What is Inquiry Hub?
Inquiry Hub (iHub) is designed and developed as a program of choice in School District 43. Students must apply to attend the school. iHub serves about 70 students in grades nine through twelve. It offers a full British Columbia high school graduation program.
As a contribution to the education system, Inquiry Hub is a school vision and collection of practices developed in accordance with the regulations and expectations of the BC public school system. Moreover, it is a model or platform for other schools to adapt to their own unique context. We believe that students are intrinsically motivated to lead projects of their own design and choosing, especially when they have the time, resources, and support of a community. One of iHub’s fundamental tenets is that learning occurs in a context where individuals feel safe and valued and there are allies and mentors to help with the work. We believe that students do not need to wait until after graduation in order to make a difference in the world.
We provide time, resources, and structure to help individuals successfully complete and learn from their projects. This is accomplished through Foundations of Inquiry 10 and 11—two Board Authority Approved courses we developed for iHub. These courses focus on the process of inquiry, developing questions, consulting with experts, documenting progress, and sharing milestones. These courses prepare students to plan Independent Directed Studies (IDS) for subsequent years.
In an IDS, students study an area of interest in-depth with minimal instructional time. A teacher provides the student with guidance for their IDS but, significantly, the learning occurs with mentors, peers, and a collection of resources found online and outside of school. Between 30 and 50% of a student’s weekly schedule is available to work on inquiry projects with which they can earn credits toward graduation.
