Is direct instruction and inquiry learning at odds, or are we caught up in the educational jargon? When we think about direct instruction, educators have a variety of definitions, the same is true of inquiry learning. Does a teacher have to land on one side or the other, or are the two instructional strategies two teacher tools that both have a positive impact on student learning?

Direct Instruction

John Hattie and his Visible Learning research is a great place to start in the quest for a better understanding of this instructional tool.  Visible Learning’s MetaX database is a real-time collection of the effect sizes of hundreds of researched ‘influences’. ‘Influences’, in this instance, are defined as the instructional strategies a teacher might utilize to increase student achievement and growth.  The effect size of an influence is based on the Hinge Point of 0.40, defined as the equivalent of 1 year of student achievement for 1 1-year period of time.  John Hattie defines Direct Instruction in the following way:

Direct instruction refers to instructional approaches that are structured, sequenced, and led by teachers. Direct instruction requires teachers to: have clear learning intentions and success criteria, building a commitment and engagement among the students in the learning task; use modeling and checking for understanding in their teaching; and engage in guided practice so that every student can demonstrate his or her grasp of new learning by working through an activity or exercise under the teacher’s direct supervision.

The effect size for direct instruction is 0.56 which equates to almost a year and a half of student achievement over a one-year period of time.  This is great news! Direct instruction is a meaningful tool that teachers should use in their classrooms. However, please note the inclusion of consistent and intentional interaction between students and the teacher in the direct instruction model.  Direct instruction is NOT a ‘sage on the stage’ model. There is a back-and-forth volley of questioning, processing, and thinking by students. Fisher and Frey (2023), in their 3rd edition of Better Learning sites direct instruction as a key component of their enhanced instructional model. However, Fisher and Frey also indicate that the gradual release model must include a block of time for student collaboration and they add that the components can be done in any order.  As we consider direct instruction, we want to create an image in our minds of students collaborating, talking to each other and the teacher, the teacher sharing information related to new content, and new ways of thinking about the content. Image from Better Learning (2023)

Inquiry Learning

On the other hand, let’s look at the definition of inquiry learning from Visible Learning. 

Inquiry-based instruction is a student-centered approach where the instructor guides the students through questions posed, methods designed, and data interpreted by the students. Through inquiry, the aim is for students to actively discover information and accumulate evidence to support their investigations. This could include asking questions and solving problems and often includes procedures such as small-scale investigations and practical projects.

 Inquiry learning is about questioning and curiosity. It’s about getting our students to be curious about what they’re learning and asking students to grapple with ideas and engage in productive struggle around that idea, then the teacher brings them back together so students are forming an understanding of the content. The effect size of inquiry learning is 0.53 which is also equivalent to approximately one and a half years of student achievement over a one-year period of time. Both strategies are incredibly valuable tools for a teacher to use.  Let’s consider one more instructional strategy.

Lecturing is defined as “where the instructor is directly presenting or speaking uninterrupted to a more passive audience.” The effect size of lecturing is -0.37 which defines a loss of learning of almost one year over a one-year period of time.  

Now is the time for honest self-reflection.  Are we utilizing instructional strategies that enhance student learning or are we incorporating more teacher talk than is beneficial? Only you can answer this question for yourself. A clear conclusion leads us to a continuum, not an either/or decision, where we are always working towards a balance of teacher-led and student-led instructional time in the classroom.

Research Basis:

Fisher, D., & Frey, N. (2023). Better learning through structured teaching: A framework for the gradual release of responsibility. ASCD.

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible learning for teachers: Maximizing impact on learning. Routledge.