Curiosity-based learning

Curiosity-based learning is a series of experiential educational exercises that was developed by Dr. Bussakorn Sumrongthong (2008) to better engage and more effectively educate graduate students in the necessary foundation skills that comprise a true scholar. A true scholar needs to be able to:
• Read well & Listen well (Input) - Comprehension & understanding of information from all available sources, not just journals, books & internet, but leaders in the field, industry or market place.
• Think well (Process) - Analysis, problem definition & multiple solution generation.
• Communicate well (Output) - Verbal self-expression, explanatory methods & skills as well as audience awareness.
Curiosity-based Learning consists of a sequence of 6 sessions that focus on experiences to increase the students investigative curiosity, critical thinking and skills of self-expression. Its initial activity draws the students attention to their own baseline of self-limiting preconceptions and then with that motivational awareness, guides them progressively into developing the 3 key skills of a scholar. Curiosity-based learning includes multi-modes of student self-expression and processes. They are expected to represent their ideas orally, in writing and diagrammed visually while learning the effectiveness and appropriateness of each. They also receive practice in explaining and justifying their views/positions as well as fielding questions from the floor in a peer-review forum as a micro-society of real world presentations.
The core objects of Curiosity-based Learning is to increase the student's independent work and responsibility. This is an unstated focal point throughout the 6 sessions. Furthermore, the true objectives of these experiential exercises are only disclosed to the participants and expounded upon after the final presentation.
Background
Dr. Bussakorn Sumrongthong, a professor at Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand developed Curiosity-based Learning in response to the atmosphere of her student's initial disengagement in the classroom while at the same time recalling, as a student herself, her own boredom and frustrations with traditional educational methods.
The 6 sessions of Curiosity-based Learning
Students view and examine a selected object then...
1. Observe & Examine the object; then compose a written description
2. Investigate others responses, review the differences and similarities
3. Acquire more knowledge of this object from additional sources
4. Categorize & Visualize create a diagram of knowledge data
5. Communicate - Verbal & visual presentation with peer review
6. Review & Discussion - Instructor discloses the true intent of the exercises
Details of each session and its goals
Initial object selection: Any common object that the student is already familiar with; such as a ruler,
tooth pick, candy, pen, mobile phone, etc. is chosen as the focus for the subsequent sessions. The object can be instructor or student selected.
Session 1:
:Activity: Observe & Examine - Write a description of the object.
:Detail: Students compose a few paragraphs about object they were presented with (15 mins).
:Goal: Students become aware of their baseline level of curiosity.
Session 2:
:Activity: Investigate Others Responses - Review the differences and similarities. Search for the reasons behind the points made.
:Detail: Students exchange the written work with a fellow student and list what they themselves omitted. Students question fellow students about the reasons they included what they did.
:Goal: Develop thinking, inquiry & writing skills, while developing an awareness of their own personal habits of omission.
Session 3:
:Activity: Acquire More Knowledge - Locate additional information from various sources.
:Detail: Students search for additional information from other sources i.e. Books, documents, periodicals, internet sources, leaders in the field and compose a new more inclusive and wider observation paper.
:Goal: Students stretch their research range by acquiring more knowledge of this object from other sources.
Session 4:
:Activity: Categorize & Visualize - Create theme-based informational diagrams.
:Detail: Sample themes to consider: Appearance approach, Philosophical approach, Historical approach, Environmental approach, Usage approach, Economic approach etc.
:Goal: Visualization of information & its relatedness
Session 5 part 1:
:Activity: Preparation for the final presentation
:Detail: Students compare their new article to their original and compose a few self-response paragraphs to internalize for :themselves what is the benefit of a wider awareness (curiosity) and other items they have learned.
:Goal: Students functionally acknowledge the benefits of a wider awareness (curiosity).
Session 5 part 2:
:Activity: Communication - oral & visual presentation, while the focus is on audience rapport and peer review.
:Detail: Students make individual presentation on their "object" research experience.
:Each student as well as the instructor asks a minimum of one question of the presenter.
:Goal: Students gain experience explaining, persuading as well as defending their research and conclusions.
Session 6:
:Activity: Review & Discussion -The program’s true intent is revealed to the students.
:Detail: The instructor explains that the program’s real purpose was to increase the student's:
::a. Curiosity level
::b. Awareness of self-limiting habits of assumptions
::c. Gain experience with a model method of investigative research
:Goal: Students realize the benefits of curiosity and retain a generalizable research methodology.
Curiosity-based Learning's Presuppositions

Dr. Bussakorn Sumrongthong maintains there are 3 underlying presuppositions for Curiosity-based learning.
1. Curiosity is a leading indicator of intelligence
2. Curiosity is the foundation of the qualities of a scholar
3. Curiosity is the source of internal motivation- Internal motivation avoids the problem of rebellion caused by externally applied motivators. (i.e. Parents, instructors, peer groups and society)
* Therefore, curiosity is the fuel that provides the motivational energy for functional learning and understanding. This energy supports Input (read & listen well), Process (think well) and Output (communicate well)
Benefits of Curiosity-based Learning
1. Student participation changes from passive to active (with increases in personal responsibility).
2. The student changes from being a follower to being a problem solver.
3. Instructor’s role changes from director (dictator) to facilitator. Additionally, the instructor is a co-learner by participating directly in the group's learning processes.
4. The six sessions give the students the opportunity to model, practice and acquire a new mind habit of curiosity and exploration.
5. Students report an increase in 3 areas:
:a. Internal motivation
:b. Self-awareness
:c. Functional understanding
6. Improvements in the qualities of a scholar
:a. Read well
:b. Listen well
:c. Think well
:d. Communicate well (speak, write, diagram)
Comparison between Inquiry-based learning and Curiosity-based learning
Inquiry-based learning's characteristics
* The teacher does not communicate knowledge, but helps students to learn for themselves
* The topic, problem to be studied and methods used to answer this problem are determined by the student and not the teacher
* Inquiry-based learning emphasizes the Constructivist ideas of learning. i.e. knowledge is built in a step-wise fashion or assembled from parts.
* Learning proceeds best in group situations.
Inquiry-based learning's process
* Ask = Finding problems, not just solving them
* Investigate = Integration of problem-solving, information seeking and learning
* Create = Action and understanding
* Discuss = Social and community inquiry
* Reflect = Designing tools for further inquiry
Common Elements between Inquiry-based and Curiosity-based learning
* Student centered
* Instructor as a facilitator
* Investigative and explorative
* Requires an interactive group
Curiosity-based learning’s unique additions
* Activities designed to make the student aware of their initial self-limiting baseline of curiosity.
* Activities designed to increase the student’s self awareness of the importance of curiosity.
* Activities designed to increase the student’s level of curiosity.
* Experience with multimodal methods of representing and defending ones research findings.
* Experience with a model method of research that can be generalized for later use with any subject.
See also
Active_learning

Discovery_learning
Educational_psychology
Inquiry-based_learning
Open_learning
External resources
Professional and Organizational Development Network of Thailand's Higher Education (ThaiPOD) Bangkok, Thailand 2008: http://www.thailandpod.net/conf_resource/OralPresentation/o8.pdf
Dr. Bussakorn Sumrongthong, Chulalongkorn University Bangkok, Thailand: http://pioneer.netserv.chula.ac.th/~sbussako/award.htm
References
* Bain, K.(2004). What the Best College Teachers Do. Harvard: Harvard Press.
* Bruce, B. C., & Davidson, J. (1996). An Inquiry Model for Literacy Across the Curriculum. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 28(3), 281-300.
* Bruner, J. S. (1961). "The Act of Discovery". Harvard Educational Review 31 (1): 21-32.
* Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1991). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
* Dewey, J. (1956). The Child and the Curriculum & The school and Society. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Original works published 1902 and 1915)
* Stewart, R. J. (1979) College Teachers Who Stimulate Curiosity - ED223156, Washington DC: "Eric Education Resource Information Center (ERIC)". Available online at http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/recordDetail?accno=ED223156
* Sumrongthong, B. (2008) Curiosity Based Learning, International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI) Madrid, Spain. Available online at http://www.iated.org/concrete2/paper_detail.php?paper_id=5293

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