Table 2 Teachers’ views of inquiry-based learning

Complex views of inquiry

Epistemic aspects

Inquiry-based learning is a process that encourages critical thinking. The learner controls the learning process, comes up with questions and hypotheses and examines their accuracy through learning the content… The student only develops an understanding of concepts that were already investigated, and does not necessarily develop new knowledge

Procedural aspects

Inquiry-based learning is consistent: defining a goal, hypothesis, procedure, results presented in tables or graphs, conclusions, control and repetitions

Inquiry is asking questions, designing the investigation, presenting the results, in diagrams, for example, and offering recommendations. It is lots of things…

The basis for every inquiry is a certain question, and the goal is to find an answer. You can use qualitative tools, or quantitative and experimental to find the answer

Superficial views

Partial procedural views

Collecting information from various resources. The teacher will explain the collected information

Inquiry-based learning is meaningful to the student: asking questions and trying to answer them by using information resources

Every student-centered learning

When students are engaged in inquiry, they are independent learners, and they have high motivation to learn

We get a more independent learner who investigates. We don’t really teach her, but rather support her in every stage…

Meaningless answers

Inquiry-based learning, is a curriculum that integrates inquiry, and uses inquiry to teach scientific concepts

Inquiry-based learning is to inquire about a phenomenon