Learning to the Second Power: Inquiry-Based Collaboration and Learning Commons (Feature ARTICLE‪)‬

INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING DEFINED School librarians help problem solvers locate, access, evaluate, and use information in all forms anal at all locations to answer questions, construct knowledge, and create meaning. Ina more contemporary role. school librarians teach students critical thinking skills within a social context that emphasizes sharing (AASL, 2007). Inquiry-based collaborations with classroom teachers promote a learning process that allows students to develop higher-order thinking skills. They formulate questions that require moving from simple yes/no or one-word answers to more complex conclusions. Not only do these conclusions hinge on Essential Questions (EQ) (Cushman, 1989), but also they are supported and validated by student research conducted under the guidance of the collaborating school librarian and classroom teacher. Any good research model is effective as long as unit topics constantly challenge students to move beyond foundational questions such as who, where, and when to Essential Questions such as why, what if, and how. Essential questions (EQ) create opportunities for critical thinking and dynamic learning (Wallace&Husid, 2011). Such learning does not stop with gathered information bur converts that information to knowledge through analysis, synthesis, and creativity.