Abstract:

Inquiry based learning (IBL) is one of the teaching approaches that teachers are interested in because familiarize students with the work of scientists, actively involving them in building new knowledge. As an approach, inquiry learning includes certain stages: observing and formulating problems, researching to clarify problems, developing new knowledge by formulating assumptions and trying to support them through documentation and research activities, knowledge sharing, assessment and review. This approach is cyclic and reflection is present in each stage.

To find how teachers perceive the applicability of IBL in the classroom, we used a questionnaire and interviews. The research was structured on four aspects:
(1) the difficulties encountered by teachers in using IBL;
(2) the distribution of tasks between teacher and students during the stages of the inquiry;
(3) the applicability of IBL to various disciplines and
(4) to various levels of education.

The participants were teachers and future teachers with different specializations. The results show that participants consider that IBL activities are best suited to the Science discipline and are applicable in many situations to primary education and can always be applied to secondary school, high school and university education. They report the lack of time and resources needed to carry out IBL activities and the fact that textbooks and school curriculum do not provide IBL activities. Most participants consider that responsibilities such as formulating observations, questions, documentation, decision making and critical reflection are tasks to be shared between teacher and students. The respondents show interest and openness for IBL activities, namely participating in IBL training programs.

Keywords:

Inquiry based learning, research, opinion, teachers.