Games to Promote Inquiry Learning

Inquiry can be simply defined as seeking answers or solutions to a question. Inquiry learning is a student-centered learning approach that begins with a question or problem scenario. Tapping into students’ natural curiosity, inquiry learning actively involves students in questioning, exploration, investigation, problem solving, and construction of new knowledge. The inquiry process requires higher order thinking, such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation, and helps students develop habits of mind that can last a lifetime. It is important to note that inquiry learning is not about seeking the right answer, which is emphasized in traditional education. Rather, it is seeking appropriate or viable solutions to open-ended questions or issues.

Traditional education discourages the natural process of inquiry, with a focus on knowledge accumulation. Students, as passive receivers ...