Encouraging inquiry-based approaches

Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) has been identified to provide numerous benefits, but its implementation at school level has been limited. Some teachers have expressed the belief that IBSE may lead to a less robust comprehension of concepts than direct instruction.

It has been suggested this concern could be tackled by managing the cognitive load experienced by students during IBSE, which may itself be achieved by reducing the degree of freedom afforded to learners during a problem-solving task. In this study, Szalay and Toth do just this by introducing elements of IBSE into what are otherwise traditional step-by-step practical activities.