Inquiry-Based Learning: Everything You Need to Know

All the reality-altering discoveries and inventions mankind has made result from a handful of inquisitive humans. If Newton had never questioned why apples fall, humankind might not have achieved even half of the growth it has achieved as of this day. Inquisitiveness is the want to know something, which puts it at the root of all knowledge and understanding. One does not have to be another Newton or another Einstein to be inquisitive.

Inquisitiveness is hardwired into the minds of all sentient beings. Knowing things and having clarity are fundamental characteristics of cognizance. Human beings are among the most advanced sentient species, questioning reality, finding answers, and using the solutions to make life a lot better for everyone. Being Inquisitive will help you go a long way. 

Now, aren’t you curious to know how an educational approach based on the inquisitiveness of the students enhances the learning goals? So, this article examines and analyses the relevance and effectiveness of Inquiry-based learning. Let’s get going!

What is Inquiry-Based Learning?

Falling under the category of inclusive learning, Inquiry-based learning is simply a learning approach that prompts students to ask questions to achieve in-depth learning about topics. The summary of an old quote goes like this: telling someone something isn’t enough for the person to remember it; showing them something might help them remember it, but learning comes from involvement. This approach to learning aims to involve the students in the learning process by encouraging them to put their inquisitiveness to good use. Students could spontaneously ask questions out of their curiosity or be prompted to ask the right questions. Once they have openly asked questions, they set out on a learning path by finding the answers to their questions. Students can conduct research independently and engage in activities or projects either by themselves or collectively. All learning in this approach stems from the questions they asked. 

Engaging in Inquiry-based learning involves students in the learning process by helping them understand that their learning is their responsibility. This is one of the greatest advantages of Inquiry-based learning. The entire learning process is rooted in the inquisitive nature of students; therefore, the need for an external framework or other supportive concepts is limited.

How is an Inquiry-Based Learning Plan Created and Executed?

There is no single way of approaching this aspect of Inquiry-based learning. However, some strategies have been proven successful in seeing an Inquiry-based lesson plan from the planning stage to the implementation stage.

• Defining outcomes: The first step in planning an IBL lesson plan is defining the learning outcomes of the lesson as it is vital for helping students raise the right questions. Asking the right questions will help students go down the right learning path. It is therefore essential to make sure the educator is thoroughly clear about the desired outcomes of learning a particular lesson. A biology teacher who intends to deliver a lecture about plant life cycles must be clear about what they expect their students to learn about plant life cycles. This clarity is the basis on which the teacher can prompt their students to ask questions.
• Prompting relevant questions: For an Inquiry-based learning plan to be successful, the questions must be relevant to the lesson and the learning outcomes. Students learning about plant life cycles wouldn’t benefit from asking questions about 3D designing. Teachers can use resources such as a KWL chart to refine the natural curiosity and inquisitiveness of their students. KWL divides questions into three categories:
  • What you know - This is part of the chart that is active in the initial stages of the learning process. “ What you know” activates the background knowledge students have. This helps students develop a connection with the topic. This question also helps cement the learning outcomes and purpose of learning a lesson in students’ minds. Asking questions about things they can relate to helps pique their curiosity and discuss what they know with their peers.
  • What you want to know - This part becomes relevant as the learning process progresses. The first question was about what they know already. This is based on what they don’t know and want to know. This question of “what you want to know” drives the learning process further. When a student inquires about what they do not know, teachers can employ the right kind of resources or assign them to the right group or project to go down the right learning path by engaging in the right kind of research, project, or discussion.
  • What you have learned: This is the third aspect of the learning process and is relevant after the lesson is complete. This is like a review question with the goal of determining the effectiveness of the learning process. Students use the chart to summarize what they have learned and compare it with what their peers have learned. They can then use this opportunity to revisit the second question if they feel there are more things they want to learn. For teachers, this question can be used to support or scaffold their students and wait until all their students have achieved their learning outcomes to progress to the next lesson. This also acts as an assessment method to determine the effectiveness of the way the lesson was taught and also how well the students learned their lesson.
• Finding answers: Once the learning outcomes have been defined and the right questions have been asked, teachers and students should do their part in taking the next step in finding the solution to the questions that have been asked. If it is in the “What you know” stage, students can note everything they know so that they can progress to the next stage of asking what they want to know and making further progress by finding answers to what they want to learn. The process of asking questions and finding the solutions goes well into the closing stages of the lesson so that they can find out if what they learned has been sufficient or if their learning outcomes have been met.

Examples of Inquiry-Based Learning

There are multiple ways in which inquiry-based learning can be implemented in a classroom.

• Structured inquiry: Structured inquiry leans towards the teacher having more control over what the students learn while allowing them the freedom of discovering the topics themselves. In structured inquiry, the teacher steers the direction in which the learning process flows. It is the teacher who provides the question based on the selected topic. The students then find answers individually. 
• Controlled Inquiry: Similar to the process followed in structured inquiry, vital questions are provided to the students, and they are required to learn from their findings. The defining feature of controlled inquiry is that the educator controls the resources the students use to find answers to the questions given to them.
• Guided Inquiry: This approach to IBL also follows the system of the teacher providing the relevant questions to the students. The freedom of approaching the question from any angle they prefer and utilizing whatever resources they find valuable lies with the students. After the students have reached a valid conclusion, they demonstrate the extent of their learning or their understanding in a way they prefer.
• Free Inquiry: In this method, the students and the teachers are equally involved in forming essential questions related to the topic as well as ideal resources and assessment methods that will be most beneficial to the students. Free inquiry is hailed as the most practical, inclusive, flexible, and adaptive form of inquiry-based learning.
• Creativity Crafting: Creativity crafting does not involve the use of questions. In creative crafting, students collect and organize relevant information on topics that pique their interests. They also have the freedom to approach the learning process and present their learning in ways they see fit.
• Project Sharing: In project sharing, the teaching role extends to those students who can help other students learn by sharing their perspectives, opinions, and/or findings. This can be achieved by allowing the students to engage in group projects or presentations. This technique has the added advantage of improving student relations.

Advantages of Inquiry-Based Learning 

• Student Involvement: Students in an IBL environment are more involved in the learning process compared to traditional approaches to learning. Students understand the importance of their opinions and curiosity in how the learning process proceeds. Not only are they able to make crucial decisions on what they learn, but they also feel more confident in an environment that encourages them to voice their opinions.
• Authentic motivation: IBL is wholly based on questions. This prompts students to ask questions that steer the direction of the learning process. It translates to them learning what they want to learn or care about, creating an authentic motivation to learn.
• Inclusivity: All students have doubts, and all students get an opportunity to voice their questions and find relevant resources that will help them meet their learning goals.

Role of 3D Modeling in Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is a hands-on approach to learning that allows students to explore a topic and come to their own conclusions. 3D modeling can be a powerful tool for inquiry-based learning, as it allows students to create visual representations of their ideas. By manipulating 3D models, students can experiment with different concepts and see the results of their changes in real-time. This can help them to better understand complex ideas and make more informed decisions. Additionally, 3D models can be shared with classmates and teachers, providing a “virtual sandbox” in which students can collaborate on projects. With its ability to engage learners and promote collaboration, 3D modeling is an ideal tool for inquiry-based learning. 

The great challenge in inquiry-based learning is usually choosing the right tools to support this type of learning. SelfCAD is a 3D modeling software that is designed also for inquiry-based learning. With SelfCAD, students can explore 3D concepts in a hands-on way, testing out their ideas and iterating on their designs. And because the software is easy to use, students can start creating and experimenting right away. In addition, SelfCAD offers a wide range of instructional resources, including interactive tutorials that makes it easier to learn the software with ease. With SelfCAD, you can be confident that your students are getting the best possible support for their inquiry-based learning.

Conclusion

This article discussed in detail all the important aspects related to inquiry-based learning. Inquiry-based learning is an inclusive approach to the learning process that banks on the curiosity and inquisitive nature of students to define and steer the learning process. 3D Design and printing have manifold applications in inclusive, student-centered learning methods that encourage students to be creative. The creation of virtual or physical 3D models offers better insights into concepts. This allows students to find more concrete answers to their questions in Inquiry-based learning. With SelfCAD, a free 3D design application, the entire process is simplified. A set of user-friendly, intuitive tools along with interactive tutorials help you learn 3D design from scratch.

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