7 principles for inquiry-based learning
Each child is an individual.
Every child is an individual with their own social, emotional, intellectual and physical abilities and interests. In an active learning environment, each child’s individuality is respected, valued and fostered.
Children are confident and involved learners.
Children intrinsically want to learn, develop an understanding of the world around them and actively shape their education and development.
Children have prior knowledge, competencies and experiences.
From the moment they are born, children accumulate experience and knowledge. The more they experience, the more their understanding of a concept can develop. To support a child’s development, their prior knowledge needs to be identified and built upon.
Inquiry-based learning fosters children’s individual interests.
Each child makes sense of the world in an individual way and is intrinsically motivated and excited by various things. Children’s attention is naturally drawn to things that interest them most. Inquiry-based practices focus on individual interests to foster each individual child’s progress.
Children participate in decision-making processes.
In inquiry-based practices, the children’s input is evident in all aspects of their learning. Involvement in decision-making in different areas of life enables children to identify as self-efficient, responsible individuals who take ownership for their actions.
Concepts are temporal and are constantly refined based on new learning and questions.
Children’s experiences, impressions and knowledge contribute to the development of concepts which, in turn, support their learning. Children’s concepts are temporal – they are constantly evolving and changing through new experiences. Inquiry-based practices recognise the temporal nature of children’s concepts and offer opportunities to extend on them.
Adults’ genuine curiosity, wonder and questioning are central.
Children are inquisitive and curious by nature. When curiosity, wonder and questioning are encouraged on an everyday basis, this natural disposition is fostered. In inquiry-based practices, it is vital for early childhood educators to ignite and cultivate their own curiosity, wonder and questioning.
As capable, lifelong learners, children whose views and opinions are heard and fostered become global citizens, actively using their voice to shape the world they live in. In our webinar on 10 December 2021, Sara Judge, First Nations content producer at the Australian Museum; Dr Jennifer Matthews, marine biologist, and Skye Ferber, kinder lead educator, will be discussing children’s right to have a say in critical matters such as sustainability. Our panel will share their views on how we can establish learning environments that recognise children’s rights and responsibilities in terms of sustainable living.
[1] Research with Children: Perspectives and Practices Pia Monrad Christensen, Allison James, 2000
[2]https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx#:~:text=Article%2012&text=States%20Parties%20shall%20assure%20to,and%20maturity%20of%20the%20child.
Article author: Heike Hendershot
National Training Manager
Heike manages the development of our workshop content and supports our training facilitators. A critical thinker with the ability to wonder, she believes in honouring each child’s individual skills and abilities.