Inquiry Teaching Methods: Raising Questions from Phenomena

In this class, educators develop an understanding of the importance of giving students opportunities to ask their own questions-ones students can then investigate on their own.  We use specific strategies that can develop students’ questioning skills so the questions students ask lead in a productive direction.  Questions are the basis of all inquiry. Whether it’s in the classroom or the research laboratory, investigations begin when we encounter materials and phenomena that we don’t understand—that engage our curiosity and draw us into looking at something more carefully. In this class we present educators with an opportunity to think more deeply about the role of questioning in conducting classroom investigations.