What Is Inquiry-Based Learning: 7 Benefits &

Strategies You Need to Know

Source: Prodigy Website January 19, 2017 - Marcus Guido

Developed in the 1960s, many teachers see inquiry-based learning as a new

pedagogy -- meaning they have questions about how to use it and if it’s
worthwhile. Like problem-based learning, proponents state that letting students
investigate solutions to open questions has a range of advantages. But the
pedagogy must be shaped by research-backed approaches to reap these
advantages. Along with a definition, below are the benefits of inquiry-based
learning and strategies for implementing activities in your classroom.

What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?

If you’re familiar with the definition of inquiry-based learning, feel free to skip this
section. For the many educators who aren’t, it is a learning and teaching
method that prioritizes student questions, ideas and analyses. To highlight the
pedagogy's nuances, it is important to define inquiry-based learning from both a
learner and teacher perspective. From a student point-of-view, inquiry-based
learning focuses on investigating an open question or problem. They must use
evidence-based reasoning and creative problem-solving to reach a conclusion,
which they must defend or present. From a teacher point-of-view, inquiry-based
teaching focuses on moving students beyond general curiosity into the realms of
critical thinking and understanding. Teachers encourage students to ask questions
and support them through the investigation process, understanding when to begin
and how to structure an inquiry activity. Using methods such as guided research,
document analysis and question-and-answer sessions, you can run inquiry
activities in the form of:

Case studies
Group projects
Research projects
Field work, especially for science lessons
Unique exercises tailored to your students

Whichever kind of activity you use, it should allow students to develop unique
strategies for solving open questions.

The 4 Types of Inquiry-Based Learning

There are different kinds of inquiry-based learning, which become decreasingly
structured and suit different classrooms:

Confirmation Inquiry -- You give students a question, its answer and the method of
reaching this answer. Their goal is to build investigation and critical-thinking skills,
learning how the specific method works.

Structured Inquiry -- You give students an open question and an investigation

method. They must use the method to craft an evidence-backed conclusion.

Guided Inquiry -- You give students an open question. Typically, in groups, they
design investigation methods to reach a conclusion.

Open Inquiry -- You give students time and support. They pose original questions
that they investigate through their own methods, and eventually present their
results to discuss and expand.

Regardless of the type, inquiry-based learning aims to develop students’ abilities to

analyze, synthesize and evaluate information -- indications of high-level thinking
according to Bloom’s Taxonomy.
7 Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning
As well as building skills to help students reach a high level of thinking, inquiry-
based learning can deliver other benefits to students and teachers.

1. Reinforces Curriculum Content

Whereas some see inquiry-based learning as a departure from the curriculum, you
can use it to reinforce relevant content and improve understanding of core
concepts. This is due to curiosity’s effect on the brain. When a concept sparks
curiosity, there is increased activity in the hippocampus -- the region of the brain
responsible for memory creation. When students show more curiosity than normal
regarding a specific topic, satiate it by using their questions to introduce an inquiry
activity in the coming days. In doing so, they should effectively retain essential
information gleaned during the exercise, according to a study from the Association
for Psychological Science.

2. “Warms Up” the Brain for Learning

Running a brief inquiry activity to start class can help students absorb information
throughout the day, according to the same study. Specifically, it states that
curiosity prepares the brain for learning -- allowing students to become more
proficient at understanding and remembering skills and concepts. An easy way to
inspire curiosity is by launching an inquiry activity as a provocation. Related to a
recent topic students found especially interesting, begin a lesson by playing a video
or sharing a primary source document. Then, give students an open question to
answer either individually or as a group. This will help start class in a curiosity-
sparking, intellectually-stimulating way.

3. Promotes a Deeper Understanding of Content

By delving into a concept through inquiry, students should see it as more than a
simple rule, idea or formula. Many of them will understand:
 How the idea was developed
Why the rule or formula works
When they can properly apply the rule, idea or formula

This is because the process of asking open questions, solving them through original
strategies, empowers students to take ownership of their learning. Barring hiccups,
they should be able to build understanding of a concept through their own
methods and thinking styles. The same principle applies to experiential learning,
which puts students at the center of the learning experience. They won’t have to
follow a process they can’t grasp, possibly arriving at a seemingly unjustified
conclusion.

4. Helps Make Learning Rewarding

Inquiry can help students see the intrinsic rewards of learning, says an oft-cited
article from the Harvard Educational Review. The author states that many students
learn in an attempt to earn “the rewards of parental or teacher approval or the
avoidance of failure.” As a result, they may not appreciate the inherent benefits of
learning. He hypothesized that inquiry-based learning instills a different mindset. It
shows students how fulfilling the act of discovery is, and that theorizing a new
strategy or original conclusion is a reward. Because of this, they grow to enjoy the
learning process itself -- not parent or teacher approval. This means that student
appreciation for learning can improve with a simple inquiry exercise.

5. Builds Initiative and Self-Direction

Students can improve certain transferable skills through inquiry-based learning,
many of which relate to initiative and self-direction. This is evident when
examining the steps of the inquiry process. Students learn how to ask questions,
investigate, discuss, collaborate, cooperate and reach their own conclusions.
Although they can separately build these skills through other activities, self-guided
inquiry and analysis synthesizes this development. Such skills will not only prove
useful as students reach higher grades but enter post-secondary school and
beyond.

6. Works in Almost Any Classroom

Inquiry-based learning can also benefit teachers, as you can repurpose activities
for almost any classroom. Even regardless of grade and individual skill levels. This is
because you can:

Adapt the pace and content to suit the needs of students

Appeal to students who struggle to grasp content through traditional lessons
Deliver exercises that greatly differ, using distinct content and investigation
methods
Use an inquiry exercise as either a “minds-on” activity, review, full lesson or
standalone project
Reinforce and expand upon any relevant concept, as long as students have
shown curiosity towards it

In these ways, you’ll have the flexibility to provide inquiry exercises to the majority
of your classes year after year.

7. Offers Differentiated Instruction

Running an inquiry-based learning activity will give you a chance to use
differentiated instruction strategies, appealing to the diverse learning styles of
your students. Students can work by themselves, or as part of a small or large
group. Inquiry itself typically involves methods such as discussion and guided
research. You can also provide content in form of text, audio, video and virtual or
physical manipulatives such as building blocks. Delivering a range of content and
ways to process it, inquiry activities can allow you to meet your students’ distinct
learning needs and preferences.

7 Inquiry-Based Learning Strategies and Activities for Teachers

Like any teaching method, there are strategies to help you successfully run an
inquiry activity. These strategies will also allow you and your students to enjoy the
full extent of inquiry-based learning’s benefits.

1. Keep Guiding Principles in Mind

To run an inquiry activity, there are broad principles you should follow:

Learners are at the centre of the inquiry process. You, along with
the resources and technology you provide are there to support them.
Inquiry activities themselves should concentrate on building information-
processing and critical thinking abilities.
You should monitor how students develop these skills as they build
conceptual understanding of the topic in question.
As well as facilitating the exercise, try to learn more about your students’
learning habits and inquiry-based learning in general.

Keeping these principles in mind should keep you and your students focused on
the overarching purposes of inquiry-based learning.

2. Demonstrate How to Participate

Because students may not be familiar with inquiry-based learning, consider
demonstrating how to participate in an inquiry activity. Specifically, they must
learn how to:

Contribute ideas
Develop those ideas
Question themselves and group members in a constructive manner
Investigate, to the fullest extent possible, their ideas and hypotheses

Launching a mock-exercise for the class to tackle as a group, actively participate to

give students a first-hand look at how to complete these steps. For example, after
presenting an open question, facilitate and contribute to a brainstorming session.
This will exemplify pitching and developing ideas. Demonstrating how to
participate in this way should prepare students for future exercises.

3. Use Provocations
To spark curiosity and enjoy its aforementioned benefits, present a provocation
inquiry activity. With little to no context, start class by:

Playing a video
Presenting a problem, question, photo or a math word problem
Distributing a primary source document

The content piece must relate to a topic that interests students, effectively
engaging them. After they’ve examined the content, split them into small groups
and give them an open question to answer. For example, you may ask them to
determine applications for the mathematical formula or word problems. As
research about curiosity indicates, their findings and conclusions should stick with
them beyond the activity.

4. Use Inquiry when Traditional Methods Won’t Work

Structured or guided inquiry activities can lend themselves to topics that students
typically struggle to grasp, allowing them to process content in different
ways. Investigating a question you present, they should be able to use their own
techniques to analyze information that may normally be too challenging otherwise.
As a result, they’ll likely form conclusions that make sense to them. You can then
discuss these conclusions and fill knowledge gaps to ensure everyone is on the
same page. Furthermore, monitoring students throughout the activity can teach
you about their learning styles, informing how to approach other difficult lessons.

5. Understand When Inquiry Won’t Work

Inquiry-based learning delivers its share of benefits, but you must recognize which
lessons don’t call for inquiry. Take this scenario as an example: You want to run a
guided inquiry activity for math class, which (a) introduces negative integers and
(b) requires students to determine the concept's application in real-life
scenarios. Asking students to read an introductory text about negative integers will
likely drain time and cause confusion. On the other hand, a brief overview will
allow them to spend more time on the latter part of the activity, which focuses on
analysis and discovery. As this example shows, there are cases when a simple
explanation will suffice over an elongated activity.

6. Don’t Wait for the Perfect Question

A student can ask a question that stimulates classmates’ curiosity, signaling you to
prepare or launch an inquiry activity. But this is rarely the case. And you shouldn’t
wait for it. Rather, you can initiate an inquiry activity when you feel it is
appropriate. But it must use a guiding question that:

Reflects a core curriculum concept

Has engaged students from past or other classes
Interests students, as indicated in previous lessons and discussions

The question’s source, whether from you or your students, is secondary.

7. Run a Check-In Afterwards

Allotting time for class-wide reflection lets students discuss challenges and
discoveries, filling knowledge gaps and supplementing findings. This prepares them
for future lessons and inquiry activities. They’ll learn about an array of ideas to
consider throughout their study of the specific topic, and strategies to try during
the next exercise. It can be especially helpful for learners who struggle in small
groups, giving them a different way to process the activity’s outcomes.

Wrapping Up this Guide to Inquiry-Based Learning

Armed with a thorough understanding of inquiry-based learning and the strategies
you need to run activities, your students should see benefits. These not only
include an improved understanding of curriculum concepts and the development
of transferable skills, but -- according to research and proponents -- a greater
appreciation for learning’s inherent rewards. This, in itself, should create a more
engaged classroom.

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