Disciplinary Approaches to Enquiry

Bite-sized EBL

Another new page - reflections on day 1's sessions

This theme explores approaches to enquiry that engage students collaboratively in any university learning context. It provides an invitation to share understanding of conceptions and methods of enquiry, with an emphasis on investigation, conceptual critique, data analysis, interpretation of findings, as well as creative approaches.  We recognise that students need support as they are encouraged to become self-directed learners while they develop intentional ‘learning to learn’; that staff also may need support as they evolve conceptions and practices in learning and teaching that are enquiry based, in order to map lines of development between current and more enquiry based practice; and that an evolutionary approach to introducing enquiry processes is likely to be required.  We also recognise the main criticisms of enquiry based approaches: that there is little research evidence of their effectiveness beyond the accounts of enthusiasts; that they tend to underestimate the value of direct instruction by the teacher; that they tend to be expensive in terms of staff and resources; and that there may be contexts in which they are inappropriate, and others in which they are only partially appropriate.  For this reason, contributions which provide empirical evidence of effectiveness, which discuss teaching where EBL is blended with other instructional approaches; and which consider the resource implications of EBL are particularly welcomed.  Practitioner accounts which link to the scholarship of learning and teaching are also invited.

Suggested topics for this theme include the following:

• Pedagogical strategies to promote EBL
• The student experience of engagement in EBL
• Approaches to disciplinary and transdisciplinary perspectives in enquiry
• Supporting the development of enquiring university teachers and teaching
• Students as scholars: curricula designed to promote enquiry
• The exploration of staff (and/or student) understanding through engaging in EBL practice
• The effectiveness of EBL and impact on student learning
• The academic capability on which EBL depends
• What factors determine whether a context is appropriate or inappropriate for EBL?
• What are the limitations of an EBL approach?

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