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There's plenty of merit in various teaching techniques, but one proven approach to encourage students to get more involved in the education process is with inquiry-based learning. This method enables curious minds to follow their interests and take an active role in shaping the path of their studies. This is a departure from traditional learning models, but the advantages can be bountiful for students and teachers alike. Read on to learn more about inquiry-based learning and how it can help make the pursuit of knowledge a more enjoyable and effective process for your child.
Inquiry-based learning is a teaching method where students are given the opportunity to take a hands-on role in their education and explore the topics that are naturally interesting to them. Students learn to conduct research and ask questions to solve problems and gain a deeper understanding of the information.
There are four common forms of inquiry-based learning:
Traditional teaching is often a top-down exercise, with the lead educator controlling how and when information is distributed. Inquiry-based learning flips this dynamic to center the education process around each student's academic passion. Instead of memorizing facts to get a good grade on a test, kids get to experiment and find answers to problems on their own. This flexible approach to learning gives students more responsibility to personalize their studies to find a way of working that makes sense for them.
One of the best things about inquiry-based learning is the way that it fosters a student's ability to use their own intuition to develop their own critical thinking skills to solve problems. The greater level of independence enabled by this learning style allows children to explore topics that inspire them and form a deeper relationship with the material so they can come up with more creative solutions.
Inquiry-based learning can also be a way for kids to become more confident in their problem-solving abilities. Actively participating in their educational journey gives them a level of ownership over the learning process that helps each student recognize their gifts and build pride in their results. The confidence gained from inquiry-based learning can help kids improve their communication skills and better adapt to different situations in the future.
The most common examples of inquiry-based learning are science experiments. Teachers can present a basic scenario, like building a bridge or what happens when certain materials interact with each other, and let students attempt to figure it out themselves. Students can ask questions and work together to help the group learn and analyze results.
Inquiry-based learning is also beneficial in classes where the conclusions are more up to interpretation. In art or writing classes, students can explore the works of a certain artist or style and the cultural context behind it before talking with their classmates about what they feel when they interact with the art. Students can also take part in hands-on activities to make or perform their art with other kids.
At the Miami Children's Museum, inquiry-based learning is at the heart of what we do. We guide our students to engage in learning by following their curiosities to ask sharper questions and discover better answers. We combine modern ideas, reliable methods, and visitor feedback to support kids learn at their own pace and develop the cognitive and social skills they need to succeed. We offer classes for elementary-age children and a licensed preschool program inspired High Scope Curriculum and the Reggio Emilia Philosophy.
In addition to these programs, we also present a number of exhibits about various topics that align with our current curriculum. You can plan your visit and buy an advance ticket here or become a member so you and your family can enjoy the museum for a year. If you simply believe in our mission and want to support our work, you can make a donation to the Miami Children's Museum to help us accomplish our goals.
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