Tag Archives: Inquiry-based learning

Inquiry Science Teaching and Learning from a Distance

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Matt Oney (WWTF ’12)

BIOGRAPHY
Matt Oney is the director of the Escanaba Student Success Center, an alternative school in Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula. Prior to his role as director, Matt was a science teacher and 2012 Woodrow Wilson Michigan Teaching Fellow. He spent his years teaching, developing, and implementing inquiry-based curricula centered in modeling instruction. He was a governor appointee to Michigan’s 21st Century Education Commission, which was charged with developing plans to improve Michigan’s entire education system. Matt has been successful in raising funds for his classroom that have allowed him to explore the integration of various types of technologies in his classroom instruction. Many of these technologies have been instrumental in his transition to online instruction.
SCHOOL PROFILE

  • Small school
  • Rural
  • Alternative and traditional public school
  • Enrolled students: 70 at alternative school; 700 at traditional school
  • Free/Reduced lunch Eligible: 35%
  • Demographics: 95% White

SESSION ABSTRACT
Next Generation Science Standards, 3-dimensional teaching, and inquiry-based learning have revolutionized science instruction. However, this method of science instruction is difficult and requires large amounts of planning and practice when face-to-face. With our current modality of teaching online, inquiry-based teaching and learning becomes even more difficult. In this session, Matt will share his experience in developing, implementing, and facilitating inquiry driven lessons from a distance. In addition, Matt will highlight many of the technologies that have eased the transition to online teaching.

Leveraging Desmos in Remote Instruction

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Olivia Birdsall (WWTF ’12)

BIOGRAPHY
Olivia Birdsall is a math teacher and chair of the math department at the Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center on the west side of Indianapolis where she has taught for all seven years of her career. Olivia was a 2012 Woodrow Wilson Indiana Teaching Fellow at the University of Indianapolis. Prior to her acceptance to the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship, Olivia studied studio arts and mathematics at St. Lawrence University. She worked in costume construction and design and as a photographer before starting her teaching career.
SCHOOL PROFILE

  • Medium School
  • Urban
  • Traditional public school
  • Enrolled students: 1,256
  • Free/Reduced lunch eligible: 5%
  • Demographics: 5% Hispanic, 33% White, 22% Black, 5.4% Multiracial, and 1% Asian

SESSION ABSTRACT
Before COVID-19, Olivia’s classroom featured mathematical discourse and inquiry. Students were encouraged to make mistakes and engage creatively with mathematics. As classes shifted to remote learning, Olivia fought to maintain inquiry-based teaching practices and resist the urge to fall back into teacher-centered pedagogical routines. In this session, Olivia will share how she leveraged Desmos, a free resource with both “customizable” and “create from scratch” math activities and how she plans to utilize this technology next year–should classes start the year in the digital setting. While primarily used with mathematics content, Desmos is also adaptable to other content areas.