?

As stated in the: Canadian School Librarians document; Leading Learning:  "Designing learning environments to support participatory learning;inquiry learning was incorporated because the focus was on a co-creation interconnecting the physical and virtual world; opening up learning pathways;collaboration digitally with other naturalists and classmates;opportunities to expand with further resources and opportunities for innovation/creation such as detailed illustrations of a particular plant/tree.(example being realist painter; Robert Bateman) and adding to the intake of data fields identification of species in locating and naming plants.(biodiversity assessment) Students can share their findings to other naturalists through identifying plants on inaturalist which in turn helps other conservation agencies as they act as naturalist making real contributions.


Questions I posed when using the app were:

How are plants/tree classified? What are the levels of classification? Why do they originate with  Latin names? Which plants I took pictures of are useful/purposeful to humans and /or animals? Where did they originate from? Are any at-risk plants?  What characteristics make them the best plants for this area? What is the land use now and historically?

 I then began to ponder higher order questions that help create  greater inquiry possibilities beyond the remembering/ comprehension stage of the Blooms Taxonomy

 A few guided  Higher order thinking questions for Inquiry learning are:

APPLY: Select and draw 2 plants  and list the classification names in a chart or any pictorial form from Genus to species. (7 STEPS)
Look at the map of observations to determine where these species are found.Why do you think they are best suited in these locations?

ANALYZING: Explain why these plants/trees are best suited for this ecosystem/location.
Categorize the plants/trees under the same Genus.Which has most/least why? List the uses of plants/trees and give examples from your location. Choose 2 from same Genus explain differences/draw them.

EVALUATION: By analyzing the plants/tress evaluate the biodiversity.(how is it doing?) Assess if any plants are at risk? Infer why. Evaluate if the land is being used well to benefit conservation and what would you add or change?

CREATE: A pictorial Guide to your location with illustrations with Latin and Common name.(Butchard Flower and Plant Guide is  an example) Draw a pictorial map or create a clay model of the ecosystem and explain the interconnections/purposes with animals and humans. Determine if this ecosystem is at risk or not; why or why not? How can we make a difference. Share with classmates.


How could the School Librarian insert this activity into the learning commons?

As School Librarians we can lay the framework by designing/redesigning learning that is true to inquiry based learning preferable the more student driven Guided or Free (most freedom) as opposed to Controlled or Structured inquiry. (Mackenzie 2016) School Librarians have the opportunity to foster an attitude towards wonder, curiosity and exploration through sharing the use of inquiry formats and steps of inquiry to colleagues and students.

Enlarge 3 pictures of plants or bring in live or dried that are local with the caption;Can you identify the names of these plants?   There is more then one!  Let students record  possibilities. The data then can be used by a class of older students to spark the discussion around the plant hierarchy from the largest being Kingdom to specific Species and use of common and Latin names. As well a pictorial web format  can be displayed in the learning commons and various students fill it out. Encourage different formats in displaying names.(pyramid, drawings etc;.)
 Write below pictures the app name; inaturalist and collaborate with teachers in the inquiry use of it. Teachers can arrange that students can go with a parent volunteers in small groups of 2 or 3 for ease of access to view volunteers phone.
Another activity; is to bring an a basket with items made from plants that students could research and guess the common name of plant and what it was used for.  Example is hemp cloth, tissue, cork etc;.End of week supply match cards to objects for students self assessment. Bring a basket of a variety of flowers and plants.Ask the question; How would you categorize them? ( scaffolding discussion to the 5 groups of  plant taxonomy )
Create an ongoing list of items that humans use and/or eat that come from plants; guess how long it will be.

Resources to help answer questions include:
Digital Tools:
1. NatureServe (ecosystem/biodiversity etc; information and access to experts to answer questions)
2.National Conservancy of Canada (podcasts specific to each province)
3. inaturalist.org (share identifications)
4. gardenguides.com(for children;classification)

Pictorial dictionary (students good reference for Latin and Common names of local flowers)
1. The Butchart Garden; Flower and Plant Guide
2. Print an example of plant classification and plant taxonomy groupings

My 3 personal learning objectives that I have for this course are to:
As a School Librarian:
1.Actively and with a thorough rationale insert inquiry learning into the school environment.
 2. Successfully select the best range and formats of resources that spark inquiry
3. Share and promote formative assessment rationale and formats to scaffold students discoveries along the way.
 The initial use of the inaturalist app in taking plant photos lead me on a journey of discovery and caused me to ponder/think more deeply of its interconnections of the location it was found, the ecosystem and how plants are classified. Coming about it indirectly and open ended was a far more exciting inquiry process then to be given the information explicitly! 

References:
"Collaborative Environmental Stewardship". Youtube, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6wuEFnUciE&feature=youtu.be.

Coates, Sharon. "Zeroing In On Inquiry". Web.A.Ebscohost.Com.Ezproxy.Library.Ubc.Ca, 2019, http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=cafc11dc-2e36-49c1-8863-534f9a7af7e8%40sdc-v-sessmgr02.

Fontichiaro, Kristin. "UBC Library | Ezproxy Login". Web.A.Ebscohost.Com.Ezproxy.Library.Ubc.Ca, 2019, http://web.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=1&sid=85ceff5e-6b36-4586-88c4-1236d10d2aa0%40sessionmgr4006.

"Bloom’S Taxonomy". Vanderbilt University, 2019, https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/.


"| Natureserve". Natureserve.Org, 2019, https://www.natureserve.org/biodiversity-science/species-ecosystems/ecosystems.

"NCC: Podcast". Natureconservancy.Ca, 2019, http://www.natureconservancy.ca/en/who-we-are/podcasts/.

"Inaturalist.Ca". Inaturalist.Ca, 2019, https://inaturalist.ca/.