Inquiry-Based Learning in the Elementary and Middle School Setting

There are many instructional strategies available to educators for use in the classroom. With this variety of strategies, there is a responsibility for educators to ensure the strategies selected for use have a positive impact on student learning. One such instructional strategy used in classrooms around the world is inquiry-based learning. This strategy allows students to create their own understanding of content while teachers act as facilitators. Research about inquiry-based learning in the elementary and middle school setting indicates it has a positive impact on student learning. These positive influences on learning include greater academic achievement in multiple content areas and increased learning behaviors, such as engagement, motivation, and flow. The strategy has also been shown to help students develop necessary thinking skills, including science processing skills and critical thinking. Administrators and classroom teachers can benefit from the addition of inquiry-based learning into school practices as it is suited for a range of grade levels and content areas