TABLE OF CONTENT

1.0 DISCOVERY TECHNIQUES……………………………………………..…………….5

1.1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………….….……….5

1.2 DEFINITION………………………………………………………………………..……5

1.3 KEY IDEAS OF DISCOVERY LEARNING……………………………………..…….5

1.4 CHARACTERISTICS……………………………………………………………………6

1.5 DISCOVERY LEARNING DESIGN TECHNIQUES………………………………….7

1.6 BENEFITS OF DISCOVERY TECHNIQUES………………………….……..………..8

1.7 ADVANTAGES OF DISCOVERY TECHNIQUES………………………………..…..9

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………….10

2.0 INQUIRY TECHNIQUES……………………………………………………………….11

2.1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………..……11

2.2 PRINCIPLES……………………………………………………………………….…….12

2.3 TYPES OF INQUIRY……………………………………………………………...……13

2.4 TECHNIQUES OF INQUIRY TEACHING………………………………..………….13

2.5 ADVANTAGES OF INQUIRY TECHNIQUES…………………………...…………..15

2.6 DISADVANTAGES OF INQUIRY TECHNIQUES…………………………………..16

2.7 CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………..……….17

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REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………....18

3.0 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISCOVERY AND INQUIRY TECHNIQUES…….....19

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1.0 DISCOVERY TECHNIQUES
1.1 INTRODUCTION

Discovery learning is a powerful instructional approach that guides and motivates learners to
explore information and concepts in order to construct new ideas, identify new relationships, and
create new models of thinking and behavior. The discovery learning is a constructivist
theory, meaning it is based on the idea that students construct their own understanding and
knowledge of the world through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences.
Teachers will give students a problem and some resources to solve it. (2018)

1.2 DEFINITION

According to Jerome Bruner (1961)

Derived discovery learning from contemporary studies in cognitive psychology and

stimulated the development of more specific instructional methods. The most important defining
characteristic of discovery learning is that learners have to generate units and structures of
abstract knowledge like concepts and rules by their own inductive reasoning about no abstracted
learning materials (seel, 2012)

1.3 KEY IDEAS OF DISCOVERY LEARNING

 Problem Solving
 Learner Management
 Integrating and Connecting

 Problem solving
The learning design must guide and motivate learners to participate in problem solving as they
pull together information and generalize knowledge.

 Learner Management
Learning must be learner driven so that participants, working alone or in small teams, can learn
in their own ways and at their own pace.

 Integrating and Connecting

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Learning must encourage the integration of new knowledge into the learner’s existing knowledge
base and clearly connect to the real world.

1.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE DISCOVERY LEARNING EXPERIENCES

A discovery learning experience has several characteristics that, in combination, set it apart from
other learning methodologies.

 Team Problem Solving

 Hands-on Learning
 Guided Discovery
 Reflection and Connection
 Learner Accountability

 Team Problem Solving

During a discovery learning session, learners engage in problem solving with other learners,
using their combined knowledge and experience to achieve a goal. Small teams generally two to
six learners per team—work together to explore, discuss, analyze, make decisions, challenge
assumptions and accomplish other tasks. This approach “protects” learners while it provides
powerful peer reinforcement and feedback.

 Hands-on Learning
Active participation by learners in exploring information and ideas helps get brains engaged in
the learning process. Physical engagement might mean moving game pieces around a game
board, assembling, prioritizing or integrating items to solve problems, engaging in rehearsals or
games, or physically moving around the learning environment to accomplish assigned tasks.
Getting learners moving and manipulating gets them learning.
 Guided Discovery
Learners must be guided along a path toward discovery of ideas, concepts and information. This
requires two things:
 A learning design that builds ever-increasing understanding and comprehension in learners
without causing frustration or apathy.
 A learning facilitator who is a guide rather than a teacher during the learning activities.
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 Reflection and Connection
Insights learned must clearly connect to real workplace issues. Within the learning experience
itself, the learning design must help teams connect ideas, concepts and information to their own
companies, departments and/or issues.
Individually, learners must also be provided with the time and tools to reflect on their own
insights and to plan ways to incorporate them into on-the-job action

 Learner Accountability
Well-designed discovery learning programs place learners “in the driver’s seat.” Although the
road is paved and road signs provide assistance, learners have the wheel. They’re accountable
for getting to their destination which means that they should be working much harder than the
session facilitator is.

1.5 DISCOVERY LEARNING DESIGN TECHNIQUES

There are several discovery learning techniques that work well to engage and educate learners.
They include:

 Stories
 Visuals
 Small-Team Exercises
 Simulations
 Maps and Models
 Gaming Techniques

 Stories
A great story line can “hook” learners quickly and keep them involved throughout the
learning experience. Stories are also likely to be remembered over time and can help with
retention of learning insights.
 Visuals
Game boards, wall visuals and colorfully illustrated maps make learners want to learn and
provide graphically interesting clues and metaphors to speed the discovery process.
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 Small-Team Exercises
A table team environment gives learners a strong sense of commitment to learning and
encourages active participation.

 Simulations
Business Simulations replicate a slice of reality from the workplace. They are time- compressed
and safe so that learners can make mistakes and learn from them without real-world
consequences.

 Maps and Models

Maps and models help imprint critical content information during the learning experience while
providing a context for the knowledge or skills being learned. They can also become on-the-job
reinforcement and retention tools.

 Gaming Techniques
 Chips, cards, game pieces, dice, timers and other items can boost the fun factor and
provide a competitive element that keeps the focus strong and the energy high.
 It is important to note that the use of one or more of these techniques within a traditional
training program doesn’t magically make the program a discovery learning experience

1.6 BENEFITS OF DISCOVERY TECHNIQUE

For those who choose to use it, the discovery technique has three primary benefits. First of all,
since students are solving a grammar mystery, they tend to pay more attention and stay more
engaged. They are not simply receiving information from someone else. They are discovering it
for themselves, and they cannot discover it if they do not first look. Secondly, students who learn
with the discovery technique tend to remember the rules of grammar better because they have
played a part in discovering them. The final benefit might be the greatest of all. Because they
have learned grammar by figuring out the rules from context, students familiar with this
technique have an easier time figuring out unfamiliar grammar structures they encounter in the

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future. This makes them better able to cope when they are faced with some grammar point, they
did not already learn in class. (VERNER, n.d.)

1.7 ADVANTAGES OF DISCOVERY LEARNING

1. Motivation to Learn
2. Acceleration of Learning
3. Acquisition and Retention of Learning

1. Motivation to Learn
Discovery learning techniques help draw learners into the learning environment and keep
them interested and involved. As they seek information, work with peers and explore
ideas, their natural curiosity is aroused and ultimately satisfied. The “fun factor” is high
when games, simulations, colorful visuals and competitive challenges are used to create
an experiential environment for learning
2. Acceleration of Learning
Because discovery learning programs are so highly engaging, learners quickly begin
using their minds to digest new information, make connections to their previous experiences and
pull together disparate pieces of knowledge. Assimilation of the program’s content, therefore, is
accomplished more easily and quickly.
3. Acquisition and Retention of Learning
In self-report studies and post-session evaluations, learners consistently report and/or
demonstrate better understanding and recollection of information and skills after
receiving them experientially, when compared to more passive learning approaches.
4. Transfer of Learning to the Job
Because well-designed discovery learning approaches mirror or illustrate learners’
actual job environments and because they have clear job connection activities and exercises built
into the experience, learners are more likely to transfer new knowledge or skills to the
workplace. (2013)

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REFERENCES

(2013, july 3). Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/ParadigmLearning1/experience-the-

discovery-learning-approach-paradigm-learning

(2018, April 23). Retrieved from https://inventionlandinstitute.com/discovery-learning-

method#:~:text=The%20Discovery%20Learning%20Method%20is%20a%20constructivi
st%20theory%2C%20meaning%20it,and%20reflecting%20on%20those%20experiences.
&text=Teachers%20will%20give%20students%20a%20problem

seel, N. M. (2012). Retrieved from

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-1-4419-1428-6_1307

VERNER, S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://busyteacher.org/20580-discovery-technique-teaching-

grammar.html

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2.0 INQUIRY TECHNIQUES

2.1 INTRODUCTION

"Inquiry" is defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge or seeking information by
questioning." Inquiry-based learning is a form of active learning that starts by posing questions,
problems or scenarios. It contrasts with traditional education, which generally relies on the
teacher presenting facts and their own knowledge about the subject. Inquiry-based learning is
often assisted by a facilitator rather than a lecturer. Inquirers will identify and research issues and
questions to develop knowledge or solutions.

Inquiry-based learning includes problem-based learning, and is generally used in small scale
investigations and projects, as well as research. The inquiry-based instruction is principally very
closely related to the development and practice of thinking and problem solving skills. Inquiry
learning involves developing questions, making observations, doing research to find out what
information is already recorded, developing methods for experiments, developing instruments for
data collection, collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, outlining possible explanations and
creating predictions for future study (-Silver , 2009).

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2.2 PRINCIPLES OF INQUIRY TECHNIQUES

There are certain principles that govern inquiry techniques and can be summarized as follows:

 Principle 1

Learners are in the center of the entire process, while instructors, resources and technology are
adequately organized to support them.

 Principle 2

All learning activities revolve around information-processing skills.

 Principle 3

Instructors facilitate the learning process, but also seek to learn more about their students and the
process of inquiry-based learning.

 Principle 4

Emphasis should be placed on evaluating the development of information-processing skills and

conceptual understanding, and not on the actual content of the field.

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2.3 TYPES OF INQUIRY

There are four types of inquiry that are commonly used in inquiry-based techniques:

 Confirmation Inquiry
Learners are given a question, as well as a method, to which the end result is already known.
The goal is to confirm the results. This enables learners to reinforce already established ideas,
and to practice their investigative skills.

 Structured Inquiry
Learners are given the question and the method of achieving the result, but the goal is to
provide an explanation that is already supported by the evidence gathered during and through
the investigative process.

 Guided Inquiry
Learners are only given a question. The main goal is to design the method of investigation
and then test the question itself. This type of inquiry is not typically as structured as the
previously mentioned forms.

 Open Inquiry
Learners must form their own questions, design investigative methods, and then carry out the
inquiry itself. They must present their results at the end of the process ( Pappas, 2014).

2.4 TECHNIQUES OF INQUIRY TEACHING

 Asking questions
 Science process skills
 Discrepant events
 Inductive activities
 Deductive activities
 Gathering information
 Problem solving

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 Asking Questions

Questions can stimulate thought and action. They are at the heart of the inquiry process. Good
question to get students thinking critically about the world in which they live. When students
formulate questions of personal interest, they are more likely to engage in activities they find
meaningful.

 Science Process Skills

These skills focus on thinking patterns that scientists use to construct knowledge, represent ideas,
and communicate information. Science process skills help students pose questions, state
problems, make observations, classify data, construct inferences, form hypotheses, communicate
findings, and conduct experiments.

 Discrepant events

A discrepant event puzzles students, causing them to wonder why an event occurred as it did.
Puzzlement can stimulate students to engage in reasoning and the desire to find out. Engages
students in finding out why something happened.

 Inductive activities

The learner first encounters the attributes and instances of an idea, then names and discusses the
idea. This empirical-inductive approach gives students a concrete experience whereby they
obtain sensory impressions and data from real objects and events. It is an experience-before-
vocabulary approach.

 Deductive activities

The deductive approach is a vocabulary-before-experience model of teaching in which lecture

and discussion precede laboratory or field work. Because it is hard to “discover” many biological
phenomenon this approach is very common in biology classrooms. The key is that the lab needs
to be authentic and inquiry based.

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 Gathering information

Much of the inquiry that scientists and engineers engage in involves reading and communicating
with other people. Many of these professionals probably spend more time gathering ideas and
information from literature sources and other individuals than they spend conducting laboratory
or field work. Being able to critically evaluate is key.

 Problem Solving

Problem solving is often used synonymously with inquiry and science process skill reasoning.
This concept is associated with the nature of scientific inquiry as well as instructional
methodology. One type of problem-solving approach centers on problems that are relevant to
students’ lives. Students raise questions, plan procedures, collect information, and form
conclusions (Pitts, 2017).

2.5 ADVANTAGES OF INQUIRY TECHNIQUES

 Improvises The Learning Experience

Since this process gravitates towards practicality, students can retain the concepts learned in this
technique for a significant period. Students, instead of memorizing the concepts, understand
them and can also clarify their doubts. This enhances the learning experience of the student.

 Develops Analytical Thinking Skills

Since the students get to decide what they have to learn, students develop better analytical skills.
They explore the roots of every concept, and their comprehensive skills get improvised. Students
become more aware and also develop better cognitive skills in this process.

 Promotes Curiosity And The Will To Learn

Inquiry techniques foster curiosity among the students as they start to inquire what they are being
taught. They develop more doubts and can enhance the clarity of the concepts they learn. They
feel encouraged to share their opinions and explore everything to their best potential.

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 Better Understanding Of The Topics

In-depth analysis of a particular topic is entrenched in this style of learning. Students can
understand the basics of the topics and also learn them at an extensive level. This way, the
credibility of knowledge increases manifold. Also, the students can retain the knowledge for a
significant amount of times as they fully understand it.

 Active Student Participation

As the learning procedure becomes more fun, students actively participate in it. Students start to
love the process of learning and hence practice it eagerly. The interaction between the students
and teachers also gets enhanced, and the communication skills of the students improvise.
Altogether, inquiry-based learning uplifts the classroom ambience (Mathur, 2021).

2.6 DISADVANTAGES OF INQUIRY TECHNIQUES

 Poorer Standardized Testing Performance

When too much time is dedicated to student inquiries, there’s always the risk that important
“core” topics could be left out. Naturally, this hurts standardized testing performance. And in a
world where standardized exams play a key role in school accreditation and funding, this can
become a real problem.

 Student Embarrassment

In inquiry-based learning, students are required to speak up and participate. For the most part,
this is a good thing. However, there’s also the risk of embarrassing students who may not be
quick thinkers (or who suffer from learning disabilities and processing issues).

 Teacher Unpreparedness

For certain teachers, inquiry techniques are too unpleasant. It prevents them from being able to
prepare properly, which hurts their ability to engage students on a meaningful level. And any
time a teacher is unprepared, the classroom suffers as a result ( GUTIERREZ, 2018).

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2.7 CONCLUSION

I conclude that, Inquiry techniques helps students make their own connections about what they
learn. Their curiosity helps them engage and gain a deeper understanding of topics and content,
instead of primarily memorizing and recalling rules, ideas or formulas. But an inquiry technique
often is more time consuming to do, and prepare. This is a huge problem when it comes to higher
grades where students have to learn a lot of materials in a short time.

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REFERENCES

GUTIERREZ, D. (2018, November 19). The Pros and Cons of Inquiry Techniques. Retrieved

from The College Puzzle: https://collegepuzzle.stanford.edu/the-pros-and-cons-of-

inquiry-based-learning-for-college-success/

Pappas, C. (2014, June 18). Inquiry-based Learning Model. Retrieved from E-Learning Industry:

https://elearningindustry.com/inquiry-based-learning-model

Mathur, N. (2021, Feburary 2). ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF INQUIRY-BASED

LEARNING. Retrieved from Ecole Globe: https://www.ecoleglobale.com/blog/inquiry-

based-learning/

Pitts, R. (2017, June 1). Inquiry Based Science Teaching. Retrieved from SlidePlayer:

https://slideplayer.com/slide/6249220/

-Silver , C. H. (2009). Lumen Learning. Retrieved from Inquiry-based Learning:

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/educationx92x1/chapter/inquiry-based-learning/

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3.0 Difference Between Discovery And Inquiry Technique

DISCOVERY TECHNIQUE INQUIRY TECHNIQUE

• It is a problem centered constructivist • Inquiry technique is a student centered

learning approach. method of education focused on asking

• Through discovery technique students questions.

are allow to interact with their environment by • Inquiry based learning involves the

exploring and manipulating objects, wrestling students in explorations, theory building and

with questions, controversies or performing experimentation.

experiment. • In this technique the main focuses on

• This technique encourage motivation, the student’s investigation and learning.

active involvement and creativity. • Students get the chance to explore

• This technique enhances the atopic more deeply and learn from their own

development of intellectual capacities and first-hand experience.

problem solving. • This technique just like experiential

• Minimize verbal learning. learning, students are actively engage in the

• Students interact with the environment learning process.

and Discovers fact and relationship their own • This technique include; small group

construct of knowledge through narrative. discussion and guided learning. Instead of of

memorizing facts and material, students learn

by doing.

• Through this technique students have

more curiosity about the material and teaches

skills, that students can use to continue

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exploring topics they are interested in.

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