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 This weeks' readings and investigations included backward design, the BSCS 5E Instructional Model, and the development of lesson plans utilizing Web 2.0 resources. As stated in my first blog post, backward design is essentially the same as building a flipped classroom. Many aspects of the backward design include the same aspects of traditional lesson planning, including establishing student knowledge and goals and determining methods of formative assessment. Conversely, backward design requires the teacher to establish learning goals and materials that should be mastered by the end of the unit. I still feel that this approach is very labor intensive for the teacher up front, and has mixed results with students depending on the class structure and course. For example, gifted students may thrive in a flipped classroom where they can hone their research and investigative skills, as well as further developing critical thinking and communication skills. However, many students struggle with this level of independence and require more direction and scaffolded information in a traditional classroom.

  The 5 E's are a helpful way to organize a lesson plan, whether backward designed or more traditional. By thinking of tasks and assessments in terms of engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration, and evaluation, teachers can more easily build lessons that truly engage students, utilize web 2.0 resources, and promote process skills. This approach makes more sense to me as far as inquiry based learning in the art classroom, as it fits easily with my existing curriculum. The 5E's in particular have made me consider ways to further enrich my lessons with additional interactive resources, especially in regards art history. Time, though, is the constant barrier to implementing these changes right now. I do wonder what other art teachers are able to integrate into their classrooms with time and budget constraints and if incorporating more digital art and technology into the classroom is helpful or not.

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 Over the past 2 weeks, I've investigated the difference between facts and concepts. Traditionally, students often needed to memorize content and regurgitate factual information. In this age of digital technology, personal devices, and A.I., it is more important for students to understand larger concepts. For example, rather than memorizing the dates and artists responsible for the Cubism movement, students should investigate the larger concepts of why artists painted in that style at the time and what makes a work of art "Cubist." Another component to inquiry-based learning involves the types of questions being asked. When comparing investigable and non-investigable questions, I reflected on the number of investigable questions already in place in my classroom. While students do have to learn and remember a few facts about art history, materials and techniques, much of our curriculum involves students answering a "question" through research, brainstorming, sketching, and creating a finished art project. There is no single "correct" answer for these questions and students have to integrate new knowledge and skills with their own experiences to interpret and create something unique.

I have also looked at the technology of Web 2.0 resources. These technology resources boost student engagement through interactive games and videos, in contrast to traditional teacher-directed instruction. Students can also use these resources to create podcasts, explore resources in new ways, and play interactive games. In general, I struggle to incorporate technology into my curriculum because I only see students for 45 days of 45 minute class periods per year. Our primary objective to to engage students in art making while also modeling and practicing peer feedback, art criticism and art history. With so little time to fit it all in, the technology ultimately functions as enrichment or occasionally sub plans. Throughout this course, I have reflected more and more on how much my students are engaged in content and learning valuable life lessons as well as art making techniques. I would argue that my students benefit from not using technology in my class because they are able to practice social skills, communication, creativity, and fine motor skills, which is seriously lacking in most of their other classes. I will continue to investigate technology resources, but will likely not use them actively in my current classes.

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Create a blog entry that describes how your thoughts about inquiry based learning have developed over the past two weeks. What new insights have you developed? Has anything changed? Are there any "burning questions" that you feel need to be answered?

   After another two weeks of reading about inquiry-based learning, I feel like I have a better understanding of the ways this style of teaching can be implemented. When reading the case studies, for example, it was interesting to note the numerous ways students can engage in inquiry-based learning. Projects involved everything from the students determining the questions and developing experiments (classroom 1), to the teacher assigning specific questions and guiding students through a discussion or oral report (classroom 3). When investigating the Abilities and Understandings of inquiry-based learning, I noted the many higher level thinking skills needed for students to be successful. Therefore, inquiry-based learning ties well with the Portrait of a Graduate and other STEAM based initiatives that emphasize critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. 

     I have been ruminating on several ideas of how to transform my art classroom into a more inquiry-based learning approach. The challenges presented are the strict time and curriculum restrictions of my department and district, such as requiring specific art movements and only 45 class periods of 47 minutes each in which to create art projects. One assignment I give my students is a sketchbook project, that allows students to choose from a list of drawing prompts and create artwork using any style and materials available in the classroom; students complete this in their own time throughout the semester and I merely check in to see what they create periodically. I am considering ways to make this more student driven, such as tasking students with developing an artist statement and project goal, then sketching and eventually creating one final product on their own. The challenges I've seen with this approach is that most middle-school students have not yet developed the organizational, creative, or time management skills needed for this type of project. I plan to continue developing this project to allow for more student choice and inquiry into art styles, materials, and artists, while balancing the need for middle school students to practice planning and time management.

    As for any "burning questions," I am only curious to know what other teachers are doing with inquiry-based learning and how successful their approaches have been.