Enquiry as a Pedagogical Approach within
the Context of Primary Geography
Wendy Garner
Senior Lecturer in Geographical and
Historical Education
University of Chester
Why Enquiry?
Outline of Presentation
•
•
•
•
Aims
Research Design
Summary of Findings
Conclusions and Recommendations
Aims of Study
Image of Victorian classroom
removed for copyright reasons
• Analyse archival and policy
documentation
• Relate 'geographical enquiry' to
key philosophical and
pedagogical movements and
theory
• Explore Primary School
Teachers' (PS Teachers) ideas
about geographical enquiry
• Explore Initial Teacher Training
Tutors' (ITT Tutors) ideas about
geographical enquiry
• Consider implications in relation
to policy formulation and
classroom practice
Research Design
•
•
•
•
Policy documentation
Archival evidence
PS Teachers’ ideas
ITT Tutors’ ideas
• Relate to key philosophical/
pedagogical movements and
theory
The Ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task Inventory (IELTI)
Academics’ version
Rank
An Ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task:
A Not ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task:
1
2
3
4
5
6
An adaptation of the Ideal Self Inventory (ISI) (Norton, Morgan & Thomas 1995;
Tilley and Norton, 1998) and
Ideal Distance Learning Task Inventory (IDLTI)
(Garner, Norton et al. 2001).
Summary of Findings (1)
ITT Tutors – Composite View
Rank order
An Ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task: A Not Ideal Enquiry-based Learning
Task:
1
the task facilitates autonomous learning the task is controlled and directed by
- opportunities to ask and answer
the teacher – teacher as provider of
geographical questions/ fosters
closed questions and predetermined
creativity
answers
2
the task is based on the traditional
‘enquiry cycle’ ie. ask, plan, collect/
record/ analyse/ discuss data, draw
conclusions, evaluate, long term
proposals for ‘action’ etc.
(comprising some higher order
thinking skills/ reflection)
the task is not based on an ‘enquiry
cycle’ , when teacher or pupil
planning
3
the task has a clear purpose which is
meaningful and motivating to
pupils
the task has no clear purpose and is
unrelated to pupils’ interests
Summary of Findings (2)
ITT Tutors – Composite View
Rank order An Ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task:
A Not Ideal Enquiry-based Learning
Task:
=4
the task connects with other geographical
and cross-curricular concepts and
skills - including development of
attitudes and values
the task fails to make good links with
other geographical and cross
curricular concepts, skills, attitudes
and values.
=4
the task involves the use of a wide range
of good quality geographical
resources
the task involves the use of a limited
range of resources, not always
relevant to geographical enquiry
=4
the task involves field work
the task is classroom-based
5
the task is organized as a collaborative
group activity
the task is organized as an individual task
6
the task takes prior geographical
knowledge into consideration and
differentiation is appropriate
the task does not take prior learning into
account and differentiation is not
clearly evident
Summary of Findings (3)
PS Teachers – Composite View
Rank
order
An Ideal Enquiry-based Learning Task:
1
No response
2
the task involves field work
3
the task facilitates autonomous learning
- opportunities to ask and answer
geographical questions/ fosters
creativity
4
the task involves the use of a wide range
of good quality geographical resources
5
the task is based on the traditional
‘enquiry cycle’ ie. ask, plan, collect/
record/ analyse/ discuss data, draw
conclusions, evaluate, long term
proposals for ‘action’ etc. (comprising
some higher order thinking skills/
reflection)
Summary of Findings (4)
PS Teachers – Composite View
6
the task connects with other
geographical and cross-curricular
concepts and skills - including
development of attitudes and values
7
the task has a clear purpose which is
meaningful and motivating to pupils
8
the task features effective questioning by
the teacher
9
the task is organized as a collaborative
group activity
10
the task takes prior geographical
knowledge into consideration and
differentiation is appropriate
9/ 23 agree to feeling confident = frequency of 39%
14/ 23 not sure or disagree that feeling confident = frequency of 61%
Conclusions (1)
• Historically a lack of consensus about nature of geography
and how to teach effectively ~ searches dating back to 1900
reveal significant evidence of enquiry based approaches
• Recent research (Roberts 1998, 1999, 2003 and Garner
2002, 2007) suggests that the interpretation and
construction of geographical enquiry varies at
classroom level
Conclusions (2)
• Analysis of statutory and non-statutory guidance ~ need
for more detailed rationale/ justification of enquiry based
approach, improved clarity with respect to progression,
clearer guidance on how to implement at classroom level
• An enquiry approach can be justified in relation to theories of
learning ~ constructivism/ socio constructivism
Conclusions (3)
• IELTI (ITT Tutors) – links to historical dimension, relates
closely to learning theory and develops ideas about enquiry
identified within the NC
• IELTI (PS Teachers) – similar with additional category of
‘effective teacher questioning’ ~ plus lower response rate and
lower confidence levels (CPD seems to positively impact on
this)
Ways forward?
‘Geography survey inspections between 2005 and
2007 continue to show that many primary
teachers are still not confident in teaching
geography and have little or no opportunity to
improve their knowledge of how to teach it.’
(photographs reproduced with kind permission
of Overleigh St. Mary's CE Primary School)