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About GIsML Instruction |
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The GIsML Project > Heuristic > Conceptual Terrain
Program of Study- Conceptual Terrain
Prior
to teaching, a general terrain must be identified, that designates the
"bounds" of the inquiry. The conceptual terrain includes superordinate
and subordinate concepts. We use the term program of study to refer to
the periods of time during a school year that students are engaged in
investigation (and knowledge building) around a specific topic. Where
others might use the term "unit," we use the phrase "program
of study" to signal that the activities (physical and intellectual)
that occur in the course of the instruction are connected by the goal
of studying a particular aspect of the world for the purpose of coming
to understand it as scientists do, commonly in a program of research.
Classroom inquiry is guided by the pursuit of a general question, which we call a guiding question, that is too broad for focused investigation. In order to meaningfully address the guiding question, it must be reconstructed into other questions - which we call focus questions - that are more specific scope, but which can guide specific investigation in pursuit of a response to the guiding question. A number of focus questions are typically employed to meaningfully address a guiding question. In addition, the guiding question acts as a thread that allows connection of the findings from investigations stemming from the focus questions, and enables the construction of a general response to the guiding question. Focus questions may be fully defined by the teacher, defined jointly by the teacher and students, or defined primarily by the students if they can independently direct their own inquiry (typically a function of age, but also related to nature of the topic and prior knowledge students bring to the topic).
Heuristic Home | Learning Community | Cycles of Investigation | Phases of Instruction | Types of Investigation