lnquiry-based Learning: A New Approach to Classroom Learning

NORIAHISMAIL1
SUHAIDI Ni,Iq.S @ AT,TAS2 INTAN SAFINAS MOHD ARIFF AI,SIXNT3

Abstract:

This paper discusses the fundamental elements of inquirybased learning. Inquiry is a multifaceted activity that guides learners

to inquire or generate meaningful questions that lead to relevant answers. In inquiry iearning learners are shown how knowledge is generated and transmitted and how they can acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to become life-long learners. The inquiry model discussed in the paper gives a clear picture of the roles of both the
educator as well as the learners in the context ofinquiry-based learning classrooms. The paper also discusses inquiry-based classroom activities

that emphasize the application of the latest educational technologies

such as the Internet.

Keywords: inquiry, constructivism, questioning

INTRODUCTION

In this new millennium many educators are overwhelmed by the

repertoire ofclassroom methodologies and techniques available. In the search of the best method they need to carefully examine the need of the students to truly grasp the necessary skills to acquire knowledge. In order to achieve this, the roles ofeducators must constantly evolve to meet the needs of learners today.
1&2Lecturer, Academy of Language Studies, UiTM, Johore Campus. Lecturer, English Language Department, Faculty of Languages, l) l'Sl.

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Irrorn the traditional role of teacher as director, other more effective such as the collaborator or facilitator are sought after by educators

which are more relevant to this new millennium that strives for better curriculum reform. Thus, educators have begun to look at goals, characteristics and outcomes of the inquiry-based learning method that
is able to provide the possible better alternative. Although inquiry-based learning method has only been introduced recently, it has become one of the most popular learning methods in the developed countries such as USA and Canada. In Malaysia, it is yet to be introduced. However, some related classroom methodologies, such as problem-based Iearning method, has been practiced. According to Exline (2004:31), "Inquiry" is defined as a quest "for truth, information, or knowledge... seeking information by questioning". Individuals go through a process of inquiry from birth until they die. Babies begin to make sense of their surrounding through their curious observations. The process of inquiry begins with "...constructing and

f'rom several disciplines particularly education, library research and information studies. For instance, from the education field comes the knowledge that:

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Iearners'cognitive development varies depending on their previous experiences. Therefore, they differ in the level of knowledge complexities that they can handle. learners are actively constructing their knowledge from their experiences and through social interactions.
From library and information studies come the knowledge that:

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learners will be able to obtain knowledge more successfully if they have a better understanding of the information system and how to go about seeking the related sources. learners'understanding will progress from general to specific.

gathering information and data through applying the human senses" (Exline, 2004:37). The fundamental concept in inquiry-based learning relates to a process ofpersonal discovery by the learners. The learners or the student inquirers are guided to inquire or generate relevant questions and to come up with the appropriate answers through critical thinking. In inquiry learning, learners are also shown how knowledge is generated, how it is transmitted, and how all parties including experts, teachers, parents and society contribute to a learners'knowledge. Inquiry learning teaches the learners to respect one's own interest and the interest of others (Donham, 2001).

Constructivist Learning Theory

The fundamental approach to inquiry learning is based on the constructivist learning theory. Constructivist learning strategies capitalize on learning through inquiry and problem solving via critical and creative thinking. According to Asselin et al., (2003) student inquirers are encouraged to explore new ideas and understandings through personal discoveries and explorations as well as through interactions with objects and with other people. Learning is enhanced through the inquirers'opportunities to engage in real life activities, situations and with real audiences. From the theory, teachers generate the facts that students:

FOUNDATIONS OF INQUIRY.BASED LEARNING

a. b. c. d.

In order to provide sound and meaningful learning experiences in an inquiry-based classrooms teacher must first equip themselves with a sound knowledge ofthe method. Teachers need to grasp the roots and the essence of the methodology from the respective disciplines and
Iearning theories form which have sprouted inquiry-based teaching and Iearning.

can actively build their knowledge and understanding through their inquiries and information-seeking nature. develop their cognition as well as meta cognition as they absorb the

information.
experience changes in their affective and cognitive domains as they progress. need time to reflect on their new-found knowledge and process the

information.

The Disciplines
The inquiry model to be highlighted in this paper is the one presented in the Alberta Learning Guide (Alberta learning, 2004).It forms its basis

A Context for Inquiry

It is unfortunate that the traditional education system

has reversed and inhibited the natural process of inquiry. In traditional schools

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sttrdcnts are not encouraged to ask many questions. Instead, they are oxpected to listen and memorize tlne drilled contents. This has resulted in the inability of students to develop their thinking ability (Koechlin antdZwaan,2001). In today's world, it is not enough for one to acquire facts and information because facts change. Also, there is a vast amount of information to be handled. What is important is an understanding of how to obtain and make sense of the surplus of data. Applying the essential elements of effective inquiry will enable skilled Iearners to:

An cffective and meaningful education enables learners to grirslr

;rnrl connect the interrelated disciplines and their views that providc an clf'cctive framework for the organization of the curriculum as illustrated irr Figure 2 below.

EDUCATION PROVIDES MANY INTERRELATED WORLD VIEWS

Change

lnterrelationships
CONCEPTS ABOUT THE WORLD

Organization

a. b. c. d.

see patterns and meanings not apparent to unskilled learners have in-depth knowledge of their subject matter have their knowledge structured in order to be readily accessible, transferable and applicable in a variety ofsituations

Science

Mathematics

History

Fleligion

DATE & TNFORMATTON (DtSCtPLtNES)

acquire new information related to their content area with little effort

Observing lnferring Measuring Recording Analyzing Evaluating Sythesizing SKILLS FOR PROCESSING INFORMATION

These essential elements will enable inquirers to expand their knowledge from the unknown to the known, thus producing cumulative human knowledge as illustrated in Figure 1 below:
THE EVOLUTION OF INDIVIDUAL AND CUMULATIVE HUMAN KNOWLEDGE
LEARNING:A PROCESS FOR INDIVIDUALS FROM BIRTH TO DEATH LEARNING: A PROCESS FOR HUMAN SOCIETY THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY

Verification Respect for Data Options Appreciation Belief Faith GROUND RULES OR APPROACHES

Figure

2:

Education Provides lnterrelated World Views

Source'. Exline. J. 20004. http://www.thirteen.org/ edonline/concept2class/inquiry/credit.html

Figure 2 illustrates that inquiry-based learning is applicable to all disciplines including scientific, historic, religious, economics, artistic as well as other perspectives.
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A MODEL
An inquiry model provides a clear picture of educators' and leratncrs' role pertaining to the concept. In this model, sevcn phasos irrc involved: reflecting, planning, retrieving, proccssing, crcirt,irrg, shirring and evaluating. These phases are shown Irigurc il.
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Figure

1:

The Evolution of lndividual and Cumulative Human Knowledge

(Source'. Exline, J. 2004)

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Retrieving Phase
With the wealth of information inquirers have now acquired, they then rrccd to focus on a topic. At the pre-focus phase, learners may be unsure ol'bhe amount of resources they need to have. They may not know how Lo determine which info is irrelevant or which is related to their inquiry rrnd may get frustrated. Here is where the role of teacher-facilitator {romes in. The facilitator must guide them and provide them the correct sliills and strategies to determine relevant information.

Processing Phase
Now that the inquirers have decided on their'focus', they will be able on their specific objective and be able to come up with their Lhesis statement. However, at this stage the information may be too 'superficial'or too'in-depth'and may also be confusing and contradictory. 'l'herefore, facilitators must guide learners about how to compare, contrast
l,o decide

rrnd synthesize data

ct al., 2003). Figure

in order to obtain the right

resources (Asselin

3:

Reflecting on the Process of lnquiry-Based Learning

(Source: Alberta Learning, 2004)

Greating Phase
At this phase the inquirers have a certain amount of readiness and are irble to organize the information as well as create a written or spoken llresentation format. Nevertheless, they are quite uncertain about their product and need instructors' guidelines in producing the acceptable

REFLECTING ON THE PROCESS

The reflecting phase of inquiry learning involves the steps of planning, retrieving, processing, creating, sharing and evaluating which relate to

affective and cognitive domains of metacognition (Alberta Learning,

2OO4).

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Instructors may also encourage cooperative and collaborative lctivities among the learners whereby they can be teamed up in their creative and investigation efforts and come up with the relcvant
resources, discussions and on-line projects (Mc Gregor, 200:l).

Planning Phase At this initial phase students will experience a sense of interest in or
curiosity about a topic. Students, the inquirers, see the whole project as apuzzle that needs to be solved. Students will start by:

Sharing Phase
'l'his is the stage where inquirers will loarn to r;ommunicate and share t,heir new understandings in a variety of ways with their target audience such as through project presentations. Student inquirers will also learn to develop positive feedback and questioning techniques fbr their classmates'
presentations.

a. b. c. d.

figuring out the general questions that need to be investigated. finding the information and materials regarding the particular topic. determining the way to present the information to the target audience. suggesting the criteria pertinent to evaluation oftheir research process product (Jonassen, 2000).

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At this point, collaborative efforts will be demonstrated when the inquirers support other members' sharing by participating as audience
members. It is better to have inexperienced or novice researchers involved in small group sharing rather than having each individual student share his/laer work with the whole class as group sharing is often more successful and time-efficient (Asselin, et al., 2003).

WEBOUESTS
A good WebQuest provides the learners the opportunity to engage in an r'f'f'ective inquiry-oriented activity. A WebQuest derives most of its r'()sources

from the Internet. The learners often work cooperatively

whereby they will take on different roles related to an authentic problem.

Evaluating Phase

'l'lre students develop a product which enables them to present the potential solutions or answers to the assigned problem. An example of a WebQuest website is http://webquest.org

In order to reach successful outcomes in inquiry, the instructor must provide the inquirers with opportunities to reflect on the original
brainstorming session and examine the development of their focus. It is essential that the inquirers make use of learning tools such as rubrics and checklists to evaluate processes and their products. Inquirers are also encouraged to work collaboratively at this stage to edit each other's product. It is important to note that evaluation must not only emphasize the final product or be too summative as this may result in inquirers becoming more skillful in plagiarism (Mc Gregor, 2003)'

WebQuests and lts Relation to Questioning and lnquiries

According to Clarke (1990), a good WebQuest which incorporates (luestioning and Inquiries should include:

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activities that can encourage collaboration such as pair or group

work.

motivational elements such as giving the students a role to play (e.g. a writer, a reporter, etc.), and a scenario to work within (e.g. as a reporter you've been asked to cover a deadline regarding a tsunami)
etc.

INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING CLASSROOMS

In order to have a productive inquiry-based classroom, the learning environment in the class should be enriched with learning materials that will enhance and stimulate learners. It should also provide answels to the learners'inquiries. Therefore, it is best to equip the class with a
lot of reading materials such as books, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, newspapers related to the topic under study. It is also beneficial for the students to have access to CD - ROMs as they can be very informative as well as interesting since they are interactive and include simulations. The use of the Internet should also be encouraged as it links students to a wealth of information. Virtual online learning such as through

For instance the students are assigned to collaborate in a project work whereby they are to act like reporters and to cover an issue such as The Tsunami. The students are to contact experts on the issue through the web such as geologists, scientists and so on and need to utilize the questioning and inquiry techniques from the Inquiry method t,o synthesize their finding and later come up with a report. Through the WebQuest they can then share their info with the other group
members.

web-based activities that focus on inquiry methods should be

encouraged.

MINIQUESTS
MiniQuests are online instructional modules that promoto critical Lhinking and knowledge construction desigrred bv tho tcachers Ibr the student inquirers. MiniQuests are generally dcvelopcd by web-sawy educators in about three to four hours and arc designcd to be completed in one or two-hour class peri.ods. It is convenient and can fit easily within a curriculum sequence (Clarke, 1990). The activity usually involves authentic role scenario. For example, students are asked to be a journalist and to create newspaper columns

The Internet Innovation Inc. at Biopoint.com's online gallery for instance has many teacher-created WebQuests, MiniQuests and Project Pages. Classroom teachers have the opportunity to access over 250 different activities within a gallery of instructional activities which are organized by grade level, subject and activity type.

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CONCLUSION
,l,lrc inquiry method of learning is a valid and compelling alternative to past. In order { lrc more traditional classroom methodology utilized in the lo f'ully grasp the concept, learners must experience inquiry directly to

the inquiry-based learning guidelines.

MiniQuests and lts Relation to Questioning and lnquiries:

An example of a MiniQuests that employ the Questioning and Inquiry techniques can be an activity whereby the students are assigned to create
a newspaper column regarding a certain issue such as the youth's opinion regarding the 2006 Fifa World Cup particularly for the football fans. To write the columns the students gather the relevant information by forming the related questions and then inquiring some football fans through MiniQuests Forum and obtain their opinion regarding the issue. Later they come up with the assigned column and share it with the other students.

lirrin a deep understanding of its characteristics. Successful student irrrluirers can therefore be productive lifelong mind seekers'

REFERENCES
Asselin, M., Branch, J. and oberg, D. (eds)., 2003. Achieuing informalion literacy sc/zool library programs in Canada. O.N: Canadian Schooi slandards

Library Association. (online). Available from httr:://ednet.edc.gov.ab.calk(

for

PROJECT PAGES
A project page often contains a scenario task, resources, product and assessment (rubric) section as well as large inquiry activities (Clarke, 1990). A project page is usually used to teach longer or more difficult curricular sequences. Authors of good project pages would include and incorporate as many unique web resources (simulations, animations, primary source information, collections, graphics, etc.) to provide contents that can stimulate interesting virtual learning.

I)onham, ,1., ZOOI. The importance of a model. In Donham, J', Bishop, C'' Kulthau, c. and oberg, D. (eds). rnquiry learning: Lessons from librarypower. Worthington OH: Linworth. l,lxline, J.,2004. Concept to classroom. Inquiry'based learning (online). Available from htto://www.thirteen "|,'ocus on inquiry". Alberta learning,2004. Alberta, Canada. (online). Available
from httn://ednet.edc.gov/ab.calk-12/curriculum/bvsubiect/focusoninquirv.Pdf

12lcurriculum/by llrrrke, J. H., 1990. Patterns of t/tinking.'Inlegrating learning skills in content teaching. Needham Heights MA: Allyn and Bacon'

.lgnassen, D., 2000. Compulers as mindtools for sc/tools. Engaging critical t/zinking (2"d Edition). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall'

Kent Gardens Elementary school, 2005. Inquiry-based learning. virginia.

Project Pages and lts Relation to Questioning and lnquiries:

good project page which employs the Questioning and Inquiries technique could be one which assigned students to be engaged in the technique in order to produce the right outcome. For example, students are assigned to create a Project Page on Astronomy. The students are encouraged to include some simulations, animations or graphics that they can download from the Internet regarding the subject. In order to obtain the relevant information they have to contact the relevant people through the related websites and e-mail such as the NASA Officers and so on. Using the questioning and inquiry techniques of the Inquirv-Based Approach the students then gather the necessary information and later complete their assigned task.

(online). Available from http://www'fcps. 12.va'us/Kent t(oechtin. c. and zwaan, s., 2001. rnfo tas/ts for successful learning.'Building shills in reading, utriting and research.rJSA: Pembroke Inc'

Kulthau, c., 1998. seehing meaning: A process approac/t to library and

information seruices. Norwood, NJ: Ablex. Loertcher, D. and wools, 8., 1999. Information literacy: A reuieu of the trLseorr:h. Aguide forpractitioners and researc/zers. San Jose, CA: Hi Willow' Mc Gregor, J., 2003. collaboration and leadership. In stripling, [3. antl Ilught:s' ()'l': Librtrries S. (eds). Curriculunt corznattiotzs t/trottg/t library. Wcst,pttrt, Salovey, P. and Sluyter, D., 19!17. lfnto/lortrr/ r/t'ttt'/rt/stttr'tt/ trttr/ r'ttttt/rlon,a/ in te / / igence.. Ed ucat io na/ i Dtp / lta/ kt t t :;. Nt,w Yorl< : l l s it: l looks. schroeder, E. and zannma, E., 2001. A prolrlcrn-llrst'rl lt'rtrttittg. l)eveloping information literacy through real plrlrlt'tns. lr'ttrtrt,/t't/!i' (/rrt'.s/. il0(7):34-35. Wiggins, G. and Mc Tighe, J., 1998' L/tft/t't"';/ttttt/itt;: h.v th"';i,stt' Alcxandria, VA:
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ASCD Press.