Inquiry
Take a moment to read the following quotations.
“Doubt comes in at the window when inquiry is denied at the door.”
“The world is but a school of inquiry.”
“Being told is the opposite of finding out.”
“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
“Human beings tend to be more motivated to answer questions than to simply think about issues.”
What are the key messages in these quotes? What do they mean to you? Can you relate them to any learning that you have done in the past?
Learn About It: Inquiry
These quotations capture the essence of ‘inquiry.’ Inquiry begins with questions, problems, or scenarios, rather than simply presenting information. To understand inquiry better, take a moment to look at the following graphic which describes how ‘inquiry’ is different than ‘research’:
Much of what we learn, we learn through the process of inquiry. From this, we construct our own personal understanding. Think of a time when you were curious about something. What steps did you take to satisfy your curiosity? What questions did you formulate? What resources did you consult? What did you learn? Did your findings surprise you or did they verify what you had originally thought? Chances are the process you followed is very close to what is known as the ‘Inquiry Process’.
This course relies heavily on inquiry - allowing you to formulate questions that are important to you, gather and interpret information, then present your findings. It is therefore important that you have a good understanding of the Inquiry Process:
As you can see, the Inquiry Process involves 4 stages:
Stage 1: Pose Real Questions OR Consider the Questions Posed
Stage 2: Find Resources / Gather information
Stage 3: Interpret Information
Stage 4: Report/Share findings.
Throughout this course, you will be encouraged to notice, wonder, and ask questions that pertain to your personal situation. These questions will lead you to gather and interpret information, draw conclusions, and report your findings. This is inquiry. The inquiries you undertake in this course may inspire you to make decisions that have a significant impact on your future.
Remember to refer back to this model when needed to help guide you through this important process.