INQUIRY BASED LEARNING
BY ADMIN PUBLISHED August 26, 2022, UPDATED January 9, 2023
An old phrase states, “Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand.” The endmost part of the phrase concludes the meaning of Inquiry Based Learning.
“Inquiry” means seeking answers to questions to know the truth, gain knowledge and information.
An individual carry on the process of inquiry the moment they enter this world. Sadly, our traditional educational system was planned in such a way that there was no room for inquiry and discouraged the learners from thinking intellectually. Learning facts and information is an old-time skill in today’s time. One needs to understand the relevance and authenticity of the data. Educators and schools need to go beyond the horizons of the data collection and imply a more realistic and applicable knowledge, which is supported by Inquiry Based Learning. Through this process individuals fabricate and design their own understanding and satisfy their quest for knowledge.
TYPES OF STUDENT INQUIRY
- Structured Inquiry: The whole class works together, following the instructions of the teacher. It is the first step of the ladder of inquiry.
- Controlled Inquiry: This inquiry is a shift from teacher to student. Here the teacher offers questions and resources which they will explore.
- Guided Inquiry: This inquiry gives them an empowerment over their understanding. They choose their own resources to demonstrate their understanding.
- Free Inquiry: The teacher acts as a facilitator and students have a complete command over their resources. Their understanding can be totally different from their peers.
Inquiry based learning is a form of a provocation for the students to put their thinking caps on and imagine the most possible certainty and connect to the topic or content being explored. It also guides the teacher to know how much her students know and in which direction she needs to take her learning journey.
Shubhi Basantani
TGT English
