On the Effectiveness of Inquiry Learning in Colleges

Inquiry learning is an instructional method in which students,under the guidance of teachers,can build a knowledge system independently through the process of a scientific inquiry as scientists do.However,most of the inquiry learnings practiced presently in colleges are superficial and become a mere formality,ignoring the true inquiry process.This paper summarizes the basic thoughts and basic features of inquiry learning,analyzes the factors which affect the effectiveness of inquiry learning by combining with the teaching characteristics of colleges and universities,and puts forward five strategies of improving the effectiveness of inquiry learning.