Inquiry Based Learning: Effects on Student Learning

As educational theories continue to grow, change, and resurface, inquiry based learning (IBL) is a student centered approach that is known to have benefits and consequences. As Walker (2006) describes it, IBL provides students empowerment. This strategy focuses on students beginning to ask questions, work as teams, and problem solve on their own, as opposed to memorizing the information. During student teaching, a researcher attempted to seek out the effects of IBL on students’ learning. After implementing various types of lessons and activities, it is discovered that the students are not used to this style of learning in mathematics and are hesitant at first. Some students are still reluctant to this teaching style, and prefer lectures and a more teacher–centered teaching pedagogy, but a majority of students prefer to learn in a more student-centered classroom in which they are given the opportunity to work together to understand the mathematics at a conceptual level.