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Jan 7, 2016 · Edutopia's flagship series highlights practices and case studies from K-12 schools and districts that are improving the way students learn. Below, find downloads used by practitioners at featured schools, and dive into real-world examples of inquiry-based learning.
- Inquiry-Based Learning Definition
- Inquiry-Based Learning Examples
- Phases of Inquiry
- Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning
- Case Studies of Inquiry Learning
- Theoretical Basis
- Criticisms of Inquiry-Based Learning
- Conclusion
In inquiry-based classrooms, students engage in activities that provoke their curiosity as they go on a journey of discovery. Through the process, they construct knowledge rather than having it delivered by the teacher. The students learn by exploring a subject, experimenting with concepts or objects, and conducting searches for information on thei...
Self-directed curriculum:Instead of giving students set questions to answer, the teacher gives the students a general topic to inquire about and find an area of interest to explore within the overa...Field trips:Students go on a field trip to collect data by taking photographs. The students return to the class and use the photographs to compile information about the topic under study.Science experiments: Students conduct an experiment on what plants needby growing seeds in different conditions and tracking each plants progress.College Dissertations: Students at university often need to do a research study where they come up with a hypothesis and conduct a scientific study to confirm or falsify their hypothesis.Pedaste et al. (2015) propose five phases of inquiry that can underpin the design of an inquiry-based project: 1. Orientation:The teacher stimulates curiosity by presenting information about the topic, posing questions, and offering problem statements. 2. Conceptualization:Students generate research questions and hypotheses about the project. 3. In...
The benefits of inquiry-based learning are numerous: 1. Enhanced critical-thinking skills: when students are asked to inquire rather than simply rote learn information, they have to engage higher-order thinkingskills. 2. Greater enthusiasm and interest in learning:Learning through active inquiry is believed to enhance intrinsic motivation in the cl...
1. What’s in the Box?
The hallmark of any good inquiry-based lesson starts with an opening question. The teacher might not even announce the topic for that day’s lesson. This is a simple but highly effective way to get the attention of the students right off the bat. When someone is asked a question, they can’t help but to start trying to answer it. That’s just the way the human mind is built. Since getting the attention of a class full of 1stgraders can be a challenge in and of itself, teachers need to make use o...
2. Let the Kids do the Work
We often underestimate the ability of very young learners. They are actually a lot smarter than most people give them credit for. Of course, this is understandable; how smart can a child be when they have trouble putting on their own shoes? But don’t be fooled. Inside their small little heads is a small little brain that is a lot stronger than its size would indicate. We can see this demonstrated by giving them a chance to do things we didn’t think they could do. For example, when receiving a...
3. The Bakery and the Marketer
At the heart of inquiry-based learning is the idea that students should do most of the thinking. Instead of the teacher distributing knowledge to the brains of students, the leg-work of a course from the minds of the students themselves. This premise can be seen in a marketing course where the instructor announces the problem, and then the student must create the solution. For example, students can be given the task of creating a unique marketing campaign for a failing bakery (or any other ty...
The theoretical basis of inquiry-based learning is constructivism. This is a learning theory that emphasizes the importance of constructing knowledge rather than having information told to you by an authority figure. It is based on the idea that humans learn through developing coherent ideas – called schema– in their minds. We don’t learn well when...
While an inquiry-based approach to learning is widely accepted as a strong pedagogical strategy, it does have some weaknesses. Primarily, it doesn’t achieve standardization of curriculum for all student. It necessarily requires differentiation and allows student-led study, leading to different learning experiencesfor different students. This underm...
Inquiry-based learning is a step away from traditional educational practices that disseminated information to passive students. Traditional pedagogy created learners that were ill-equipped to function at a high level in an increasingly complex society. By creating learning environments that allow students to be more fully engaged and inquisitive, i...
- Instructional design. One of the most powerful ways to promote inquiry learning in your classroom is to design activities, lessons, and units that benefit from, promote, or require inquiry.
- Question-Based Learning. Question-based learning is a TeachThought framework for learning through the formation and revision of questions over the course of a specific period of time.
- Inquiry-based rubrics and scoring guides. By defining and itemizing individual facets of inquiry and framing what it looks like at different proficiency levels, students can be more clear about exactly what you’re hoping to see them capable of and ‘doing’ as a result of the activity or lesson.
- Model inquiry. This can be done in many ways, including dialogic conversation, Socratic Seminars, and think-alouds, among others.
Dec 1, 2016 · Take some time to imagine the inquiry classroom you want in a few years and begin to plan to make this dream a reality. Start with a unit you love or that you’ve seen resonate with your learners. Revamp it to begin with an essential question and frame it in one of the Types of Student Inquiry.
- Historical Novel Inquiry. How do novels help tell real-life historical stories? Using a historical approach to inquiry-based learning is a fun way to dive into the past and make connections.
- The Problem with Pollution. How can we limit or reduce air/water pollution? Pollution and topics like environmentalism and climate change are very popular.
- Redesigning Cities of the Future. How can we redesign cities of the future that address real-life issues? In these kinds of inquiry learning examples, students explore the problems that city planners and engineers face.
- Engineering An Ideal Airplane. How can we redesign airplanes to make flying more comfortable for passengers, while being cost-effective for airlines? This is a project that I’m excited to dive into with my students.
Jan 8, 2023 · Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is a learner-centred approach which starts with an essential question. Learners investigate the topic to find answers to the question, developing language and skills throughout the inquiry.
Jul 28, 2023 · There’s no better way to do this than with simple but highly creative inquiry-based learning science activities that challenge and inspire enriching learning. Inquiry-based learning provides the perfect platform for the exploration of science and nature.
