Inquiry-based learning: Difference between revisions

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The literature states that inquiry requires multiple cognitive processes and variables, such as causality and co-occurrence that enrich with age and experience.<ref name="ReferenceB">{{cite journal|last1=Kuhn|first1=D|last2=Black|first2=J|last3=Keselman|first3=A|last4=Kaplan|first4=D|title=The development of cognitive skills to support inquiry learning|journal=Cognition and Instruction|year=2000|volume=18|issue=4|pages=495–523|doi=10.1207/s1532690xci1804_3|citeseerx=10.1.1.527.1718|s2cid=8273319}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceC">{{cite journal|last1=Kuhn|first1=D|last2=Pease|first2=M|title=What needs to develop in the development of inquiry skills?|journal=Cognition and Instruction|year=2008|volume=26|issue=4|pages=512–59|doi=10.1080/07370000802391745|s2cid=144373662}}</ref>

Kuhn, et al. (2000) used explicit training workshops to teach children in grades six to eight in the United States how to inquire through a quantitative study. By completing an inquiry-based task at the end of the study, the participants demonstrated enhanced mental models by applying different inquiry strategies.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> In a similar study, Kuhan and Pease (2008) completed a longitudinal quantitative study following a set of American children from grades four to six to investigate the effectiveness of scaffolding strategies for inquiry. Results demonstrated that children benefitted from the scaffolding because they outperformed the grade seven control group on an inquiry task.<ref name="ReferenceC"/> Understanding the neuroscience of inquiry learning the scaffolding process related to it should be reinforced for Ontario's primary teachers as part of their training.

== Notes for educators ==

{{Manual|section|date=April 2022}}

Inquiry-based learning is fundamental for the development of higher order thinking skills. According to Bloom's Taxonomy, the ability to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information or new understandings indicates a high level of thinking.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Krathwohl, D. R. |year=2002 |title=A revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An overview |journal=Theory into Practice |volume=41 |issue=4 |pages=212–218|doi=10.1207/s15430421tip4104_2 |s2cid=13116159 |url=https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/pub/rumeli/issue/62156/885379 }}</ref> Teachers should be encouraging divergent thinking and allowing students the freedom to ask their own questions and to learn the effective strategies for discovering the answers. The higher order thinking skills that students have the opportunity to develop during inquiry activities will assist in the critical thinking skills that they will be able to transfer to other subjects.

As shown in the section above on the neuroscience of inquiry learning, it is significant to scaffold students to teach them how to inquire and inquire through the four levels. It cannot be assumed that they know how to inquire without foundational skills. Scaffolding the students at a younger age will result in enriched inquiring learning later.<ref name="ReferenceB"/><ref name="ReferenceC"/>

Inquiry-based learning can be done in multiple formats, including:

* Field-work

* Case studies

* Investigations

* Individual and group projects

* Research projects

Remember to keep in mind...<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_InquiryBased.pdf|title=Inquiry-based Learning|publisher=Ontario Ministry of Education}}</ref>

* Teacher is Facilitator in IBL environment

* Place needs of students and their ideas at the center

* Don't wait for the perfect question, pose multiple open-ended questions.

* Work towards common goal of understanding

* Remain faithful to the students' line of inquiry

* Teach directly on a need-to-know basis

* Encourage students to demonstrate learning using a range of media

=== Necessity for teacher training ===