What is Inquiry Based Learning?
Inquiry Based Leaning (referred to as IBL) is the process of students constructing their own knowledge by investigating, acting and reflecting using a scaffold. The students take a large degree of control over their open-ended investigations, where the final outcomes are not always predictable. The teacher's role during IBL is to facilitate the learning, steer investigations in the right direction and pose the initial question or problem.
Using IBL, students gain a better understanding from their learning, thus ensuring deep knowledge and authentic experiences because the process is student centered and builds on prvious knowledge. IBL is also an effective way of differentiating the curriculum so students can explore complex issues at their own pace and at their own ability.
The process of inquiry revolves around 5 important steps (Reynolds, 2012):
1. Framing and focusing questions
2. Locating, organising and analysing evidence
3. Evaluating, synthesising and reporting conclusions
4. Taking action of some sort
5. Reconsidering consequences and outcomes of each of the above phases.
Using IBL, students gain a better understanding from their learning, thus ensuring deep knowledge and authentic experiences because the process is student centered and builds on prvious knowledge. IBL is also an effective way of differentiating the curriculum so students can explore complex issues at their own pace and at their own ability.
The process of inquiry revolves around 5 important steps (Reynolds, 2012):
1. Framing and focusing questions
2. Locating, organising and analysing evidence
3. Evaluating, synthesising and reporting conclusions
4. Taking action of some sort
5. Reconsidering consequences and outcomes of each of the above phases.