Inquiry question – Week 2 – Theme: Identity
My first question, ‘Why would it be important for social work students to experience inquiry to become critical thinkers?’ has a number of associated assumptions. Included in these assumptions are that inquiry can be experienced; that inquiry is necessary or helpful; that social work students can become critical thinkers and that inquiry does lead to critical thinking. In attempting to answer this question, I searched a number of sources, education journals, social work education journals, a search of key words through the Leddy Library search tools.
My inquiry search included ten searches. The searches began with journal articles in education, using the Eric search engine and restricting the search to peer reviewed articles. The search began with ‘inquiry base learning and critical thinking, empirical studies’ and received zero hits. Next, ‘inquiry base learning, empirical studies’ received three hits but the articles were not what I was seeking. The third search, ‘inquiry based learning, empirical studies received 47 hits with three potential articles, Kirschner, Sweller & Clark (2006), Capps, Crawford & Constas (2012) and Mulder, Lazonder & Jong (2010). The fourth search, ‘scientific inquiry education critical thinking’ revealed two potential articles, Cox, Deese & Ramsey (2007) and Sadeh & Zion (2009). By this time, I was tired of Eric and wanted to move more towards social work education.
In considering the Social Work search link and Social Work Abstracts (Ovid), the keys words searched in the first three attempts ‘inquiry based learning and critical thinking in social work; inquiry based learning in social work education; and inquiry, critical thinking’ all received zero hits. A switch to the social service abstracts (proquest) and running the first search again found three articles, one of which appeared to be a potential for this purpose, Biggerstaff (2005). The final search included ‘inquiry based learning in social work education and of 40 hits, one article appeared to have potential, Bay & Macfarlane (2011).
Despite my beliefs about trusting process and my attempts to be patient, rational and demonstrate perseverance, this process was frustrating mostly because at the end of this exercise, I do not have an answer to my question. I defined my terms, for example, ‘experience inquiry’ meaning the students are going through a process so that it is clear that the students are part of the process and the experience is unique to them. I adopt Hudspith and Jenkins (2007) conception of inquiry as “a path to new knowledge and understanding” (p. 9) and critical thinking as, “the ability to engage in purposeful, self-regulatory judgement… but also thinking about the social, political and ethical challenges in everyday life” (Abrami et al, 2008, p. 1102) as this definition seems to connect nicely with the purpose of social work. Important is defined by an online dictionary, “mattering much or entitled to more than ordinary consideration” (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/important?s=t). As this exercise is about identity, I will position myself as not yet fully determined, landing somewhere between or within the critical theory or constructivist paradigm, more likely leaning towards constructivism with an “it depends” response to my beliefs about knowledge creation.
Through the literature I discovered a meta-analysis on instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills. This study revealed, through a review of 117 studies, three key outcomes related to the 1) impact of instruction on critical thinking, 2) How methodology moderates the impact and 3) The role of substantive study features. According to Abrami et al (2008), the largest effect size occurred in the studies where critical thinking is taught as a separate unit within the content of a specific course and the instructor making the learning of critical thinking explicit. Also, according to the same authors, pedagogy matters, meaning for instructors with training (experience) in teaching critical thinking, student outcomes for learning critical thinking skills increased. So, now I know the conditions under which critical thinking might be taught in order for students to learn critical thinking skills. How does inquiry fit into this equation?
Kirschner, Sweller & Clark (2006) support the use of guided instruction emphasizing there have been no empirical studies to support the use of what they call a constructivist/minimally guided or inquiry based approach to learning. Considering positivist and constructivist paradigms are very different, it made me wonder if the assumption made by the authors was that empirical studies were the final word on research method effectiveness. This of course challenges my own paradigm, if I were to claim constructivism. Other authors support inquiry based learning as an effective method provided both domain (content) and process support are provided particularly to novice learners (Mulder, Lazonder & Jong, 2010). In a study comparing open inquiry to guided inquiry, researchers found the open inquiry student group to perform higher on changes during inquiry and procedural understanding of inquiry suggesting methodological effectiveness (Sadeh & Zion, 2009). Capps, Crawford & Constas (2012) identify the purpose of inquiry in the classroom is to learn how to do scientific inquiry by learning how to ask and identify questions, how to plan and design experiments and how to use the data to make connections. This appears to be getting closer to my question in terms of seeing how inquiry can help to build critical thinking skills in terms of purposeful, self-regulating judgement. It also appears to support another assumption, that inquiry is helpful. Still, no indication of why this would be important.
Some researchers provide information to the flip of my question. Cox, Deese & Ramsy (2007) suggest that specific activities can provide students opportunities to use critical thinking skills that will allow them to be successful conducting inquiry and they believe the use of specific activities can be adapted across disciplines. This moves me a little closer to responding to one of my assumptions that social workers can develop critical thinking skills.
The social work education literature linked me to my question but more in an anecdotal way, not necessarily through empirical research. Biggerstaff (2005) observed reflective learning and critical thinking skills were outcomes for students enrolled in an online inquiry course whereas Bay and Macfarland (2011) provide an example of guided inquiry and how critical reflection can be purposefully taught to develop critical thinking skills using real world experiences through a post-structural lens. This particular lens allows students to challenge their ‘taken for granted’ assumptions. Some think that this process of deconstruction and reconstruction of knowledge, values and beliefs can lead to transformative learning (Bay & Macfarland, 2011) and that the critical analysis of narratives can lead to opportunities for change. We would want social work students to be critical thinkers so that they can critically analyze those structures in society that create barriers for people, addressing the social, political and ethical challenges in everyday life. This connects the importance of critical thinking but not inquiry as a means of achieving critical thinking.
I’ve reached the end of what I can do for this week. This exploratory search has been too big and too wide to bring any resolution to this question. The connections have not been fully made and will need to be further considered for next week.
Abrami, P., Bernard, R., (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78(4), 1102-1134.
Bay, U., & Macfarland, S. (2011). Teaching Critical Reflection: A Tool for Transformative Learning in Social Work. Social Work Education, 30(7), 745-758.
Biggerstaff, M. (2005). Social Work Ethics Online. Reflective Learning. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 23(3-4), 245-257.
Capps, D., Crawford, B., & Constas, M. (2012). A review of empirical literature on inquiry professional development alignment with best practices and a critique of the findings. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23(3), 291-318.
Cox, C., Deese, W., & Ramsey, L. (2007). Non traditional Card Sorts: Adding critical thinking and inquiry to science classrooms. The Science Teacher, 24(9), 38-42.
Kirschner, P., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. (2006). Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work. An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential and inquiry-based teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 75-86.
Mulder, Y., Lazonder, A. & Jong, T. (2010). Finding Out How They Find it Out. An Empirical Analysis of Inquiry Learners’ Need for Support. International Journal of Science Education, 31(15), 2033-2053.
Sadeh, I., & Zion, M. (2009). The development of dynamic inquiry performances within an open inquiry setting: A comparison to guided inquiry setting. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 46(10), 1137-1160.
I really appreciated the fact that you described your process as part of your post. Poor Eric must have been so disappointed that you tired of "him". :) Some frustration is to be expected, and you appear to have handled it with grace.
ReplyDeleteThe definitions you propose to use have potential. Some cautions and suggestions:
1) The definition of Inquiry experience that you propose doesn't seem to include Inquiry. It could be used to describe any experience that includes some kind of process. It isn't clear to me why the process would need to be unique to them in order to count as an "Inquiry experience". What's the connection? Also, might defining the term this way lead us to reject experiences that WOULD count as Inquiry just because they weren't unique to a particular student (leaving aside for now the question of whether any experience can be truly unique, or to what extent)?
2) If you're going to use Hudspith and Jenkin's definition, it's best to use the whole thing, because the fragment you're using here would imply that ANY path to know knowledge and understanding would count as Inquiry, which may make the term meaningless, and which seems to ignore the features that make Inquiry unique as a pedagogical approach.
3) The definition of critical thinking that you propose to use makes for an interesting starting point, especially since it seems to require ethical and political orientations that are more associated with critical pedagogy and critical theory, etc. That could be fertile territory to explore as we move on. As you note, too, it aligns nicely with your discipline.
The 2008 meta-analysis you referenced is an intriguing one. To establish whether or not it's relevant to your question, you'll need to know whether your conception of critical thinking overlaps with the conceptions used in the studies included in the meta-analysis. Otherwise you may be comparing apples and oranges (or apples and coffee tables!).
One of the "gold standard" studies regarding the teaching of critical thinking is a thesis by Claudia Alvarez (you can find it referenced all over the place), which you can get here: http://images.austhink.com/pdf/Claudia-Alvarez-thesis.pdf. In terms of pedagogy, she found that argument-mapping was the most effective approach.
Kirschner has made a career out of attacking constructivism, and while I share some of his concerns, his work needs to be read carefully, for what he calls constructivism is not what most constructivists would call constructivism (for instance, very few people support what he calls "minimally guided instruction").
The questions you raise for yourself regarding constructivism vs. positivism are well worth exploring, but remember, too, that there is much more to the educational landscape than those two options (each of which tends to be caricatured by those from the other camp anyway).
You found some good, useful material! The 2010 study probably deserves a closer look from you, as it's potentially quite relevant (as you indicate). You're right to note that it doesn't get to the "important" aspect of your question -- but that may because that's not something other people can answer for you. You have to reason that out yourself by identifying what you take to be important and why, then making the necessary connections between those priorities and what you find in the literature.
Finally, one of the best studies I've read on Inquiry was a friend's dissertation. You can see the abstract here: http://digitalcommons.mcmaster.ca/dissertations/AAINR28213/. She hasn't published the damned study because she left academia (I wish she'd just publish it anyway), but it's excellent work. I have a copy, which she has told me I may share with others.
Very thorough! An interesting approach to include a meta analysis of critical thinking (which reference is it? Capps? Abrami?)Lots of good references that I will try to review for my own question! You might like some of my diagrams... Lyn
ReplyDeleteI can relate to your experience as I found myself trying to process too much information. One thing that came to mind as I started to read your blog was whether social workers can develop critical thinking skills via other methods (i.e., instead of using inquiry). You mention the work of Cox et al (2007) that focuses on developing critical thinking skills pursuant to embarking on inquiry, so that implicitly suggests that critical thinking can be developed with alternative methods. As I thought through this I found myself in a sort of chicken and egg scenario where I asked if critical thinking enables inquiry or inquiry enables critical thinking. And so this brings me back to my original question, with a slight twist - which is, how best can we teach critical thinking skills?
ReplyDeleteVery methodical approach, thanks for describing the process; It give me some pointer on how to approach my inquiry. The concept that critical thinking can be taught by instructors who have had some pedagogy in critical thinking is a key point in my opinion. We need to train ourselves to be critical thinkers before we expect it of our students. Takes me back to the rudiments of apprenticeship "monkey see, monkey do". All the more reason why we need to explore these self generated inquiries critically.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, Beth! I have a couple of questions that perhaps could help you with the further refining of our question and research that is before us for next week :(
ReplyDeleteI think it would help if you start by identifying your views of what critical thinking is; and, inquiry.
One thing to think about and to consider with your assumptions, inquiry is not the only way to critical thinking, right. You could for instance be applying Problem-based Learning or even Cases and still be undergoing critical thinking. Hence, there are a multitude of ways to achieve the latter. So, why inquiry? That is something to think about, now that we are revisiting our questions and given a chance for further refinement. Perhaps, to broaden it further!
One more suggestion, perhaps if you can visit your question first away from specifics and your literature; then, consider the lit. on social work. That could you give a broader perspective, the background and theory before you occupy your mind with specifics from your discipline.
Hopes this helps! Good initial survey.
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ReplyDeleteI echo the poor Eric comment - humour does relive some stress! You seem to have made an exhaustive search your first week out with your question, Beth. I agree with Anna that it does help me with search ideas.
ReplyDeleteYour question: ‘Why would it be important for social work students to experience inquiry to become critical thinkers?’ does hinge on those key definitions.
I found that going to my registration/licensure college's key documents that it helped me to better approach my posed question. The competency document helped me key into the foundational formation of critical thinking, thus that pathway would help to suggest the best approaches to developing critical thinking.
I wasn't sure where to start after defining my key terms. The College seemed the next logical place to search for why I do what I do as a scholarly teacher!
I'm not sure that this suggestion will be helpful, but the social science overlap of nursing and social work seemed to suggest a potential avenue for exploration! Good luck, Beth. It really does sound like you're on the right track, although you might not feel that way at this point!!