Inquiry-based Learning (IBL) is a student-centered approach that involves formulating questions and constructing resolutions to those questions through experience, discussion, and reflection. IBL offers a rigorous approach to “learning by doing” that builds students’ self-efficacy through active collaboration and substantive academic discourse. At its core, IBL is more than just asking students compelling questions; it is about engaging students with content in a stimulating way. By piquing students’ curiosity, IBL embodies a growth mindset that pushes boundaries through shared responsibility, active collaboration, and reflective practice.
Through professional learning and coaching, RTI develops and support adept IBL teachers who consistently discover new ways to think about their content areas, trigger student enthusiasm, encourage student-driven inquiry, facilitate ancillary skill development, and foster conceptual expertise.
IBL can take many forms, including project-based, model-based, issues-based, design-based, challenge-based, and problem-based learning. Encompassing all approaches, RTI’s IBL Instructional Framework, used to guide the student learning process, is described in the figure below:
Project Examples
RTI partners with innovative schools, districts, states, and organizations to address education challenges. Here we highlight two of those partnerships.
Inquiry Based Learning Experts
Our Education Services team is led by former teachers, principals, administrators, policy experts, and strategists who have the practical experience to translate ideas into action.
Todd Campbell
Education Consultant
Center for Education Services
Todd Campbell has more than fifteen years of professional experience in K-12 education, working with teachers and administrators to build the essential...
Expert in Teaching and Learning
Expert in Instructional Design
Michelle Woods
Educational Consultant
Center for Education Services
With over 18 years experience in education, Michelle Woods is a recognized authority in Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL)...
Expert in Project Based Learning
Expert in Inquiry Based Learning
Resources
Questions?
Contact Education Services
at educationservices@rti.org
