Inquiry based learning creates a memorable educational experience for the learner. It allows them to seek out a topic they may be passionate in or what to further their learning in. Thus, increasing the level of engagement and the amount of knowledge retained. There are four main stages a learner follows during the process.
The first stage, in inquiry-based learning, is fuelling the learner’s curiosity. It is all about getting the learner to ask questions about anything and everything. From there, you can start to create a channel of wonders and dive deeper into a certain topic or specific question. For example, I could ask several questions like “Why is the sky blue?” “What do monkeys eat?” “Why are sloths so slow?” “Are pandas really bears?” From there, pick a question and start to narrow it down. “What do monkeys eat” might become “do monkeys really like bananas?” which may lead to “What nutrients do monkeys need in their diet?”
The second stage is the research aspect. Research can be done through multiple means. The learner can use physical books, human interactions, podcasts, search engines such as Kiddle or Google, material from class, etc. This process may differ depending on the resources available. Learners may need assistance either searching for material or narrowing down the important information.
The third stage is presenting their findings. This can be done in pairs, smaller groups or as a class. Just like the research stage, this stage can be completed by using different means. The learner can pick a layout that work best for them such as a slideshow, posterboard, oral presentation, experiment, etc. There really is no limit unless the educator sets one.
The last stage is reflecting. This stage allows the learner to reflect on their learning and growth. By allowing the learner time to reflect, it lets them look back at the inquiry process as a whole and identify what worked and what did not. Not only can this stage incorporate individual reflection but peer reflection as well.
References
Edutopia. (2015, August 24). Retrieved June 07, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdYev6MXTOA
Wolpert-Gawron, Heather. “What the Heck Is Inquiry-Based Learning?” Edutopia, George Lucas Educational Foundation, 11 Aug. 2016, www.edutopia.org/blog/what-heck-inquiry-based-learning-heather-wolpert-gawron.
jmortlock June 6, 2021
I also wrote about inquiry for this post but I feel like you did such a great job making the steps so clear. It was interesting to see a 4 step summary of inquiry because I based my post on Trevor Mackenzie’s work and he has a 10 step approach to inquiry. If inquiry is something your interested in check out https://lauren-ingbrigtson.opened.ca/inquiry-based-learning/ and inquiryteacher on Instagram.