INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW
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The Importance of the Essential Questions
The forming of the essential question is vital in beginning the inquiry-based process. Careful thought and planning must be taken to develop it. David Jakes (2003), a developer and presenter of technology professional development for school districts, stated, “The effectiveness of any lesson design, and therefore any learning experience, including those that are virtual learning experiences, rely on the quality of the essential question posed to students” ( Basing Virtual Learning Experiences in Essential Questions, para. 1).
According to the Technology Director for Bellingham Schools, Jamie McKenzie (2002), “Just as good stories raise questions in the listener’s mind but delay providing answers, good teaching often introduces important questions that will not be answered right away” (para. 7). Blumenfeld, Soloway, Marz, Krajcik, Guzdial, and Palincsar (1991) asserted that the question should “not be constrained that the outcomes are predetermined, leaving students with little room to develop their own approaches to answering the question” (p. 372). John Dewey (1916) suggested that the essential question had to be complex enough to be challenging, but not so that the learner was overwhelmed and discouraged.
Resources:
McKenzie, J. (1998). Teach the teachers: Integrating Web-based resources—Essential Questions. Retrieved April 17, 2006, from http://www.washington.edu/uwired/outreach/teched/using/mod2less 2quest.html
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