Abstract:

Enquiry-based learning (EBL) is a prominent student-centred pedagogy in higher education in Australia and worldwide. Research has shown that active and self-directed learning leads to increased student engagement, learning and development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The 5E Instructional Model (engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate) is popular for implementing EBL. We hypothesised that two key elements, the expertise of the teacher and the learning environment, need to be made explicit in the model. This paper discusses the findings of an Australian study which examined the views and experiences of teachers and students with EBL. Surveys and interviews of teachers and students were used to collect data. The findings supported the hypothesis that successful EBL is dependent on the quality of the learning environment and teacher expertise. We argue that EBL should be understood as a teacher rather than student-centred approach. We suggest a 7E Instructional model with the teacher as the central component for successful EBL implementation. and provide helpful strategies for teachers who want to use this pedagogy.

Practitioner Notes:
1. University teachers should consider using Enquiry-based learning (EBL) because evidence suggests it enhances students’ research, problem-solving and critical thinking. skills. It is a viable pedagogical approach to address the influence of artificial intelligence on learning.
2. The design and implementation of EBL requires specific skills by the teacher, such as facilitation of collaboration, scaffolding of learning activities and facilitation of critical thinking.
3. University teachers and administrators who want to use EBL could learn from the suggested 7E Model for effective teacher-guided EBL implementation.
4. When using EBL, teachers are advised to create small groups of 4-6 students as these are most effective, and provide initial EBL training for students.
5. To improve their EBL practice, teachers should make sure that there is bespoke student feedback collected during and at the end of the EBL process.

Keywords:

Enquiry, model.