Unit – 4

INQUIRY METHOD
 Concept of Inquiry
 "Inquiry" is defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or
knowledge – seeking information by questioning."
 The process of asking a question or asking for information
about someone or something.
 The process of inquiring begins with gathering information and
data through applying the human senses -- seeing, hearing,
touching, tasting, and smelling.
 INQUIRY METHOD
 The inquiry method is a student-centered learning approach
with the concept of students who are actively involved in the
teaching and learning activity under the monitoring and
supervision of teachers.
 The inquiry method requires higher-order thinking skills and
critical thinking to make conclusions
 Inquiry Classroom
 An inquiry classroom is quite different from a traditional
classroom. These differences become increasingly obvious as
the teacher and students become more comfortable and
experienced with inquiry learning. It can often be difficult to
locate the teacher in an inquiry classroom, because she is rarely
found in the traditional spot: behind the teacher's desk. Students
also move around the classroom as they interact with others
and locate the appropriate materials and resources for their
work.
 Deductive Method
 Deduction is the process by which a particular fact is derived
from some general known truth. Thus, in the deductive method
of teaching learner proceeds from general to particular, abstract
to concrete and from formula to examples.
 Here a pre-established rule or formula is given to the learners
and they are asked to solve the related problems by using that
formula. Therefore, in this method, the learner has to perform
only calculation or to simplify the substituted known values in
the given formula to get the solution of the problem.
 Definition
 According to Joseph London, “Deductive teaching secures
first the learning of definition or law or rule, then carefully
explains its meaning and lastly illustrates it fully by applying
to fact.”
 Examples of Deductive Reasoning
Example 1:
 Major premise: All philosophy students are intelligent .
 Minor premise: Mr. Amin is a philosophy student.
 Conclusion: Therefore, Mr. Amin is intelligent.
Example 2:
 Major premise: All birds lay eggs.
 Minor premise: Dove is a bird.
 Conclusion: Therefore dove lays eggs.
 Inductive Method
 Inductive Method is based on principle of induction.
 Induction means to establish a universal truth by showing that
if it is true for a particular case and is further true for a
reasonably adequate number of cases then it is true for all such
cases. Thus, in this method, at first stage a problem is solved on
the basis of previous knowledge, thinking, reasoning and
insight of the learner. At this stage he does not know about any
formula, principle or method for the solving the given problem.
Cont.
 Therefore, it is a method of constructing a formula with the
help of adequate number of concrete examples. Thus,
inductive method of teaching leads us from known to
unknown, particular to general or example to general rule and
from concrete to abstract. When a number of concrete cases
have been understood, the learner himself is able to attempt
for generalization.
 Examples of Inductive Reasoning
 Example 1:
 Ali is mortal, Alia is mortal, Adil is mortal,…
 Therefore, all men are mortal.
 Example 2:
 Pigeon has wings, hawk has wings, crow has wings.
 Therefore all birds have wings.
 Scientific Method
 A logical, orderly approach that involves gathering data,
formulating and testing hypotheses, and proposing theories.
 The procedure adopted by the scientists to find out the facts
and scientific truths is called Scientific Method.
 Steps Involved in The Scientific Method
 The following are the compulsory steps involved in the scientific
method. The elaboration of these steps as:
1. Realizing the problem
2. Defining the problem
3. Analyzing the problem
4. Collecting data / information
5. Analyzing the information
6. Framing hypothesis
7. Verifying the hypothesis
8. Finding the solution
9. Applying the solutions in the life situations.
 Role of the Teacher in Scientific Method
 The scientific method can be used by the learner to understand
the objects, activities and acquire the skills decision making
and problem solving. The solutions or results derived through
this method can be applied to the living environment. In order
to apply the solutions in life solutions the teacher should:
 Advantages of Inquiry Method
 The following are the major advantages of the inquiry approach.
 Be interested and enthusiastic
 Get students talking to each other and learning from the peers
 Promote the use of accurate current information resources as
students research their learning issues
 LIMITATIONS OF INQUIRY METHOD
 The scope of the inquiry method is limited in terms of contents
also the effective applications of this approach requires
motivated and mature students. The teachers also need to be
well competent in planning, designing, conducting and
monitoring the inquiry based learning.
 Problem-solving
 Students are presented with problems which require
them to find either a scientific or technological
solution.
 It is a student-centered strategy which require
students to become active participants in the
learning process.
 Problem solving as teaching strategy
 Problem solving is a teaching strategy that employs the
scientific method in searching for information.
 ADVANTAGES
 The student’s active involvement resulting in meaningful
experiences serves as a strong motivation to follow the
scientific procedure in future undertakings.
 Problem-solving develops higher level thinking skills.
 A keen sense of responsibility, originality and
resourcefulness are developed, which are much-needed
ingredients for independent study.