How Inquiry-Based Learning Boosts Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities

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How Inquiry-Based Learning Boosts Critical Thinking and Long-Term Understanding – Dr. Mark S. Elliott

How Inquiry-Based Learning Boosts Critical Thinking and Long-Term Understanding

Key takeaway: When learners investigate questions and problems, they build critical thinking, deepen conceptual understanding, transfer knowledge to new contexts, collaborate more effectively, and stay motivated.

Students exploring real-world questions with a teacher during an inquiry-based activity
Inquiry-based learning centers curiosity and reasoning to create durable understanding. Photo: Unsplash.

Executive Summary

  • Deeper understanding through investigation and explanation of core ideas.
  • Improved critical thinking and problem-solving.
  • Greater transfer of learning to new, authentic situations.
  • Stronger collaboration and communication skills.
  • Higher motivation and engagement driven by curiosity.

1. Deeper Understanding Through Inquiry

Inquiry tasks ask learners to pose questions, test ideas, and explain mechanisms—not just recall facts—leading to more durable understanding of big concepts. Linking to prior knowledge and semantic encoding strengthens meaning-making.

2. Improved Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

As students generate hypotheses, evaluate evidence, and reflect on errors, they practice the core moves of critical thinking. Teachers can scaffold with prompts that surface reasoning and metacognitive “self-explanations.”

3. Greater Transfer of Learning

Because inquiry emphasizes principles and causal structures, learners can apply knowledge beyond the original task—across units, subjects, and novel real-world problems.

4. Collaborative Learning and Communication Skills

Small-group investigations require clear roles, productive discourse, and shared evidence bases—skills that carry into academic and workplace teamwork.

5. Higher Motivation and Engagement

Ownership of questions and visibility of progress sustain effort. Choice, relevance, and visible challenge help students persist through productive struggle.

Conclusion

Inquiry-based learning is a practical route to deeper understanding, stronger thinking, and more transfer. With clear goals, scaffolds, and authentic questions, it becomes a repeatable routine across subjects and levels.

Related concepts: metacognition, retrieval practice, transfer, collaborative learning.

Go deeper with classroom-ready methods: Build repeatable inquiry routines in our Rhizome Learning online courses.

Published: May 9, 2024 • Updated: August 17, 2025