Inquiry+Skill

I chose to focus my lessons on the inquiry skill of assimilation. Assimilation is the middle step in the five elements of information inquiry. Callison and Preddy (2006) describe assimilation as when a learner adds new knowledge to existing knowledge, combines them, and grows from it. This growth can be in reinforcing, confirming, or altering. Assimilation is not simply gathering new bits of information. By itself, assimilation does not reveal if the new well of information is correct or false. To be an expert, a learner will need to evaluate, critique, compare, and contrast the new set of information. That is why, for a higher learner, inference needs addressed also.

For the sixth grade, as novices, the inquiry process is a guided exercise in new information. Having been exposed to fantasy stories and fairy tales, the concept of a castle is already in their minds. The lesson is to show there were MORE people in a castle than just kings, queens, and knights. Taking on the role of one of these people will reinforce the new assimilated information.

For the eleventh grade, the expert level can be pushed. All of assimilation will occur, but the inquiry process can branch into the next step, inference. Inference reflects an ongoing change in inquiry approach that if often internal to each student. According to Callison and Preddy (2006), “Assimilation and inferences are constantly interacting as a decision process to accept or reject new information.” While a media specialist hopes the student’s topic would add to their learning, the media specialist is more interested in HOW and WHY they chose their sources. Inquiry experts will evaluate an information source before it is included. AASL Standards such as 1.1.5 emphasize this evaluation.

Callison, D. and Preddy, L. (2006). //The Blue book on information age inquiry, instruction and literacy.// Westport: Libraries Unlimited, p7-8.