Inquiry-Based Pedagogy and Problem-Based Pedagogy

K. P. Mohanan

The spectrum of pedagogical commitments can be broadly grouped into two, namely:
  • Exposition-Based Pedagogy (EBP): in which what triggers learning is spoken or written exposition (lectures, readings) that the student listens to or reads; and
  • Task-Based Pedagogy (TBP): in which what triggers learning is a task that the student engages with.
Formulated as above, it is doubtful if anyone would question the place of both in educational institutions. The real question then is when to use what, and how, such that we can maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of accomplishing educational goals. Let us group the spectrum of educational goals into three broad categories, namely:
  1. acquisition of beliefs (information, knowledge, understanding…);
  2. acquisition of the skills of applying those beliefs (in calculating the trajectory of a bomb, diagnosing a disease…), and the know-how (teamwork, language skills, surgery…); and
  3. acquisition of the habits of mind that underlie abilities such as independent learning, inquiry, critical thinking, and creativity/innovation.
Once again, it is doubtful if anyone would question the place for all the three in educational institutions. If we choose to prioritize A over B and C, our primary pedagogy would EBP. If, on the other hand, we choose to prioritize B or C, our primary pedagogy would be TBP.

Within the latter class, Problem-Based Pedagogies aim primarily at B, and Inquiry-Based Pedagogies aim primarily at C. In my talk, I will go through what these two pedagogies share, and in what respects their strategies differ from each other. None of the pedagogies and goals mentioned above are mutually exclusive, but successful education requires that we think carefully through what we hope to accomplish, and make intelligent choices in our design and execution.