Inquiry-based learning is at the heart of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). Rather than delivering information directly, teachers guide students to ask questions, investigate, and construct understanding for themselves. This approach builds curiosity, creativity, and confidence — skills essential for lifelong learning.
In the MYP, inquiry drives every aspect of teaching, from unit design to assessment. For educators, mastering this approach means shifting from being the source of knowledge to becoming a facilitator of exploration and reflection.
Quick Start Checklist
- Design learning around conceptual questions, not content lists
- Encourage curiosity through open-ended questioning
- Guide students through cycles of exploration, reflection, and action
- Use formative assessment to steer inquiry
- Foster an environment where risk-taking and mistakes are part of learning
What Is Inquiry-Based Learning?
Inquiry-based learning is a process of exploring ideas through questioning, investigation, and reflection. It empowers students to take ownership of their learning by seeking answers rather than receiving them.
In the MYP, inquiry connects three elements:
- Concepts – the big ideas that guide understanding
- Global contexts – real-world lenses that give meaning to learning
- Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills – tools for research, communication, and reflection
When these components work together, inquiry becomes a powerful engine for deep understanding and engagement.
The Inquiry Cycle in the MYP
Most MYP teachers use an inquiry cycle that includes the following stages:
- Exploring and Wondering: Students pose questions and make predictions.
- Investigating and Researching: They gather and analyze information to answer guiding questions.
- Reflecting and Concluding: Learners evaluate their findings and consider how understanding has changed.
- Acting and Applying: Students apply what they’ve learned in authentic, real-world contexts.
Teachers facilitate this process by designing rich learning experiences, guiding discussion, and helping students refine their inquiries.
Designing Strong Inquiry Questions
Effective inquiry begins with powerful questions. These questions invite curiosity, promote critical thinking, and lead to conceptual understanding.
MYP teachers should balance three types of inquiry questions:
- Factual questions – build foundational knowledge (e.g., “What are the stages of the water cycle?”).
- Conceptual questions – connect ideas (e.g., “How do systems maintain balance in nature?”).
- Debatable questions – encourage critical thought (e.g., “Should access to water be a human right?”).
By weaving these together, educators create units that move students from understanding facts to developing perspectives.
The Teacher’s Role in Inquiry
In inquiry-based classrooms, teachers act as facilitators rather than lecturers. Their role includes:
- Providing structure while allowing student autonomy
- Modeling curiosity and reflective questioning
- Differentiating instruction to support diverse learners
- Offering feedback that deepens understanding rather than just correcting mistakes
Good inquiry teaching requires flexibility — knowing when to guide and when to step back so students can explore independently.
Encouraging Student Agency
Inquiry naturally builds student agency — the ability to take initiative and make learning choices. Teachers can strengthen this by:
- Offering voice and choice in project topics or approaches
- Allowing students to co-create inquiry questions
- Encouraging reflection on what worked, what didn’t, and why
Agency turns inquiry into empowerment. When students see themselves as thinkers and problem-solvers, they become intrinsically motivated to learn.
Assessing Inquiry in the MYP
Assessment in inquiry-based learning focuses on process and understanding, not memorization. Teachers can use:
- Formative assessments (journals, discussions, peer feedback) to monitor progress
- Summative tasks (projects, essays, performances) that apply inquiry outcomes
- Reflections to help students articulate what they’ve learned and how they learned it
MYP’s criteria-based assessment system aligns perfectly with inquiry, as it emphasizes communication, reflection, and critical thinking over simple recall.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I balance inquiry with curriculum requirements?
Use the MYP framework to structure inquiry around required content. Students can explore topics freely within conceptual and contextual boundaries that still meet national or school standards.
2. What if students struggle with open-ended inquiry?
Scaffold the process. Start with guided inquiry before transitioning to independent projects. Provide frameworks, examples, and checkpoints to build confidence.
3. How do I assess creativity or curiosity?
Include reflective tasks where students explain their thought process, risk-taking, and problem-solving strategies. Assessment can focus on growth in inquiry habits as much as content mastery.
Conclusion
Inquiry-based learning is more than a teaching method — it’s a mindset. In the MYP, it cultivates curiosity, independence, and lifelong learning skills by helping students take ownership of their understanding.
When teachers embrace inquiry, classrooms shift from places of instruction to spaces of exploration. Students learn not just what to think, but how to think — a skill that defines the essence of the IB learner and prepares them for the challenges of an interconnected world.
