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Community Involvement
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The involvement and support of the broad-range of community members are essential for the successful implementation of inquiry learning. While parents are key individuals to be involved, it is important to remember that only about thirty to forty-percent of the taxpayers have children directly involved in schools. However, parents are key for interacting directly with the administrative leaders and the teachers of the schools. However, all community members must be well informed about the importance of inquiry learning and how the outcomes from inquiry learning are fast becoming the new basic skills in modern society. Also, the schools must be sincere in efforts to better understand the educational needs of the broader society by soliciting and using feedback for the design of educational programs. Materials that are used to outreach to community members should be developed to well inform the local community about the importance and support needed or inquiry learning. Examples of successful community outreach materials would include questionnaires, newsletter, websites, special seminars and programs for community members, and video and television programs. Parents especially need to be informed in order to ask the important support-structure types of questions of superintendents, principals, school board members, politicians, and others. A rubric should be developed around the operational definition of ́Science as Inquiryî that can generate objective suggestions for guidelines, policies, regulations, and budgets for effectively involving and getting the support of the local community for inquiry learning. Back to Top
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