Inquiry based learning is not a brand new concept. It has been around as far back as Hellenistic civilization. There is historical evidence based on Aristotle’s and Plato’s manuscripts that Socrates (470-399 B.C.) challenged his students with good questioning which promoted critical thinking. Numerous years passed when an American constructivism theorist John Dewey proposed the principle about how people learn. According to him, people construct their knowledge based on their own experiences and reflections and questioning those experiences. According to Dewey’s framework of pragmatism, people learn by doing rather than by direct instruction. This is very true, especially when dealing with science. Some other contributors to inquiry based learning include Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky and Jerome Bruner.
This animation is trying to communicate that inquiry based teaching and learning is more productive and interesting for students. Moreover, two contrasting teaching approaches depicted in this animation are applicable to all types of schools: urban, suburban, rural public schools and private schools. The message is clear: use a teaching technique that encourages critical thinking, problem solving and self-reliance.