Inquiry-Based Teaching Methodology

 

Inquiry-Based Teaching Methodology

Inquiry, a fundamental process for the scientific process, is also an action that anyone can perform. In education it could even function as learning and teaching methodology.

Inquiry is a teaching strategy in which a space is provided for students to build their own knowledge based on their previous training in various topics. Being a foundation of science, it works especially in teaching hard sciences like math, physics, and chemistry.

Inquiry as an educational method:

The pedagogical approach in inquiry is based on the natural and progressive way of understanding and assimilating any scientific knowledge, which is, through the formulation of questions, posing of problems, and execution of a research methodology, analysis of results, obtaining of conclusions and opening of spaces for discussion.

Many of these actions are carried out by students and anyone, on a day-to-day basis automatically; however, if these processes are streamlined and implemented as a teaching and learning methodology, it provides students with a new method to adequately approach the achievement of objectives and strengthen the development of skills such as critical thinking.

Ways to implement inquiry as an educational methodology:

There is no single way to carry out inquiries; therefore, depending on the educational level and complexity of the tasks, inquiry must be implemented in different ways.

There are four ways or levels to use correct inquiry as a teaching and learning method.

1.      Confirmatory inquiry: Based on the affirmation, and verification of laws and theories. The teacher explains a specific task to be done. Through the activities, students find an explanation for a theory or they can refute it.

2.      Structured inquiry: The teacher acts as a facilitator of information for the development of the activities. Using questions or providing guidance, lead students through the investigation so that they themselves come to formulate the theory being taught.

3.      Guided inquiry: The role of the teacher changes, and instead of establishing the questions to be solved, he cooperates in posing the problems to be solved to provide advice on the procedures to be carried out, although he does not dictate them.

4.      Open inquiry: It is the closest thing to a real scientific investigation. Students should be able to pose their own research questions and define the inquiry steps to obtain the answers.

Characteristics of inquiry learning in students:

It promotes a space where they achieve objectives through which they build their knowledge and develop skills.

It encourages active experience through the learning-by-doing method.

The teacher guides them through questions that allow them to confront previous knowledge with the experience of the activity to be carried out, provoking analysis and reflection.

Encourage teamwork and guided discussion throughout the job.

Inquiry is a teaching strategy in which a space is provided for students to build their own knowledge based on their previous training in various topics. Being a foundation of science, it works especially in teaching hard sciences like math, physics, and chemistry.

Likewise, having experimentation as a key element, educational tools and materials are required, due to the demands of educational technology; for example, robotics can be highly effective in understanding engineering and physical phenomena, and in introducing students to the world of programming, one of the foundational skills for the future.