Guiding Research Inquiry

Overview

Year Level: Year 11
Subject: English Extension 1
Curriculum Context:
This lesson aligns with Stage 6 NSW English Extension 1 – Module: Texts, Culture and Value, particularly developing students' capacity to engage in independent research, conceptual inquiry, and critical and creative thinking based on post-colonial perspectives. Students will examine how values are communicated and challenged through texts, framed under a Guided Inquiry Design (GID) model.

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Lesson Details

Lesson Duration: 50 minutes
Class Size: 10 students
Location: English classroom with access to library databases/computers
Collaborators: Teacher + Teacher Librarian

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the purpose and structure of the upcoming Independent Research Project (IRP).
• Develop awareness of credible academic research tools and techniques.
• Evaluate how to form a meaningful, researchable inquiry question related to post-colonial texts.
• Explore the first stages ('Open' and 'Immerse') of the Guided Inquiry Design framework.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

✅ Engage actively in collaborative exploratory tasks
✅ Identify at least one post-colonial concept relevant to prior texts
✅ Navigate academic databases (e.g., JSTOR, State Library of NSW eResources)
✅ Draft an initial curiosity-driven inquiry idea or question

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Prior Knowledge

Students should have:

• Previously studied Heart of Darkness, selected W. B. Yeats poetry, and comparative film studies (e.g., Apocalypse Now).
• Familiarity with post-colonial literary theory, key terminology (e.g., Eurocentrism, cultural hegemony, hybridity).

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Materials & Resources

🧠 Teacher preparation:

• Copies of NSW English Extension 1 Module Description
• Sample IRP task description with assessment outline
• Posters with GID framework phases
• Curated post-colonial concept glossary

📚 Student resources:

• Access to laptops/iPads
• Library login credentials
• JSTOR, State Library of NSW digital resource instructions

💬 Collaboration:

• Teacher Librarian co-hosting tasks
• Whiteboard/post-it notes
• IRP Research Planner Template (Google Doc or hard copy)

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Lesson Breakdown

00:00 – 05:00 | Welcome & Provocation (Open Phase)

Teacher-led

• Greeting and short statement of purpose: “You are about to embark on a self-designed exploration of the literary worlds we’ve studied so far — but first, let’s explore how to ask powerful questions.”

• Provocative question posed on board:
  “What kinds of stories are still missing from narratives written through Western eyes?”

• Quickwrite activity (2 mins): Students respond individually on post-it notes.

• Sharing session — each student sticks their note on the “Thinking Wall” and briefly explains their thought.

Purpose: To open interest and establish relevance of post-colonial thought to student curiosity.

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05:00 – 15:00 | Introduction to the IRP & Inquiry Design

Teacher + Librarian co-led

• Overview of Independent Research Project:

  • Option to write creative (3,000 words) or critical (3,500 words) response.
  • Must be grounded in post-colonial concepts and responses to studied texts.
  • Draws on self-directed research and critical reading.

• Introduction to Guided Inquiry Design (GID) framework:

  • Show visual of the 8 Phases; focus today is on Open and Immerse.
  • Emphasise research as creative, evolving rather than static.

• Hand out IRP Planner template. Teacher Librarian briefly explains how this research log will be used throughout the term.

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15:00 – 27:00 | Exploring Research Tools (Immerse Phase Pt. 1)

Teacher Librarian-led

• Mini guided tour of key research platforms:

  • JSTOR (academic articles, literature reviews, case studies)
  • State Library of NSW (digital archives, eJournals)
  • Trove (for historic and cultural artefacts)

• Students use school devices to:

  • Locate 1 source referencing Heart of Darkness from a post-colonial lens on JSTOR.
  • Bookmark/save source and record in IRP Planner + write a one-sentence annotation.

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27:00 – 38:00 | Collaborating with Concepts (Immerse Phase Pt. 2)

Teacher-led

• Students form small groups (2–3) to:

  • Select with guidance one post-colonial concept from the concept glossary (e.g., 'Othering', 'colonial mimicry', 'displacement').
  • Relate chosen concept to one studied text and brainstorm how it’s represented.

• Prompt cards:

  • “Where do I see power struggles in this text?”
  • “Whose voice is amplified, whose is silenced?”
  • “How does the visual medium (film) reinforce colonial ideas or resist them?”

• Each group shares a rough idea for a research topic or perspective they could explore, developing it into a working idea.

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38:00 – 46:00 | Reflection & Wrap-Up (Explore Begins)

Teacher + Librarian

• Exit Ticket: on provided slips, students jot down:

  • 1 source they saved/found useful,
  • 1 concept that sparked their curiosity,
  • 1 initial idea for a research question (even if vague).

• Group debrief. Ask:

  • “What’s one thing that excited you about the research process today?”
  • “What’s one challenge you anticipate, and how can we support you?”

• Outline next steps for upcoming lessons:

  • Deepening inquiry skills
  • Formulating polished inquiry questions
  • Building source libraries and annotated bibliographies

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Assessment for Learning

📌 Formative, observational:
Teacher and librarian will note which students are able to access and meaningfully comment on academic sources. Informal dialogue and group work offer insight into student readiness.

📌 Work sample:
Exit tickets and IRP planner entries will be collected to assess students’ engagement and understanding. Feedback will guide next lesson design.

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Curriculum Links

NSW English Stage 6 Syllabuses – Extension 1

• Outcome EE11-1: Demonstrates understanding of how ideas, values and assumptions shape meaning in texts.
• Outcome EE11-2: Demonstrates skills in independent investigation and research critical for creative and analytical writing.
• Outcome EE11-3: Demonstrates understanding of how composers use language to express thematic and stylistic concerns.

Learning processes also align with General Capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, ICT Capability, Ethical Understanding.

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Extension Opportunities

Students ready to go deeper could:

• Explore lesser-known post-colonial authors from the Global South.
• Begin collating sources for an early literature review.
• Schedule a 1:1 conference with the teacher-librarian for deeper research navigation.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

👩‍🏫 Post-lesson, consider:

• How well did students engage with academic research processes?
• Did the GID structure help them feel confident in starting a self-directed inquiry?
• Are there students who need additional support accessing scholarly sources?
• What adjustments might be needed in future workshops?

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This is designed as a bold, inquiry-led start — setting the tone that research isn't just a skill; it's a discovery process. The co-teaching format not only models collaborative knowledge construction but empowers students to view research as both rigorous and creative.