Inquiry:
Virtual
Tours and Primary Sources
The inquiry
process involves seeking information by
questioning. It implies that learning leads to understanding by
utilizing
skills and attitudes that allow learners to seek resolution to
questions and
issues while constructing new knowledge. Further, critical inquiry
involves
seeking a variety of resources and assessing the authenticity of those
resources as well as evaluating them to assess their appropriateness
for a
given task. Using media as inquiry,
we
will begin our investigation of questioning
techniques, considering ways that inquiry-based learning really
pushes
students to understand at the more cognitive levels of authentic
learning,
while also encouraging them to ask the right questions.
"primary
sources include all the traces left by the human past -- present
ideals,
present social customs and institutions, language, literature, material
products
of human industry, physical man himself,
and the physical remains of men." Henry
Johnson
(1)
Primary
Sources: By critically
examining authentic primary source documents,
students can investigate collections from multiple perspectives
(2)
Virtual
Tours:
Internet-based virtual tours and museums allow users to view exhibits
and collections,
giving students access to a wealth of information and resources. Many
virtual
field trips are organized by the teacher (similar to Web Quests), while
many
well known museums offer guided virtual tours with curriculum resources
as
well. In your research, take note of the vast differences!
You might also consider online adventures --
quests that combine inquiry learning, technology and travel. These
quests
usually are a journey with the students following the adventure
Primary
Source Resources
Good
Social Studies Primary Sources
Lesson
Plans from the Library of Congress and the American Memory Fellows
Program
Teaching
with Documents Lesson Plans
Virtual
Tour/Field Trip Resources