www.uibk.ac.at
Why Inquiry?
 Educationists
should build the capacities
of the spirit of inquiry, creativity,
entrepreneurial and moral leadership
among students and become their role
model.
Abdul Kalam
Why Inquiry?
 “The
meaning of ‘knowing’ has shifted
from being able to remember and repeat
information to being able to find and use
it.”
(National Research Council, 2007)
What is Inquiry Based
Learning?
 Inquiry Based Learning is a studentcentred teaching approach focused
on questioning, thinking and problem
solving.
 Students find answers “to important
questions about school subject
matter”
(Harvey and Daniels, 2009)
Inquiry Based Learning
Traditional
Using and learning
content
Focused on mastery of
content
Student centred
Teacher centred
Students are involved in
the construction of
knowledge through
active involvement
Students are receivers of
information
Students ask questions
from higher level of
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Students ask questions
from lower level of
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Teacher as guide and
facilitator
Teacher as sage
Utilizes multiple resources
(transliteracy)
Relies heavily on teacher
selected resources
Alberta Learning, 2004
Inquiry Based Learning is
important because:
 Students
are engaged and active
in their learning which results in a
deeper understanding of content
 Student achievement is improved
(George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2001)
 Creativity
and independence are
developed
(Kuhne, 1995)
Students acquire skills to be thinkers
Students adapt to demands of
changing information and
technologies
Getting Started by:
 Modelling our Inquisitiveness
 Learning the Inquiry Model
 Asking Questions
 Teaching research skills
 Practicing comprehension
strategies for informational text