Inquiry Based Learning
What is it?
The importance for such an environment to exist was also emphasized by the Ministry of Education of Ontario in their publication in 2013, stating that such learning environments can support the student “to become thoughtful, motivated, collaborative and innovative learners capable of engaging in their own inquiries and thriving in a world of constant change.” (Learning, 2015)
Inquiry-based learning can also be known as learners centred learning, where the teaching and learning is based around the learner’s questions, responses and ideas. Educators in these settings presents open-ended questions or problems at the start, to engage the students and have them respond to the questions as they see fit.
In such learning environment, there are no set right or wrong answers, and students feel less pressure to get the one correct answer. As Stewart pointed out in their article, “Maker Movement Reinvents Education”, “A childhood of creative play led to their development of deep-seated interests and curiosities”, and as they grow older such interests become the intrinsic motivation that help them achieve more career and life goals. (Steward, 2014) If the learners can be involved in the planning of their own learning and not just take part in but also have a say in their learning, it can stay with them much longer than traditional teaching methods of educators regurgitating information and knowledge to them to memorize.