A brief description of the thinking process that the International School of Tianjin (IST) went through as they shaped their inquiry cycle model.

1. An Inquiry Cycle Journey
2007-present
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2. Foundation
Kuhlthau, Carol Collier. "Information Search Process." Rutgers School of Information and Communication. Accessed April 19,
2012. Last modified January 2012. http://comminfo.rutgers.edu/~kuhlthau/information_search_process.htm.
Friday, April 20, 2012

3. Murdoch/
Murdoch Ryan-Capra Big 6 Stripling Harada ACRL
Hamston
Some Inquiry Models Considered
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4. ext
Stripling, Barbara K. 2003. “Inquiry-Based Learning.” Curriculum Connections
through the Library, Barbara K. Stripling and Sandra Hughes-Hassell, eds.
Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 3-39.
Friday, April 20, 2012

5. Branch, Jennifer, and Dianne Oberg. 2005 “Focus on Inquiry.” IASL. <education.alberta.ca/media/
313361/focusoninquiry.pdf> (accessed July 26,2008)..
Friday, April 20, 2012

6. IST 2009 Iteration
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7. TUNING IN
What do I know about the
topic?
How do I know it?
What experiences do I have
with this topic?
What do I want to know?
What ideas am I interested in?
What are my questions?
What am I feeling?
Reflecting on
Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

8. Where might I go to find out FINDING OUT
more information?
What resources might I use?
What keywords could I use in
my searches?
Where can I find different
points of view on this?
What can I do to learn more?
What are my questions?
How do I know if my resources
are good?
What am I feeling at this phase?
Is there anything I can do about
the way I feel to be more Reflecting on
successful? Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

9. How can I sort the information I
SORTING OUT
have found?
What information helps answers
my questions or the questions of
others?
What keywords help me make
sense of the information I found?
Do I need to find out more
information?
How is it connected to what I
know?
What are my questions now?
How have they changed?
What changes do I need to make
to my inquiry?
How are my ideas changing?
What am I feeling about my Reflecting on
inquiry at this phase? Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

10. GOING FURTHER
What information do I wish to
share?
Who will be my audience?
Are all my questions answered?
Have I considered the different
points of view on this topic?
Have I found enough
information?
How can I plan to show the
connections I have made?
How do I want to show I have
learned?
What am I feeling about
showing what I have learned? Reflecting on
Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

11. MAKING CONCLUSIONS
What do I now understand
about the central idea?
Have I shared what I have
learned with others
effectively?
Did I answer all my questions?
What am I going to do now
with what I have learned?
What would I do differently?
How do I feel about the way I
shared my learning?
How do I feel about what
others thought? Reflecting on
Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

12. TAKING ACTION
How can what I have learned help
me in my learning/life or help others?
How can I improve my learning?
How did I learn best?
How am I going to take action to
improve my learning?
How am I going to use what I learned
to take action and make a difference?
How will my action/s affect others?
What was the highlight of this
inquiry?
How have my feelings changed
throughout this inquiry process?
From what I have learned what do I
feel most passionate about?
Reflecting on
Personal Understandings
Friday, April 20, 2012

13. Further reading on the description of the journey:
Gourley, Beth. "Inquiry: The Road Less Traveled." Knowledge
Quest 37, no. 1 (September-October 2008): 18-23.
Friday, April 20, 2012