Dr. Janet N. Mort is an author and former school principal and Superintendent of the Saanich School District in British Columbia. She led the implementation of the province’s 10-year plan for educational reform, and is a researcher at the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), at the University of British Columbia. She believes inquiry-based learning is a combination of different skills that teachers use. It relies on the emotional intelligence of children, where the learning experience is scaffolded, as is the case in Vygotsky’s theories. A child is taken to the edge of their ability and given an extra little nudge through the use of questioning from the teacher – for example, a teacher would ask a child or group of children to think of a different way to use a certain item, or to encourage them to think of what would happen if a play scenario was altered in some way. This encourages children to problem solve and help them be responsible for their own learning. This is especially valuable today. When young children are encouraged to explore their world and ask questions, they’re becoming well prepared for a world that is literally at their fingertips.
Videos and Support Materials
Janet N. Mort’s expertise is featured in a series of early learning videos from the BC government, in support of the province’s introduction to full day Kindergarten. These videos discuss important features in every Kindergarten classroom: The learning environment, the role of the educator, play-based learning, inquiry or project-based learning, and self-regulation.
Click here to view videos and support materials.
Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) Website
More articles concerning early learning can be found on the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP) website.
