6 Things About WICOR and Inquiry

6 things about

WICOR: Inquiry

WICOR and Inquiry

WICOR stands for Writing Inquiry Collaboration Organization Reading

Tools

Collaboration

None of this work has to occur in isolation. Look at your lesson cycle. Where are the natural breaks in logic, in process, in production, in preparation, in presentation? How might students divide and conquer a larger inquiry project?

Process

Student Products

With student questioning, the results take a multitude of forms. As they discover information, provide varied product options to allow students to follow where their process and enthusiasm take them. Menus or choice boards can help with structure.

Information Gathering

These resources represent tools for information gathering that DPISD offers to teachers and students that you may not be as familiar with as some of your usual classroom tools. It is not an exhaustive list; other tools and resources that students might use in this process include:

• class notes
• textbook adoption supplemental materials
• YouTube for Education
• DOI support
• shared departmental documents

Inquiry is:

• Uncovering one's understanding
• Critical thinking and questioning
• Expressing a variety of ways to solve problems
• Engaging in thinking, learning, and discussion to inspire innovation

• Analyze and synthesize materials or ideas
• Clarify their own thinking
• Probe others' thinking
• Work through ambiguity

Collaborating in Microsoft 365 includes all of the Microsoft tools that we most commonly use: Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Whiteboard, Forms, OneNote, Teams, and Sway

Collaborating through iWork includes all of the Apple tools that we most commonly use: Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Clips, iMovie, and Sketches

Inquiry is:

• Uncovering one's understanding
• Critical thinking and questioning
• Exploring a variety of ways to solve problems
• Engaging in thinking, learning, and discussion to inspire innovation.

WICOR and Inquiry

AVID WICOR Overview

Students who inquire:

• Analyze and synthesize materials or ideas
• Probe others' thinking
• Work thorugh ambiguity
• Solve authentic problems

AVID supports Inquiry through blended learning experiences including:

• Design thinking and problem-based learning
• Computational thinking
• Skilled questioning techniques
• Costa's Levels of Thinking
• Socratic Seminars
• Tutorials, Collaborative Study Groups and Scholar Groups

What is Genially used for? Genially is the world-leader in interactive visual communication. Use Genially as your all-in-one online tool to create stunning presentations, interactive images, infographics, gamification, quizzes, breakouts, portfolios, etc. and enrich them with interactivity and animation effects in seconds.--from elearningindustry.com

https://app.genial.ly/inspiration

NoodleToolsNoodleTools--found in ClassLink--allows students to quickly and easily document the sources of the information they've found. Usually, all that is needed is a link or ISBN number and NoodleTools can create citations instantly. Fight plagiarism by giving kids permission to use others' words as the basis for forming their own ideas.

https://noodletools.com

In every subject area, students need practice using content vocabulary, combining complex ideas, finding and including supporting facts, and extrapolating from that information to find new insight. By focusing on the inquiry process

Generating Elaboration Through Inquiry

NewselaThe vast library of standards-aligned, diverse content on Newsela (15,000 pieces of content and counting) makes it possible for teachers to introduce any curricular topic with safe, vetted, accessible texts.--from Newsela.com

https://newsela.com/

NearpodIn addition to using Nearpod as an instructional delivery platform, we have access to student creation tools in Nearpod. Within the Inquiry process, students can use Nearpod not only to find information, but to present to others the information they find.

https://nearpod.com/

DatabasesDPISD has access to over a dozen databases available for student and teacher use through ClassLink. Reputable, reliable, and built for student support, these databases include such topics as opposing viewpoints, current news, academic journal writing, literary critique, significant cultural figures, and spanish-language resources, among others.

• ​class notes
• textbook adoption supplemental materials
• YouTube for Education
• DOI support
• shared departmental documents

Don't reinvent the wheel!

These resources represent tools for information gathering that DPISD offers to teachers and students that you may not be as familiar with as some of your usual classroom tools. It is not an exhaustive list; other tools and resources that students might use in this process include:

PadletWe regularly use Padlet to collect student response, but students can also use Padlet as a curation tool. By using a private Padlet, in which the student is the only contributor, students can more informally collect the information gathered in their inquiry process before formalizing into a more polished product--or not!

https://padlet.com/

Discovery Education How can we help you prepare learners for tomorrow? Our solution is simple—to serve as your daily learning platform. It’s one secure place you can rely on for timely, relevant content + useful tools and resources to engage students, track progress, and gain professional inspiration every day.--from discoveryeducation.com