Inquiry learning, also called inquiry-based learning, in a nutshell, is learning through systematic investigation, centering around student-generated questions. PreK-graduate level students engage in inquiry learning. The ability to ask relevant questions, connect with suitable resources for answers, and use critical thinking to come to conclusions support effective participation in democracy, community, family, and consumer life.
Researchers and practitioners throughout the grade levels encourage greater use of inquiry learning. At St. John’s School, an elementary school in South Wales, Australia with students from many different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds, students engage in inquiry because the school believes “learning is a more complex process than merely obtaining knowledge or memorizing a series of facts” and that inquiry learning makes learning more relevant and engaging (McKenzie & McKinnon, 2009, p.37).
However schools might shy away from providing inquiry learning because of a misconception: Many believe inquiry learning is unstructured. This belief isn’t hard to imagine since even early followers of Dewey’s experiential learning, who created schools they believed were based on Dewey’s ideas, provided inadequate structure.
Dewey advocated for students learning from their past and current experiences, including their active inquiries. But upon visiting schools that supposedly were enacting his ideas Dewey said “Whoa!” Well, maybe he didn’t actually say that, but he thought it!
He realized something was hugely missing – sufficient structure. So he wrote a book, Experience & Education in which he wrote there needs to be structures that teachers pre-plan. He writes that though planning needs to be “..flexible…to permit individuality of experience..” It needs to be “… firm enough to give direction towards continuous development of power” (Dewey,1938/2015),p.58).
Structure and scaffolds are needed at all levels. College students, whether they are engaged in inquiry to learn pre-existing knowledge or to build new knowledge “…emphasize their desire for plenty of guidance and formative feedback” (Levy, 2011 p. 4).
Here are some suggestions for structures and scaffolds to support students’ inquiry:
A statement, at the outset, of learning objectives and how students’ progress on them will be assessed
Teacher’s active involvement, checking-in with groups and individuals as they engage in their inquiry.
Checkpoints along the way, which might might include students’ self-assessments , feedback from you, a quiz, groups’ spokespeople verbally reporting out on progress and next steps, meetings with individual students.
Exit Tickets
Anchor charts
Nicole Casasa-Blouin describes how she provides a T-Chart and Question Board to organize her students’ inquiry.
Anthony Egbers provides an e-book to support his students with Task Definition and How to Breakdown Your Big Question
Criteria for Evaluating Information (CRAAP test)
Question Formulation Technique
For collaborative group work, a group contract
Further supports for collaborative work are here.
Whether students engage in inquiry within a framework such as problem-based learning, project-based learning, expeditionary learning, service learning, design thinking – or outside a specific framework, structure is important. Structures support learners in being self-directed learners who eventually can create their own structures, for learning and producing quality ideas, products, and other life contributions.
Dewey, J. (1938/2015). Experience & Education. Free Press.
Levy, P. (2011). Embedding inquiry and research into mainstream higher education: a UK perspective. Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly, 32(1) . Retrieved from https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A265096486/AONE?u=bidd97564&sid=summon&xid=51ac38e1