TY - JOUR
T1 - Inquiry-based learning in higher education
T2 - Principal forms, educational objectives, and disciplinary variations
AU - Aditomo, A.
AU - Goodyear, P.
AU - Bliuc, A.-M.
AU - Ellis, R.A.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Learning through inquiry is a widely advocated pedagogical approach. However, there is currently little systematic knowledge about the practice of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in higher education. This study examined descriptions of learning tasks that were put forward as examples of IBL by 224 university teachers from various disciplines in three Australian universities. Data analysis uncovered the principal forms of IBL, the features of each form, their characteristic educational objectives, and possible disciplinary variations. The findings show that underlying the diversity of language and tasks regarded as IBL there is a limited number of distinct task forms and a broad conception of inquiry that is shared by university teachers. The findings also indicate that IBL is practiced in a wide range of disciplines, in both undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs, in smaller and larger classes, and in universities which are more and less research intensive.
AB - Learning through inquiry is a widely advocated pedagogical approach. However, there is currently little systematic knowledge about the practice of inquiry-based learning (IBL) in higher education. This study examined descriptions of learning tasks that were put forward as examples of IBL by 224 university teachers from various disciplines in three Australian universities. Data analysis uncovered the principal forms of IBL, the features of each form, their characteristic educational objectives, and possible disciplinary variations. The findings show that underlying the diversity of language and tasks regarded as IBL there is a limited number of distinct task forms and a broad conception of inquiry that is shared by university teachers. The findings also indicate that IBL is practiced in a wide range of disciplines, in both undergraduate and postgraduate coursework programs, in smaller and larger classes, and in universities which are more and less research intensive.
KW - learning through inquiry
KW - higher education
KW - teaching practice
KW - educational objectives
KW - survey
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84889028894&partnerID=MN8TOARS
U2 - 10.1080/03075079.2011.616584
DO - 10.1080/03075079.2011.616584
M3 - Article
SN - 0307-5079
VL - 38
SP - 1239
EP - 1258
JO - Studies in Higher Education
JF - Studies in Higher Education
IS - 9
ER -