International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World

(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
DOES INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ENHANCE STUDENTS
CRITICAL THINKING: A CASE STUDY OF IRANIAN EFL
LEARNERS
Farzaneh Fattahi (Corresponding author)
Department of English, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
E-Mail: Farzanehfattahi2004@yahoo.com

Hamid Reza Haghverdi

Department of English, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran
E-Mail: H.haghverdi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between inquiry-based learning and critical
thinking. Inquiry-based learning is an approach which starts with questioning and leads to
investigating an issue or idea. A well-organized inquiry-based learning can promote
information literacy. Popular discussions on education as well as recent findings have come
to the same conclusion that in the present society, new methods of learning and engaging
students are required. The aims of this study necessitated the analysis of data produced by
40 advanced Iranian EFL learners who were randomly selected from different universities in
Isfahan. The participants were asked to fill out two questionnaires (to see the extent to
which they think critically) in the first phase of the study. In the next phase, the participants
were divided into two groups as control and experimental group. Inquiry-based learning was
taught to the experimental group, whereas traditional method was employed for the control
group. The results of this quantitative investigation showed a significant relationship
between inquiry-based learning and critical thinking. Among the implications of the study,
which could be used by teachers and practitioners, could be that one possible way of having
critical thinkers could be exposing them to inquiry-based instruction.

KEYWORDS: Information literacy, EFL learners, Inquiry-Based learning, Critical thinking

INTRODUCTION
Inquiry-Based Learning
Inquiry-based learning (IBL) is an approach, in which students have control over their
learning. It begins with questioning and leads to investigation into a reliable issue or
idea. Followers of this constructivist approach begin with questioning, gathering and
analyzing information, creating solutions, making decisions, justifying conclusions and
taking action. In other words, students construct their own recognition about the world.

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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
A well-organized inquiry-based learning can expand problem-solving abilities and
develop skills for lifelong learning. Researches have shown this approach is a procedure
to motivate students. Students work cooperatively to solve problems and the depth of
understanding is greater than other teaching approaches. Students learn better when
they are at the center of their own learning progress. Inquiry-based learning is a learning
process through questions stemmed from the interests, curiosities, and experiences of
the learner. When findings generate from our own questions, curiosities, and
experiences, learning is an organic and motivating process that is enjoyable from inside.

IBL is a flexible approach which is open-ended to the students' feedback. Students are supposed to
benefit from their own inquiry and build information accordingly. IBL should not necessarily be
appeared in the context of assessment. Group activities and peer works can be good examples of
IBL contexts. The challenge for IBL in opposition with the traditional methods is embedded in
meaningful learning to facilitate deep understanding of the students. (McKinney, 2010)

IBL covers a number of other approaches to teaching and learning. Sub-branches of inquiry-
based learning include: (a) problem-based learning: learning that starts with an ill-structured
problem or it can be a case-study, (b) project-based learning: in which students make a
project or presentation as an indication of their understanding, (c) design-based learning:
learning through working for design of a solution to a problem, and (d) constructivism:
learning through the physical construction of a concrete object in the real world.

Some studies have shown that inquiry-based learning (IBL) is very helpful and beneficial
in promoting different learning outcomes such as deep thinking and the ability to apply
knowledge and reasoning skills when compared to the traditional educational approach
(Chinn, Duncan, & Hmelo-Silver, 2007).
It worth mentioning there are two models for IBL. The first one is the model in which the students
are aware of the process of IBL and the second one is the type of IBL in which students are not
aware of the process of IBL. They do what the instructor says without knowing the process of
IBL. This study belongs to the second group in which students participate in the study, answer
questionnaires, receive pretest and posttest, and participate in experimental and control group
with having information about IBL and traditional method of learning.

Critical Thinking
The term critical thinking (CT) can be defined as the ability to think rationally and
logically. Critical thinking is a process of actively involving, analyzing, studying, and
surveying the problem to come up to a final conclusion. People with self-guided minds
attempt to justify at the highest level in a fair-minded way. They want to decrease the
power of society tendencies and use principles and logic to strengthen thinking.

Critical thinking is believed to be the cornerstone of higher education, but it is very

difficult to measure it because critical thinking is not a stable outcome. It means that an
individual is consistently questioning about different assumptions, creating more
information, and exploring alternatives (Brookfield, 1987).
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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
A professional critical thinker asks essential and critical questions to ferret out a possible
solution, collects a variety of concrete and abstract ideas from different sources, infers
reasonable and logical connection among different opinions, and solves the problem
through systematic gathering of information. Some researchers have suggested different
skills for the development and promotion of critical thinking. These skills can be
mentioned as the following: analyzing, applying standards, discriminating, information
seeking, logical reasoning, predicting, and transforming knowledge.

LITERATURE REVIEW
As contrasted with more traditional forms of teaching and learning, inquiry emphasizes the
process of learning in order to develop deep understanding in students in addition to the
intended acquisition of content knowledge and skills. Popular discussions on education as
well as recent findings in the learning sciences came to the same conclusion. Instructors
should apply various methods for different societies in different times. The model of
education of 20th century classrooms was effective for that era of human history, but the
society we now live in requires new methods of thinking about the way of learning and
engaging teaching. Teachers are now faced with the challenge that former definitions of
learning is no longer beneficial in our present world where what we know is less important
that what we are able to do with knowledge for various usages.

According to the National Science Education Standards (NRC, 1996), inquiry is an important
teaching method in science. It includes various classroom activities, such as creating questions,
examining and observing text books and other sources of information, analyzing data,
synthesizing different sources of information, and communicating the results. Audet and Jordan
(2005) expressed that teachers play the role of facilitator who can guide students to ask
questions, state their opinions, and make discoveries in search for new understanding of
science. Cowan and Cipriani (2009) even introduced their first-graders into scientific inquiry
through an arts-integrated, pattern-searching approach to build a deeper understanding of
science content and processes. In fact, the scientific inquiry is congruent to the concept of
information literacy, because they both emphasize the reasoning and critical thinking.

A good definition that can be understood more easily is that critical thinking is the correct
assessing of statements (Ennis, 1962). This definition suffers from creative aspects of
critical thinking. The following definition can be better to minimize confusion in
communication. Critical thinking is a kind of reasonable thinking focused on deciding
what to believe or do. In other hand, for being reasonable and logical to know what to
do, a person must be able to identify conclusions and reasons, judge the quality of
argument and acceptability of its reasons and evidences, defend a position on an issue,
ask questions to clarify the problem, be open-minded, draw conclusion with caution.

However, Chang and Mao (1998) investigated the effects of an inquiry-based teaching in science
and received the meaningful higher achievement scores only at the comprehensive test, not at the
factual level. National Research Council (2000) also claimed that inquiry-based teaching may not

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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
be appropriate for the goal which made students to memorize information. In addition, an
inquiry-based study conducted by Brickman, Gormally, Armstrong, and Hallar (2009) found that
in inquiry students' literacy and research skills have improved, but these students gained less
self-confidence in scientific abilities compared to the traditional students. Furthermore, the roots
of both inquiry-based and problem-based approaches can be traced back to the progressive
movement,s beliespefcially(Audetto John&Jordan,Dewey2005; Delisle, 1997; Savery,
2006). Their common characteristics included learner-centered, active learning, as well as
real and ill-structured problems. By the same token, research results of inquiry learning were
also found in the problem-based learning studies (PBL). Reviewing problem-based learning
research from the past 30 years, Hung, Jonassen, and Liu (2008) concluded that PBL
curricula had better knowledge application and clinical reasoning skills, but performed less
well in basic or factual knowledge acquisition than traditional curriculum. On the other hand,
Strobel and Barneveld (2009) used a qualitative approach to find the effectiveness of PBL.
They expressed that problem-based learning was more effective for long-term retention, skill
development and satisfaction of students and teachers, while traditional approaches were
more effective and useful for short-term retention.

RESEARCH QUESTION
The aim of the study was to find an answer to the following research question:
Does inquiry-based learning enhance EFL learners critical thinking?

METHODOLOGY
Participants
A sample of 40 advanced EFL learners was randomly selected from different universities in
Isfahan, Iran. The participants were chosen from English majors who were advanced
university students at Khorasgan, Najafabad, and Isfahan University. They aged between 25
and 35 and included both genders. These academic students were all native Persian
speakers from different affiliations. They had normal economic status and were from
different geographical locations in Iran. They were divided to two groups of experimental
and control group. In this study there was an experimental group consisting of 20
participants and a control group with the same number of participants. The study became
feasible due to existence of experimental and control group, inquiry-based learning
treatment, critical thinking for pretest and posttest, and randomly selected participants.

Materials and Instruments

In order to explore the effect of IBL on CT, 40 participants from different universities filled in two
different questionnaires regarding their way of learning and thinking. These two questionnaires
were derived from the Internet and their reliability was found to be satisfactory (.81 and .93,
respectively) by three EFL experts while they were checking their face and content validity.
TOEFL test was used to measure the level of proficiency of the students. TOEFL test was used
to neutralize the possible effect of background knowledge of the students. This test included 20
reading comprehension tests which were to be answered by two groups of the
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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
students. There was another questionnaire to measure students' level of CT. It is a deductive
test for critical thinking and each question belongs to two different categories. The first one is
Delphi conceptualization and the second one is traditional categorization. The questionnaires
were devised in Persian (learners' mother tongue) not English. This is because of the main
format of these valid questionnaires and misunderstandings which may happen due to lack of
the exact correspondence between expressions in two languages. The first questionnaire asked
students to answer the questions according to the style of their learning. It asked about the
expectations the students may have about themselves or the way they learn more easily. This
questionnaire revealed the amount or level of inquiry-based learning in each student. The
second questionnaire asked questions which led to the level of critical thinking. The questions
were completely challenging in the way that they required concentration and critical thinking.

Procedure
The participants were divided into two equal groups. Each group had 20 members that
belonged to experimental group and control group. Before applying the experiments, TOEFL
tests were given to 40 members of two groups to ensure that the students were at the same
level of proficiency. Then critical thinking questionnaires were given to the 40 members of
two groups to ascertain that there were not meaningful differences between critical thinking
levels of these students. Afterwards, the first group of student was taught reading
comprehension by an ordinary traditional method and the second group was taught reading
comprehension by inquiry-based models of learning for one semester, which was about 15
sessions. In this experimental group, most of the learning responsibility was put on the
learners shoulders. After three months, when the semester finished, critical thinking
questionnaires were given to all of the students again to measure the effect of traditional
method and inquiry-based method on the amount critical thinking development.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this study, the researcher aimed to answer the question of whether IBL enhanced critical
thinking or not. To answer this question, quantitative evaluation using t test was employed.

Table 1: Descriptive Statistics of Pretest and Posttest for IBL Learners

Groups N Mean SD SEM
IBL Pretest 20 9.30 2.886 .645
IBL Posttest 20 14.70 2.203 .493

As it is displayed, for inquiry-based learners the mean of pretest was 9.30, but the mean
of posttest was 14.70. So the process of inquiry-based learning increased critical
thinking during 15 sessions, as this is also shown in the figure below. This figure shows
the mean of pretest and posttest of the experimental group.

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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org

Figure 1: The Mean of CT Scores Before and After IBL Treatment

The dark box indicates the mean of the pretest and the light box indicates the mean of
the posttest for experimental group.
Table 2: Quantitative Evaluation Using t Test for Pretest and Posttest of IBL Learners
t df Sig. (2-tailed) Mean Difference
-6.652 38 .000 -5.40

Based on the results of the t test analysis presented in Table 2, there was a significant
difference between the two tests (t = -6.652, p = .000 < .05).

Some studies were done regarding the implication of IBL. One of the studies discussed
about the integration of PBL which is a kind of IBL and General Studies for primary schools.
This research was done successfully due to having positive effects on information literacy,
educational skills, and attitude towards the use of Internet among students.

Another research was done to explore the relationship between engagement in the
classroom and active learning. The purpose of this research was to provide quantitative
evidence for the effect of problem-based learning on academic performance and
students' engagement. The results of the study showed that students in IBL groups were
much motivated to take the responsibility of the process of learning.

One of the studies discussed about the integration of PBL which is a kind of IBL and General Studies
for primary schools. This research was done successfully due to having positive effects on
information literacy, educational skills, and attitude towards the use of Internet among students.
Another study was conducted to use inquiry-based cellulose laboratory in promoting inquiry in
undergraduate students in biotechnology. The results indicated that students gained the ability to
measure cellulose activity after inquiry-based laboratory activities. The students found more
willingness and enthusiastic in doing given activities than in traditional classes. Another

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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
(IJLLALW)
Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
research was done to explore the relationship between engagement in the classroom
and active learning. The purpose of this research was to provide quantitative evidence
for the effect of problem-based learning on academic performance and students'
engagement. The results of the study showed that students in IBL groups were much
motivated to take the responsibility of the process of learning.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, this study was to explore whether IBL increased the amount of critical
thinking in the participants. The researcher performed an experiment to find the answer
to this question. The questionnaire of critical thinking acted as pretest before treatment
and posttest after treatment. Total scores of pretest were compared to the total scores of
posttests. The correlation formula of this comparison answered the second research
question. Inquiry-based learning can enhance critical thinking.

To recap what was mentioned previously, it can be implied that upcoming methods of teaching
and text books should consider student-centered ways of presenting lessons. It is a good idea to
the teachers to use new methods which motivate students to become curious and ask about
details of the context. Teachers can promote students' CT to guide them toward IBL. Text books
are excellent devices to increase students' motivation to not to be dependent to the teachers.
Text books can be promising sources to release students from teacher-centered approaches

Limitations of the Study

In every research, the researcher will be faced with some limitations. This study also had
some problems that must be controlled in order to not to reach to deadlock. One of the
limitations was the choice of the material that should be taught to the students to the
students in both control and experimental groups. Not every reading text was appropriate to
be taught according to these two different methods. There are lots of educational books in
the libraries but a few of them are challenging enough to be taught in IBL method. The
subject of readings was really important in a way that it was to be interesting, attractive, and
challenging enough to be taught to the students in IBL method.

It is true that IBL is very different from traditional methods, but teachers themselves are
important factors who can have great influence on the amount of learning. Each teacher has an
especial method for teaching. On the other hand, some of the teachers can convey the meaning
of something in the best way. Some teachers are born with the intrinsic talent of teaching. These
teachers are more successful in transferring the material to the students. This can be considered
as another limitation for this study because the two teachers who were teaching experimental
and control group might not be professional the same as each other. The educational level of
the participants was another limitation that the researcher was faced with. IBL is not a method
that can be presented freely in schools as a routine. Advanced students are more dependent
and willing to use IBL, but lower level students tend to use teacher-centered methods because
they direct the way of their own learning. With this point in mind, choosing appropriate
participant was difficult. Not every student could take part in this study.
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 International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World
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Volume 9 (3), July 2015; 134-141 Fattahi, F., & Haghverdi, H
EISSN: 2289-2737 & ISSN: 2289-3245 www.ijllalw.org
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