Developments in inquiry learning

Abstract

This chapter presents the current state of the art on technologically supported inquiry learning. The learning processes involved in inquiry learning are briefly presented, as well as an outline of typical inquiry learning environments as consisting of a mission, a source of inquiry and tools for expressing knowledge along with cognitive scaffolds for supporting the inquiry process. The second part of the chapter discusses future technological developments and their consequences. The main foreseeable developments are architectures for component-based development as well as the use of ontologies and repositories of emerging learning objects that are products of learners' inquiry processes. © 2009 Springer Netherlands.