What is Inquiry-Based Learning?
Tired of memorizing your lecture notes? It’s pretty dull, right? How about starting your exam prep with questions instead of answers?
With inquiry-based learning, you dive deeper into your course material and discover connections you didn’t see before. Find out how questions can transform your learning experience.
In this video, I’ll show you the 3 principles behind the “inquiry-based learning” approach, how you can become more active in your learning process, and why it leads to better exam results.
The Principles of Inquiry-Based Learning
In university, your professor typically spoon-feeds you information during lectures, or you read summaries in books or your notes. That means you’re quite passive when taking in information.
You can change that with inquiry-based learning.
Inquiry-based learning is a method where you actively ask questions and independently seek answers to understand a topic.
Instead of just memorizing facts, you can be curious and think critically. You discover knowledge and connections based on the questions YOU ask, not the other way around. In short, it’s about letting your curiosity run wild.
Inquiry-based learning is based on three principles: self-directed learning, critical thinking, and the role of questions.
Self-directed learning means you take control of your learning process.
Your critical thinking is fostered as you learn to question and verify information.
And questions are your tool and starting point to discover and understand new things.
Differences from Traditional Learning Approaches
Like most other students, do you learn with flashcards? Or maybe you use practice questions and past exams?
The result is that you become very good at answering those flashcards or practice questions. But it’s unlikely that these things will be tested exactly as is in the exam.
And when a question comes up that wasn’t on your flashcards or practice questions, you struggle.
The challenge with unexpected exam questions is that they’re new and unfamiliar – you’ve never seen this kind of question before. Even if your practice questions are similar, these new questions require you to think differently to achieve the best grade.
These questions are fundamentally about identifying who really understands the material.
It’s about the ability to grasp multiple concepts simultaneously and discover connections that perhaps weren’t directly taught in the lecture. This deep understanding comes from connecting knowledge.
#1 Interleaving
And this is what you practice through inquiry-based learning. It’s all about the process:
How do things connect? Why are certain facts the way they are? So, it’s about the “why” behind the facts. Instead of just memorizing information, you try to connect topics. This aligns with the Interleaving Method.
With interleaving, you switch between different topics while learning, instead of focusing on a single topic through block learning.
Studies* show that interleaving is especially effective for problem-solving. It also promotes better long-term memory and enhances your ability to flexibly apply what you’ve learned to new situations. This is exactly what you need to tackle unexpected exam questions and get the best grade.
*Taylor, K.; Rohrer, D. The effects of interleaved practice. Appl. Cogn. Psychol. 2010,24, 837–848.
#2 Getting Practical with Inquiry-Based Learning
It’s all about recognizing connections and understanding that concepts, facts, and details only show their true meaning in comparison to others.
Let’s take an example:
In economics, a single price doesn’t tell us much without considering supply and demand. The balance between these forces helps us understand market dynamics and predict trends.
In literature, an isolated character description doesn’t mean much without understanding their relationships with other characters. The connections and conflicts between characters give stories depth and meaning, making literature richer and more engaging.
Understanding relationships gives learning its relevance. Since people tend to remember meaningful things better, these connections help us understand and retain complex topics.
Let’s consider a analogy in music:
In a song, a single note might seem insignificant without the surrounding melody. The way each note harmonizes with the others creates a beautiful tune, which gives the song its character and emotion. The context of each note within the melody and rhythm makes the music coherent and enjoyable.
Suddenly, all the pieces fit together. Instead of hearing isolated notes, you understand how they fit into the larger composition, which gives everything more meaning and solidifies and deepens your knowledge.
3# Fostering Curiosity
I’ve already mentioned several times how important curiosity is. With some topics, it’s easy to spark a natural curiosity.
Out of genuine interest, more and more questions about the topic come to mind, and you automatically delve deeper into the subject matter. But what if you struggle with certain topics? (Which, by the way, is completely normal.)
In this case, you could rely on pre-made questions to better understand connections and their importance.
Questions like “Why is this concept important?” and “How is this related to other concepts?” help you dive deeper into the topic. Once you have the answer to one question, move on.
What new questions come up now?
It’s best to write down the answers so you can revisit your thought process later.
Linear notes (writing from left to right, top to bottom) aren’t ideal because your thought processes aren’t linear. So, it’s best to start in the middle of the page and observe how your thoughts develop.
You can also go a step further and visualize connections using mind maps.
3 Benefits of Inquiry-Based Learning
If you’re still not convinced, I’ve got three benefits of this method to motivate you to give it a try.
- Boost for Your Brain: Inquiry-based learning trains your brain to analyze complex problems and find creative solutions. You need this not only in your studies but also in the “real” world at work. The earlier you adopt the perspective of inquiry-based learning, the better.
- Bye-bye, Boredom! By pursuing your own questions, you incorporate your interests and identity into the learning process. When you follow a topic with curiosity, it becomes relevant to you. That’s why you can’t remember your neighbor’s license plate but can quote several episodes of “Friends.” You followed “Friends” with curiosity, so it was relevant to you – while your neighbor’s license plate isn’t connected to you, so it’s pretty irrelevant.
- Fit for the Future: The world needs people who can solve problems, and inquiry-based learning prepares you for that. It teaches you to ask questions, recognize challenges, and find creative solutions. And the best part? It makes you a lifelong learner, always open to new knowledge and experiences. In a world where the ability to adapt, think critically, and continuously learn is priceless.