Target 4: Inquiry-driven Learning

Inquiry-based learning is an approach that involves starting with a question, problem, or scenario and then allowing learners to investigate and find an answer. It's about teaching problem-solving skills rather than distributing knowledge.

An easy-to-understand and simplified example of an inquiry-based approach could be a teacher starting a unit or lesson by asking, "How can you discover the area of a triangle?" versus a teacher telling students the equation for determining the area of a triangle and offering practice problems. Facilitated by a teacher, a student may use a variety of tools and resources to research and experiment with different methods of solving the problem, uncovering patterns that eventually lead them to the correct formula.

This is a required strategy within the International Baccalaureate framework. There are four recognized levels of inquiry-based learning, which range from highly structured to entirely student-driven. As a student progresses through these levels, they gain more independence.

So let's take a look at what this means for each stakeholder within the school community:

	For students, this means researching, exploring, and experimenting to develop deeper understanding of a subject or concept with increasing levels of independence. They are engaged in their own active learning.
	For teachers, this approach means functioning as a facilitator rather than providing answers. Teachers may not be at the front of a class lecturing, but instead they will pose a question to the class then teach strategies and provide tools to solve a problem.
	An inquiry-based approach also allows parents to support their child(ren)'s learning. Parents do not need to have knowledge about a specific subject or topic, but rather be prepared to ask the right questions to support their child's exploration or investigation of an issue. Questions may include: What tools might you need to find this answer? Where could you go or who could you interview to learn more about this topic? Are there any similar examples you could learn from to help you solve this problem?