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Inquiry Grade 5, Lindy Buckley, cc Attribution by 2.0

Librarians have been ahead of the trends when it comes to applying inquiry to education, and the recognition of this is what you might appreciate  about this article: How Can Your Librarian Help Bolster Brain-Based Teaching Practices?

Research has shown that children learn best when presented with an authentic problem (i.e. What can you do to make your community a better place, rather than write a biography about a famous Canadian).  Connecting learning to students’ own experiences is key. In fact, the article summarizes the inquiry process in the following formula, the idea being that this is the kind of learning that students retain:

The inquiry learning formula:    Authentic problem + compelling question + interesting text (all kinds) + thinking, conclusion and synthesis = deep, lasting learning.

Librarians can support inquiry learning through the provision of interesting, engaging and age appropriate resources as well as guiding learners in how to evaluate the information that they find.  It’s what school librarians have always done and why they continue to be partners in inquiry based learning.