Implementing Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods

Much like a woodworker continually acquires new tools to perform different tasks in his shop, educators, too, should search for tools to add to their repertoire of educational practices. One tool is not sufficient to do every task a woodworker must complete, and one teaching method should not be considered sufficient for teaching all topics and meeting all standards. Inquiry-based teaching methods provide agricultural educators with another teaching technique for developing life-long learners. They prove especially useful in delivering concepts that rely heavily on science. This paper builds on the publication What Is Inquiry-Based Learning? by focusing on the nature of inquiry and providing basic guidelines and strategies for implementing inquiry-based teaching methods.