How K-12 Teachers Define Inquiry-Based Learning: A Delphi Study

Abstract

K-12 educators are increasingly implementing inquiry-based learning as a way to foster problem-solving within their learning contexts. However, the literature identifies that teachers adapt inquiry-based learning on a number of contextual characteristics. This is important because if teachers diverge from its theoretical foundation, one might question the degree to which the learners might benefit from inquiry-based learning. It is thus important to address this issue for administrators and policymakers who wish to adopt this instructional strategy and provide the requisite support for teachers (e.g-professional development; resources). To address this gap, this study employed a Delphi study to determine the shared consensus among K-12 teachers (N=15) on different aspects of inquiry-based learning. The initial consensus focused on items related to the class time teacher-student: collaboration, student inquiry, and teacher facilitation. However, teachers did not reach consensus on challenges related to case design, case complexity, and debriefing/reflection strategies. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.