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McMaster University has been involved in teaching Inquiry - a largely question driven form of Self-Directed Learning - for over twenty years in elite programs and professional schools. We now offer Inquiry to all first year students with demand for Inquiry courses at upper levels. In 2001, over 670 students in year one chose an Inquiry course. Students tell us these courses are valuable, and instructors often find it their most satisfying teaching experience.
Inquiry courses are skill-driven rather than content-driven, focusing on the skills required to perform effectively at university and well beyond university. These generalizable skills help students hone skills equally useful for advanced levels of academic research.
- Other Inquiry Resources
- Inquiry Teaching Tips
- Inquiry Resources
- Inquiry in the Discipline
- Appreciative Inquiry
- Problem-Based Learning
- What is Unique about Inquiry?
An introduction to Inquiry, its connection to research and comparisons with other forms of self-directed learning.
- What is a "Good" Inquiry Question?
Explores the questions from the perspective of professors teaching Inquiry. Two approaches are outlined.
- Inquiry@Queens is a comprehensive website that focuses on facilitating the student discovery of well-conducted undergraduate research. It discusses the method of Inquiry as well as hosting a bibliography of Inquiry resources for teaching Inquiry.
- The Inquiry Page
A description of Inquiry and the underlying philosophy. A resource for tools, research opportunities, discussion fostering inquiry-based learning.
- Linking Teaching and Research in the Disciplines
This national project for the Generic Subject Centre/Learning and Teaching Subject Network.
- Linking Teaching with Research and Consultancy in the Disciplines of Planning, Land and Property Management, and Building
A United Kingdom project connecting student learning to the research done in discipline based inquiry.
- Professional Learning and Training
Self-Directed Learning Perception Scale (SDLPS), a self-report instrument, to monitor the support of a self-directed learning environment.
- The Exploratorium: Institute for Inquiry
Provides workshops, programs and on-line support for science reform educators.
- 10 Things I Learned Teaching First Year Inquiry
Suzanne Crosta, Faculty of Humanities, McMaster University.
- Mapping the Journey of the Inquiry Experience: Helping First Year Students' Reflect on their Learning
Paper presented at the Teaching and Learning Symposium honouring Donald R. Woods.
- Academic Skills Grading Rubric
Adapted from: R. Runte and K. Mazurek (2002) in Runte (2002) Managing Assessment in Inquiry-Driven Courses, presented at Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education meetings (June 2002).
Inquiry in the Disciplines
Inquiry approaches from multiple disciplines, including those that use Inquiry-Style Projects
- Representations of "Other": Social Identities McMaster
Course Description
- McMaster University, Don Woods
Preparing for PBL - Third edition March 2006
- McMaster University, Don Woods
The McMaster Problem Solving Program
- McMaster University, Don Woods
Video created by Don Woods introducing PBL. Includes an example
of a real student led PBL group discussion.
- University of Delaware
Articles, books, links.
- Cooperative Learning
Also links to PBL.