Enquiry and Project Based Learning : Students, School and Society

This book is about enquiry based learning (and related problem based learning – EBL and PBL) and its implications for teachers, schools, students and society. Many within the education community, teachers and academics feel that ‘standards’ education is not serving us well: not preparing students for work, life, HE, citizenship, health & well-being, and not sustaining interest in education and learning. Standards education is not providing a balanced, purposeful, motivating curriculum

Many schools in the UK and indeed other countries have lost a vision of the curriculum as an induction into the challenges, joys and stresses of life, or indeed any vision of the curriculum as a transformative or societal medium. Schools are shaped by socio-cultural historical factors which predominantly stress exam performance. However both amongst teachers and wider society there is a considerable suppressed desire to transform educational outcomes and EBL and PBL are the prime candidates for achieving such a goal. Enquiry is education driven by curiosity, questions and solving problems and the outcomes are both equal or better than standard outcomes and also better intrinsically, preparing students to be learners and citizens.

Many teachers, schools, parents and community organisations feel that ‘standards’ education is not serving us well. It has proved ineffective at preparing many students for work, higher education and general wellbeing, nor does it keep students engaged and intrinsically motivated, capable of sustaining interest in education and learning. There is a supressed desire to transform educational outcomes, and enquiry based learning (EBL) and project based learning (PBL) are the prime candidates for achieving such a goal.

EBL is education that is driven by curiosity, questions and problem solving, with the capacity to produce results that are equal to or better than standard outcomes. This new text provides a critical examination of EBL and PBL by exploring a wide range of international exemplars and considering the benefits, barriers and contradictions generated by the efforts of teachers and schools. Focusing on analytical frameworks and socio-cultural theory, areas covered include:

• enquiry and society
• what EPBL is
• learning through enquiry
• challenges for schools and teachers
• student outcomes and assessment
• teacher learning
• curriculum development.

offers analytical frameworks and practical guidance for students, teachers and all those interested in enquiry based learning, as well as presenting a balanced, purposeful and motivating alternative to mainstream educational practice.