“The role of the teacher is to create the conditions for invention rather than provide ready-made knowledge.”
— Seymour Papert (1980. Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. Basic Books.)
Dear Colleagues,
In this newsletter, we’re shining a light on the Explore phase of the 5E instructional model, a stage where curiosity takes the lead and learning becomes active, hands-on, and collaborative.
Unlike traditional lecture-driven moments, the Explore phase invites students to investigate, test, and discuss new ideas before formal explanations are introduced. Through inquiry-based activities, they manipulate materials or concepts, search for patterns, and begin to form initial understandings together. These shared experiences provide a crucial foundation for the deeper conceptual learning that follows.
Explore isn’t just about “doing”, it’s about thinking through doing. Your role shifts from content expert to learning facilitator: guiding with thoughtful questions, providing rich materials, and giving students space to wonder, struggle, and discover.
In this issue, you’ll find:
- Practical faculty strategies to design meaningful Explore activities.
- Student-centered opportunities that promote deep engagement.
- Tips for checking understanding before misconceptions take root.
Whether through simulations, case studies, or hands-on inquiry, the Explore phase transforms your course into an experience where students don’t just absorb information—they construct it.
Let’s help students connect the dots—by letting them draw a few first.
Warmly,
The ID Team
CITS | Instructional Development
“We teach a subject not to produce living libraries… but rather to get a student to think.”
— Jerome Bruner (1960. The Process of Education. Harvard University Press.)
In the 5E instructional model, the Explore phase invites students to dive into new ideas through inquiry and hands-on activity. Rather than simply listening to explanations, learners investigate, test, and discuss. This stage provides a foundation of shared experiences that later support deeper conceptual understanding.
Key Characteristics of the Explore Phase:
- Hands-on Investigation: Students manipulate materials, data, or scenarios to uncover patterns.
- Inquiry-Driven Learning: Curiosity leads; faculty guide.
- Collaborative Meaning-Making: Peers share observations and compare initial explanations.
- Teacher as Facilitator: Instructors provide tools, resources, and guiding questions – without giving away the answers.
Explore helps students make meaningful connections between concepts introduced in the previous Engage phase and new information. Additionally, Explore activities allow you to check for understanding early and adjust before any misconceptions can become entrenched.
Inspiration Launchers:
Challenges educators to foster a questioning culture rather than suppress it. Encourages shifting toward inquiry.
Emphasizes intrinsic curiosity and how that can drive deeper exploration before direct instruction.
A concrete demonstration of “learning by doing” in action, especially in resource-constrained contexts.
Speaks to how inquiry-based practices can reshape modern classrooms.
Focuses on how faculty can manage and design environments that support student-driven activity (which is central to Explore).
Faculty Strategies:
- Provide two or more structured activities (e.g., simulations, case studies, lab work, or group problem-solving).
- Ask probing questions that stretch students’ reasoning.
- Facilitate discussion so learners connect their observations to prior knowledge.
- Act as a consultant rather than a dispenser of answers. You are available but not directive.
Student Opportunities:
- Manipulate, test, and record data or observations.
- Formulate questions and hypotheses.
- Work collaboratively to share insights.
Using “Explore” to Foster More Equitable Learning
The Explore phase is particularly powerful when we consider course accessibility and inclusion through the lens of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
During Explore, students investigate a concept or problem through hands-on activities, collaborative discussion, or guided inquiry. Rather than receiving information passively, they interact with ideas in multiple ways. This aligns directly with UDL’s principle of providing multiple means of engagement: learners are invited to experiment, test ideas, and take intellectual risks in ways that connect to their interests and backgrounds (UDL Guidelines 3.0).
Accessibility improves because Explore encourages flexible pathways into the material. For example, offering options such as simulations, case studies, group problem-solving, or physical modeling allows learners with different strengths, needs, and prior knowledge to find an entry point. This supports two additional UDL pillars: multiple means of representation and multiple means of action and expression. Students who might struggle with a single mode of instruction (e.g., a dense reading) can instead manipulate data, debate scenarios, or build prototypes to demonstrate understanding (UDL on Campus).
For faculty, designing an Explore activity with UDL in mind also reduces the need for later accommodations. By anticipating learner variability up front, you create a course environment that is naturally more equitable, engaging, and resilient. In short, Explore not only fosters curiosity but also lowers barriers to access and increases opportunities for all learners to succeed.
How can YuJa Panorama help?
Four Ways to Boost Student Engagement This Semester with a Student Response System
- Start today! – Growing with Canvas faculty training!
- Start today! – Vendor-led Vault faculty resource of webinars!
- Tue, 10/7/25 @ 2 pm – via Zoom – Canvas Q&A with ID
- Wed, 10/15/25 at 9 am – Online Teaching and Learning Strategies
View a full list of Canvas and Instructional Technology workshops and self-paced offerings!
Instructional Development works with faculty to…
- Explore, design, and experiment with different teaching and learning modes.
- Research and integrate technologies that can enhance teaching and learning.
- Design and develop online courses and programs.
- Write learning outcomes, design assessments, craft activities, and develop content.
- Utilize best practices for using instructional technologies.
Feel free to contact us online to book an appointment!
Attribution/Transparency Statement: Portions of this post were drafted with assistance from AI tools (ChatGPT). The Instructional Development team reviewed and revised all content for accuracy and appropriateness.