Inquiry-based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is aimed at helping students learn how to learn. The main approaches of Inquiry-based learning are critical thinking and social learning. Educators and Information Specialists should pay as much attention to how students feel as they go through the process of searching as much as they pay attention to the content.

In a research project, students will go through various stages of emotions. Carol Kuhlthau in her book “Guided Inquiry: Learning in the 21^st Century” calls these stages “Zones of Intervention”. They would feel uncertain as they begin to choose a topic, a bit more optimistic as they make their choice. Frustration will follow when they get overwhelmed with the information they gather and which direction they should take their search. A sense of relief would arise next as they begin to formulate and execute the project and finally a sense of satisfaction or disappointment toward the outcome.

Understanding these stages give teachers and Media Specialists the opportunity to intervene when frustration threatens to derail students and throw them into plagiarism.

Inquiry circles which consist of small groups of students talking about a specific topic are one of the tools of Inquiry-based learning. Students are able to use authentic language and they are constantly reading, writing and speaking throughout the process of information searching.