Inquiry Approach

What is the Inquiry Approach?
Inquiry Approach, sometimes termed
“discovery”, “heuristic”, and “problem-solving” is
defined as a simply a teaching method which is
“modeled after the investigative processes of
scientists”. It puts premium on obtaining
information through direct experience.

1. Define the topic or introduce the questions.
- Introduce and discuss the topic briefly. Making a
concept web and topic may help.
- Be sure it is linked to familiar experiences of the
students.
- Ensure that the topic is one that can be investigated
through a variety experiences.
- Teacher/students propose questions about the topic (if
teacher did not pose a question) the answer of which the
students will look for.
The steps in the Inquiry Approach

2. Guide students plan where and how to gather data,
information. They may research on the topic/question by
viewing, constructing, reading, designing and experiment,
recording observations and interviewing experts.
3. Students present findings through graph, charts,
powerpoint presentation, models, and writing.

The following are commonly observed characteristics of the
discovery/inquiry approach:
Instructional Characteristics
1. Investigative processes such as inferring,
hypothesizing, measuring, predicting, classifying,
analyzing and experimenting formulating conclusions
and generalizations are employed.

2. The procedure in gathering information is not
prescribed by the teachers. The students are treated as
independent learners. They formulate their own
hypothesis and suggest ways of testing them.
3. The children are highly motivated to search, hence
active participation is the best indicator of
inquisitiveness.

5. Focused questions before, during and after are critical
ingredients that provide direction and sustain action.
4. The answer arrived at are genuine products of their
own efforts. Then they experience the “thrill of discovery”
which is oftentimes missed in passive reception of
information from their teachers. This learning outcome is
the best reward and guarantee of lasting impact on the
young.

Outcomes of Inquiry Teaching
1. Its emphasis is on the process of gathering and
processing of information. Teachers must keep in mind
that their act of facilitating satisfies innate curiosity which
can serve as the initial step towards a more consistent
employment of the basic inquiry methods of gathering.

2. Its dependence on first-hand experience with objects
and phenomena occurring in the environment is certainly
in agreement with the most often cited theory of Piaget
on intellectual development. At the concrete examining
real objects. Hence, instructional materials must be
carefully selected and planned for a meaningful quest
and not a hit-or-miss routine.

3. The inquiry approach which predominantly allows
some degree of freedom develops initiative and
divergent thinking. Learners resent being restricted both
in movement and in forming their own ideas. They love
to try their own ways of doing things. This approach
affords them a good chance to pursue their own
learnings methodologies and in the long run build on
their own learning styles.

4. A deep sense of responsibility is developed when
learners are left to manage their own learning, be it in
pursuit of answer, mastery of content or simply solving a
problem that confronts them instantly. Experience
gained from independent inquiry make them realize the
benefits derived from self-managed learning.

5. Educators strongly believe that factors and concepts
that learners discover by themselves become stored as
part of their permanent learning. Such facts are
organized and associated with big generalizations or
prevailing ideas and so their immediate recall is easily
guided when the need for such information arises. This
easy retrieval of past learning is different from
memorized bits of subject matter in that they spend their
time and effort to learn the former and, more important,
it is their own. It is more likely to be remembered for a
long time.

6. Experiencing success in inquiry-based/discovery
lessons builds up the learners feeling of confidence. As a
result, learners would want to do more and to discover
more. This is the kind of drive needed to keep the wheel
of the learning process turning. This kind of push is
inner-directed.

7. Participation in inquiry activities strengthens learners
intellectual capabilities. They who learn how to
investigate and discover new information would
definitely be in a better position reason, either by
deduction, conducting similar investigations or by
extending inquires to all possible resources, compared to
those who miss the chance of even attempting to learn
things by themselves, through no fault of their own but
due to the teachers insistence on more passive and rote
learning styles.

How to Facilitate Inquiry Teaching
1. Arrange for an ideal room setting. After planning the
learning activity for the day, structure the room in such a
way that will allow freedom of movement. Chairs lined in
a semi-circular manner is conducive to clear viewing and
easy transfer around the area.
2. Choose tools and equipment that can easily be
manipulated.

3. The materials to be used or examined must lend
themselves easily to the processes to be employed and
the end product desired.
4. The questions/problems to be answered should
originate from learners, followed by the formulation of
hypothesis.

5. The procedure should likewise be planned by them.
They may be given a choice of a variety of data gathering
measures such as actual observations, setting up
experiments, taking a field trip or collecting specimens
and not a monopoly of the usual rigid indoor tryouts and
cook book procedure.
6. At the completion of the activity, require an evaluation
of the step undertaken as to its effectiveness and the
clarity of the result. A feeling of confidence is enhanced
from the realization of

the days accomplishments. The evaluation record can
serve as feedback for the future investigations.
7. Above all, the teacher should internalize his/her
changed role to that of a guide, facilitator and counselor
rather than the traditional authority who not only
determines the material to be learned but also dictates
how it should be learned.

The core of inquiry is a spontaneous and a self-
directed exploration. Textbook-dictated procedures
do not allow an active probe into the unknown.
Curiosity, special interests and instant queries among
the young demand immediate answer. Only instant
and direct search for evidence would suffice even
momentarily, otherwise frustrations and passivity
come in.

Problem Solving
Method

Problem solving is a teaching strategy that employs
the scientific method in searching for information.
The five basic steps of the scientific method or
investigatory process are:
1. Sensing and defining the problem
2. Formulating hypothesis

3. Testing the likely hypothesis (by observing,
conducting an experiment, collecting and
organizing data through normative survey)
4. Analysis, interpretation and evaluation of
evidence.
5. Formulating conclusion

Advantage
1. This method is most effective in developing skill in
employing the science processes.
2. The scientific method can likewise be used effectively
in other non-science subjects. It is a general procedure in
finding solutions to daily occurrences that urgently need
to be addressed.

3. The students active involvement resulting in
meaningful experience serves as a strong motivation to
follow the scientific procedure in future undertakings.
4. Problem solving develops higher level thinking skills.
5. A keep sense of responsibility, originally and
resourcefulness are develop, which are much-needed
ingredients for independent study.

6. The students becomes appreciative and grateful for
the achievement of scientist.
7. Critical thinking, open-mindedness and wise judgment
are among scientific attitudes and values inculcated
through competence in the scientific method.
8. The students learn to accept the opinions and
evidence shared by others.

Guidelines for Its Effective Use
1. Provide sufficient training in defining and stating the
problem in a clear and concise manner.
2. Make sure that the problem to be solved fits the age,
interest and skills of the students.
3. Group the students and allow each one to share in the
task to be performed. In this way the cooperative
learning strategy would work well.

4. Guide them at every step by asking leading questions
in case of snags. Encourage suggestions of alternative
processes or solutions, if necessary.
5. Get ready with situations for materials which may not
be available. This strategy needs a wide variety of
materials and resources.
6. The emphasis is on the procedure and the processes
employed rather than on the products.

7. The development of skills and attitudes takes priority
over knowledge.
8. Involve the students in determining the criteria with
which they will be evaluated.

Write C if it is Cooperative Approach or I if it is Inquiry
Approach and P for Problem Solving Method.
___1. Students present findings through graph, charts, power
point presentation, models, and writing.
___2.
___3.
___4. This method is most effective in developing skill in
employing the science processes.
___5. The questions/problems to be answered should originate
from learners, followed by the formulation of hypothesis.