They Came. They Saw. They Inquired.
A Recap of Alloway’s Nature Field Seminars

Inquiring minds want to know, but how far will they go in the pursuit of knowledge? Alloway recruited participants for its Nature Field Seminar, held Friday, Sept. 18, and Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, on the promise of “Learning about topics that interest you”. These able-minded participants were teachers, water and wastewater operators, environmental professionals, and students. They arrived at Kendrick Woods, a beautiful 310-acre park near Lima, Ohio, eager to spend a day outside. But they had a few questions, namely “What is inquiry-based learning?” and “How does it apply to me?”

Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is about finding answers, not passively accepting facts. There are five basic steps to conducting an inquiry: question and observe, uncover comparative questions, explore predictions, state action plan and gather data, and think hard about the findings and share discoveries. These steps are known as QUEST*. Rather than focusing on what we know, IBL examines how we come to know. Traditional seminars are lecture-driven, but the Nature Field Seminar challenged participants to follow their own interests and learn something new in the process.

Fresh from his inquiry-based trip to Belize, Alloway president John Hoffman manned the inquiry ship while Rita Thelen, senior naturalist for Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District, contributed a wealth of information. The participants set off on their QUEST. They explored biodiversity in the woods, found water striders and frogs in the pond, compared leaves and trees, and brought back data to share. Their findings may not have been the stuff of scientific papers, but there were signs of new knowledge emerging.

IBL is not just a fun way to spend a fall day – it has practical applications for all professions and ways of life. Inquisitive people are more aware of their surroundings and more astute problem solvers. Participants enjoyed the chance to engage their curiosity. Trevor Violet of Joint Systems Manufacturing Center appreciated the change of pace: “Great idea! Interactive seminars are much better than sitting and watching another PowerPoint.”

If you missed the Nature Field Seminar, you’ll have another opportunity to join the fun this spring. Keep checking our Web site for more exciting seminars, brought to you by Alloway.