IPC: LEARNING TODAY FOR TOMORROW
means to each student, as well as examining the role artists have in creating an
understanding of what that community is and represents are fundamental.
Through this IPC unit, art and creativity
are not only a product (something created at the end of a process), but also part
of the process itself.
IPC also has units that are solely arts focused. Units such as ‘Paintings, Pictures
and Photographs’ for grade 5 or ‘They
See the World Like This’ for grade 4 are
rich units that look, not only at the role
of creativity and expression, but also of
the creative process. Through these units
students explore the role of artists, examine the creative process, and put the
function of artists into a historical and
societal perspective. Not everyone is going to be a famous rock musician, master
sculptor, or famous actor; however it is
the skill development, creative flexibility,
and the ability to express oneself through
the creative process that are essential.
IPC is fashioned on the ‘inquiry-based’
model of learning. Inquiry is widely defined as the seeking of truth, knowledge,
information or understanding through
questioning. Today this methodology is
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not uncommon particularly in the realm
of international curricula, but it is much
more than just finding answers. True inquiry also involves converting that information and data into something useful
or applying that knowledge in new and
interesting ways to bring about deeper
understanding or change. Embedded
within this inquiry process is consideration for the outcome of learning itself.
Why do we learn? What is it all for?
Preparation for what is ahead is significant, but surely we are much more than
passive actors in our future? Are we not
agents for change, charged with molding
the world and society into something
with purpose and intent?
If you are familiar with Blooms Taxonomy, then this should be evident to
you. Over 50 years ago Benjamin Bloom
and others developed a framework that
focused on objectives and activities
that promoted higher-level thinking.
The lowest level of thinking and at the
bottom of the scale is ‘Remembering,’
which involves being able to remember
and recall data or information). This is
deemed important; however to be productive we need to move our thinking
up through this stage and beyond. At the