Inquiry Approach – Overview
When it comes to learning, inquiry places the responsibility on the learner to feel motivated to understand the topic at hand. According to Queen’s University (n.d.), inquiry-based learning is defined as “an array of classroom practices that promote student learning through guided and, increasingly, independent investigation of complex questions and problems, often for which there is no single answer.” A key component in inquiry-based learning is the student’s ability to ask questions, identify relevant materials, determine how to use those materials to answer questions, and share progress with others (students, teacher, etc.)
Queen’s University (n.d.) identifies four elements that are central to the idea of inquiry-based learning: inquire (ask questions and discuss topic to improve base understanding), research and reflect (find relevant sources on the topic), evaluate (verify sources for accuracy and reliability), and construct (modify information into something of substance).
If a student follows up with the four elements of inquiry-based learning, they will improve their inquiry and learning skills over time. Not only will they improve their knowledge and expertise on the topic at hand, but they will also: improve their ability to ask the right questions, enhance their ability to research any given topic for relevant information, improve their ability to vett information, and improve their ability to communicate information (either through written or verbal means).
Alignment With Topic
In the context of our first assignment, Inquiry-based learning is aligned to our chosen topic, “Alzheimer’s Disease.” The reason for that is due to the structure of our Learning Design Blueprint. When we completed the assignment, we made available a variety of learning methods for prospective students. These methods exist to guide the students to a deeper understanding of the material, and include online articles, several health organizations, and multiple examinations to test learning competency on the topic. Overall, Inquiry-based learning is about asking questions, then answering those same questions, and our blueprint provides learning with the ability to do just that.
References
Inquiry-Based Learning. (n.d.). Queen’s University: Centre for Teaching and Learning. https://www.queensu.ca/ctl/resources/instructional-strategies/inquiry-based-learning
Hi Bashar!
I found it pleasing to read your post on inquiry-based learning. I think that it’s definitely important to know that the students are engaged to ask questions about the topic. Hopefully as the course progresses and the students are engaging themselves with Alzheimer’s they will begin to ask more in-depth questions and remain curious throughout the semester. Like you said, asking the right questions can improve their ability to deepen their understanding of this complex disease and can retain the information much more if they remain interested.
Looking forward to your next blog post!
Thank you for sharing your investigation into the Inquiry Approach of instruction. It seems that the process of inquiry as you outline it encourages students to learn deeply whatever their interests may be and share what they learn with others. Since you have chosen the topic of your Learning Design Blueprint and provided resources and structured tests, would you say that your alignment is with early-stage inquiry-based learning? It is an intriguing approach to teaching and bound to motivate students to follow their curiosity to learn more! https://learntech.opened.ca/response-inquiry-approach/
Our Learning Design Blueprint is a rudimentary learning module about Alzheimer’s Disease. This makes the module a good early-stage inquiry-based-learning opportunity for anyone interested (hopefully our classmates).
This explanation of inquiry-based learning effectively highlights its student-centered approach. The emphasis on asking questions, researching, evaluating sources, and constructing knowledge aligns well with real-world problem-solving—something I frequently encounter in software engineering. The process of inquiry mirrors debugging or troubleshooting in coding, where asking the right questions and verifying sources (documentation, forums, etc.) is key to finding solutions. It’s great to see how this method fosters independent thinking and deeper engagement with learning.