Narratives of inquiry learning in middle-school geographic inquiry class

ABSTRACT

This study aimed at modifying a teaching and learning model for a geographic inquiry to enhance both the subject-related skills of geography and so-called twenty-first century skills in middle-school students (14–15 years old). The purpose of this research is to extend our understanding of the user experiences concerning certain tools for learning such as maps and information and communication technology when they are used alongside the inquiry learning model by examining the narratives produced by the students in one compulsory middle-school geography course. The data comprised interviews with students from three different classes in the same school. The narrative of the “negotiating master of self-regulation” was identified as the dominant narrative of the experiences of the progressive inquiry model. This narrative depicts a learner who benefits from progressive inquiry and has the appropriate communication and collaboration skills to cope and succeed in the twenty-first century. Two counter-narratives – the “solo learner in need of support” and “solo master of self-regulation” narratives – in which the skills for self-regulated learning and negotiation varied from high to low, were also identified. The results also indicate experiences of under-using the available technological applications.

KEYWORDS:

• Collaborative inquiry learning
• geographic inquiry
• inquiry learning
• narrative inquiry
• progressive inquiry
• technology enhanced learning

Acknowledgements

The author expresses her gratitude to adjunct professor Jari Eskola for challenging her views when discussing the thematic analysis of this study.

Disclosure statement

There is no potential conflict of interest with respect to the research, authorship, or publication of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The author received adult education allowance from the Educational Fund for partial funding of the research for this paper.