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 What is OILEs?

 1.Conditions

 2.Inquiry Module

 3.Support Systems

 4. Community of
 Inquiry

What is OILEs?

OILEs are learning environments for the effective use of inquiry baed learning on the web. They foster student's higher-order thinking skills and self-directed learning. They are an integrated learning system that incorporates design activities into a learning environment, provides human facilitators and community supports, and uses various technology tools to support learners' inquiry.

Guiding Principles:

• Provide various ways of doing inquiry.
• Provide interactive working environments to engage learners in active learning.
• Place an inquiry module as the center to inquiry learning and carefully lead learners to work together in the community of inquiry.
• Combine three learning modes (user, critical reading, and design mode) and sequence them in meaningful ways.
• Provide nurturing learning environments that guide and scaffold learners to go through inquiry modules.

Model for OILEs

The Online Inquiry-Based Learning Model has three levels: inquiry module, nurturing environment, and community of inquiry. The inquiry module is surrounded by various support systems. The goal of learners is to take or design an inquiry module using the support systems (in the nurturing environment) and to be a member of a community of inquiry.

Descriptions of each component of the Inquiry Module (see the picture below):

• Ask - An overarching question/problem or case scenario is provided as a springboard. The springboard should be connected to the learners' lives and stimulate their curiosity. It consists of an overarching problem/question or case scenario for this module, grade level, author/co-author, and keywords and description for a search engine. They may be allowed to articulate their own problem/question.
• Design - Learners design their own learning plans within a certain time frame. In a team environment, learners discuss roles and task for each role among team members. It may include a project management plan or a K-W-L sheet.
• Explore - Exploring is a systematic way to doing investigation. This is a stage for carrying out the learning plan to solve the problem. Learners use their background knowledge, readings, web sites, resources, and open directories to solve the problem. The system or facilitators provide just-in-time help if necessary.
• Construct - Learners make meaning out of the data, synthesize what they found, and construct new knowledge or create an artifact.
• Reflect - Learners reflect on their conclusion and their own inquiry process. They apply their conclusion to new situation and prepare new questions for a next cycle of inquiry. It includes an evaluation checklist, related questions, responses from others, credits, teachers' note, and so on.

Representation of the structure of Inquiry

Using OILEs: Combining Three Learning Modes

Review the design guidelines for OILEs.