IBEC Inquiry-Based Learning 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of 'lines of inquiry' within a PYP unit of inquiry?
- They replace the central idea with specific content objectives
- They break the central idea into focused aspects for students to explore (Correct answer)
- They list the activities teachers will use during the unit
- They provide the summative task criteria for students
Correct answer: They break the central idea into focused aspects for students to explore
Lines of inquiry give the central idea its depth by identifying the specific angles students will investigate.
Question 2: Which of the following best supports student agency in an IB inquiry unit?
- Allowing students to choose their inquiry question within a broad topic (Correct answer)
- Prescribing every step of the research process
- Assigning uniform tasks to all students regardless of interest
- Using whole-class direct instruction as the primary teaching method
Correct answer: Allowing students to choose their inquiry question within a broad topic
Student agency is fostered when learners have meaningful choices, particularly in how they direct their own inquiry.
Question 3: How does peer feedback during an inquiry project align with IB principles?
- It shifts assessment responsibility away from the teacher entirely
- It helps students develop collaborative skills and reflect on their work through multiple perspectives (Correct answer)
- It is discouraged because peers lack the expertise to give accurate feedback
- It replaces teacher feedback in formative assessment
Correct answer: It helps students develop collaborative skills and reflect on their work through multiple perspectives
Peer feedback builds collaboration and self-assessment skills, both of which are central to the IB's approach to learning.
Question 4: An IB teacher is designing a summative assessment for an inquiry unit. Which approach is most appropriate?
- A closed-book exam testing recall of facts from the unit
- An authentic task requiring students to apply conceptual understanding to a new scenario (Correct answer)
- A project replicating what students already did during the inquiry
- A worksheet with fill-in-the-blank questions based on lecture notes
Correct answer: An authentic task requiring students to apply conceptual understanding to a new scenario
IB summative tasks assess transfer of conceptual understanding, asking students to apply learning in new contexts rather than reproduce familiar content.
Question 5: Which statement about failure and mistakes in IB inquiry-based classrooms is most accurate?
- Mistakes signal student inability and require immediate remediation
- Errors are hidden from the class to protect student confidence
- Mistakes are valuable data points that deepen inquiry and refine understanding (Correct answer)
- Only advanced students are allowed to explore open-ended questions to avoid failure
Correct answer: Mistakes are valuable data points that deepen inquiry and refine understanding
In IBL, mistakes are seen as natural and productive parts of the inquiry process, fostering resilience and deeper thinking.
Question 6: What does the IB mean by 'approaches to learning' (ATL) in the context of inquiry?
- The specific textbooks teachers use across subjects
- Transferable skills such as research, communication, and self-management that support inquiry (Correct answer)
- The order in which teachers deliver content during a unit
- The grading scale used across all IB programmes
Correct answer: Transferable skills such as research, communication, and self-management that support inquiry
ATL skills are the toolkit students develop to become effective, independent inquirers across all disciplines.
Question 7: Which scenario demonstrates 'going further' as a phase in the PYP inquiry cycle?
- Students complete a quiz on content covered in the unit
- Students explore a new question sparked by the inquiry that extends their learning (Correct answer)
- Teachers introduce the next unit of inquiry to the class
- Students receive their summative assessment grades
Correct answer: Students explore a new question sparked by the inquiry that extends their learning
'Going further' encourages students to pursue new questions generated by their inquiry, sustaining curiosity beyond the unit's conclusion.
IBEC Inquiry-Based Learning 5
What is the purpose of 'lines of inquiry' within a PYP unit of inquiry?