Your Rationale is the most important part of this assignment and is highly weighted.  In your Rationale, you should avoid addressing the theories and concepts in a shopping list manner. Please integrate, synthesise and connect the theories and concepts. You may use mind maps, tables, multimedia, dot-points and prose.

You should draw upon and reference the following theories and concepts:

You will be marked on how well you demonstrate a deep understanding and application of the theories and concepts. Note: The design of your unit of work should challenge existing practice rather than replicate it (unless existing practice IS best practice!!!). This means it may be aspirational in your teaching context.

Use these questions to guide your design:

Level of inquiry – teacher-centred-student centred

  • Who decides the inquiry topic/s?
  • Who decides inquiry question/s?
  • Who decides how students search for information/gather data?
  • Who decides how students evaluate information and sources?
  • Who decides how students evaluate their inquiry process/methodology?
  • Who decides on how the findings of the inquiry are communicated/presented?
  • Who decides on the audience for the inquiry? (teacher, other students, school, parents, client/employer, community, politicians, the world)

Questioning frameworks

  • How do students generate inquiry questions relating to their topic? (see Essential questions & Generative frameworks)
  • How do students develop their question asking skills? (see Generative frameworks)
  • What sorts of questions do students ask to critically evaluate information/sources/data? (see GeSTE windows)
  • What sorts of questions do students use to evaluate their process/methodology? (see Process frameworks)

GeSTE Windows ( including critical evaluation of sources)

  • What are the Generic aspects of the inquiry? What are the common aspects that can be transferred to other inquiries in other subject areas/disciplines?
  • What are the Situated aspects of the inquiry? What are the disciplinary approaches evident in the inquiry?
  • What are the Transformative aspects of the inquiry? How are students encouraged to challenge the status quo and take action? How are students encouraged to consider voices that are not heard and voices that are privileged?
  • What are the Expressive aspects of the inquiry? How are students encouraged to express their voices? How are students encouraged to express their feelings?

Inquiry & information literacy process models

  • What is the explicit or implicit inquiry process model being used to frame the inquiry? How is it implemented?
  • How does the inquiry process model relate to the Australian Curriculum (orother relevant curriculum)?

Standards & continua

  • How are the scope and sequence for the Australian Curriculum (or other relevant curricula) being used in the inquiry?
  • How are the Australian Curriculum general capabilities being used in the inquiry?
  • How are standards being used in the inquiry?