Module 2
Instructional Design Models and Theories: Inquiry-based Learning Model
1960s - Joseph Schwab was one of the key founders of the Inquiry-based Learning Model
that relies upon the idea that individuals are able to learn by investigating scenarios and
problems, and through social experiences.
What is Inquiry-based Learning
The Inquiry-based Learning Model emerged in the 1960s, during the “discovery learning”
movement and relies upon the idea that individuals are able to learn by investigating
scenarios and problems, and through social experiences. Rather than having to memorize
information from printed materials, instructors encouraged their students to conduct
investigations that would satisfy their curiosity, help them broaden their knowledge base and
develop their skills and mental frames.
It’s important to remember that inquiry-based learning is not a technique or practice per se,
but a process that has the potential to increase the intellectual engagement and deep
understanding of learners, urging them to:
Develop their questioning, research and communication skills
Collaborate outside the classroom
Solve problems, create solutions, and tackle real-life questions and issues
Participate in the creation and amelioration of ideas and knowledge
The 5 steps of inquiry-based learning
This is why inquiry-based learning includes the following steps:
1. Ask questions
2. Probe into various situations
3. Conduct analyses and provide descriptions
4. Communicate findings, verbally or in writing
5. Think about the information and knowledge obtained
The principles of inquiry-based learning
There are certain principles that govern inquiry-based learning and can be summarized as
follows:
Principle1
Learners are in the center of the entire process, while instructors, resources and
technology are adequately organized to support them.
Principle2
All learning activities revolve around information-processing skills.
Principle3
Instructors facilitate the learning process, but also seek to learn more about their
students and the process of inquiry-based learning.
Principle4
Emphasis should be placed on evaluating the development of information-processing
skills and conceptual understanding, and not on the actual content of the field.
The 4 forms of inquiry
There are four forms of inquiry that are commonly used in inquiry-based instruction:
Confirmation inquiry
Learners are given a question, as well as a method, to which the end result is already
known. The goal is to confirm the results. This enables learners to reinforce already
established ideas, and to practice their investigative skills.
Structured inquiry
Learners are given the question and the method of achieving the result, but the goal is
to provide an explanation that is already supported by the evidence gathered during
and through the investigative process.
Guided inquiry
Learners are only given a question. The main goal is to design the method of
investigation and then test the question itself. This type of inquiry is not typically as
structured as the previously mentioned forms.
Open inquiry
Learners must form their own questions, design investigative methods, and then carry
out the inquiry itself. They must present their results at the end of the process.
In an instructional setting, inquiry-based learning can give instructors the opportunity to
allow students to fully explore problems and scenarios, so that they can learn from not only
the results, but also the process itself. They are encouraged to ask questions, explore their
environments, and obtain evidence that support claims and results, and design a convincing
argument regarding the way they reached to the end result.
The 4 Steps of Inquiry-Based Learning
1. Students develop questions that they are hungry to answer. Have them develop a
problem statement that requires them to pitch their question using a constructed response,
further inquiry, and citation.
2. Research the topic using time in class. It’s crucial to have some of this be classwork so
students have access to the head researcher in the room—you. You aren’t going to do the
work for them, but you are going to guide them and model methods of researching reliably.
3. Have students present what they’ve learned. Students should create and present a
culminating artifact. When I have my students present what they’ve learned, I use a rubric
with “Able to Teach” as the acme of what to reach for. After all, many people can understand
content, but can they communicate it? Students can develop a website using Weebly, or
perhaps a slideshow using Google Slides.
4. Ask students to reflect on what worked about the process and what didn’t. Reflection
is key. And it isn’t just about asking them to think back on their opinion of the topic. It’s
about reflecting on the process itself. That’s where you can work in metacognition—thinking
about thinking. Have students focus on how they learned in addition to what they learned.
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