Benefits of Inquiry-based Learning for College Students
BY KATHLEEN BROWN
Along with problem-based learning, inquiry-based learning introduces a new paradigm into the world of educational theory. Instead of perceiving students to be the recipients of knowledge in its complete form, it concentrates on them as on those who move the process of learning forward. Instead of making students listen to what teachers have to say, it prioritizes their questions and ideas, completely changing the traditional student-teacher dynamic. Students don’t take what they hear from teachers for granted. They use their own creative problem solving to reach a conclusion, which they have to defend using their own arguments.
But what are the specific benefits and advantages of inquiry-based learning for students? Let’s find out.
1. It improves material retention
While inquiry-based learning is sometimes perceived as a harmful departure from the curriculum, it doesn’t have to be so. On the contrary – when the teacher knows what he is doing he will always be able to keep students close to the curriculum and encourage them to ask questions related to the material they are supposed to be studying. As for retention, inquiry-based learning is based on curiosity, and curiosity is known to activate the hippocampus – the area of the brain responsible for memory formation. In other words, the very fact that students feel interested in what they study makes them more likely to remember the material.
2. It promotes initiative
The traditional approach to education emphasizes the passivity of students – they don’t take an active part in their own learning, they just wait for the right information to be given to them. Their success in learning the material is evaluated by how well they manage to repeat what they’ve heard.
Contrary to this approach, inquiry-based learning forces one to look for an answer independently, promoting initiative and self-direction. The student is more likely to make a well-informed decision concerning each part of work he does – for example, whether to hire an essay writing service to receive help from when dealing with a particularly obnoxious task or not.
3. It improves understanding of the subject
When students come to the answer to a question on their own, through their own effort and inquiry, they achieve a better and deeper understanding of what they’ve been studying. In a sense, they take ownership of their learning, they feel more accomplished and proud of their achievement than in the case of merely receiving the answers from their teacher. It eliminates the possibility of a student simply taking the results received from the teacher for granted – he never follows the process he doesn’t fully grasp simply because he won’t achieve the result unless he fully understands every part of the process preceding it.
4. It makes learning more rewarding
Inquiry-based learning creates an association between learning and achievement. Achieving an answer on one’s own is much more pleasant and rewarding than receiving a ready-made solution from somebody else. In the long run, inquiry-based learning helps creating a specific mindset that sees the reward in the act of learning and accomplishment itself, not in receiving praise and acknowledgment from teachers and parents.
5. It helps utilize each student’s unique learning style
Traditional instruction is a one-size-fits-all affair, or at least it attempts to be one. It doesn’t take into account the differences between students. Inquiry-based learning, on the contrary, allows students to study on their own terms, using their own strengths. They can work on their own or in groups, discussing or doing research, using content types they are most comfortable with.
All in all, when it comes to students, inquiry-based learning is a significant step forward when compared to the typical approach to education.
Kathleen is a passionate entrepreneur and enjoys writing articles, overviews, and analyses about everything going on in the industry with a single goal of sharing her expertise with students. If you would like to get in touch with Kathleen, follow her @KathleenBrownn or email her at kathleen.brownnn@gmail
