Kathy Murdoch Busts some Myths about the Inquiry Cycle

There are a few common misunderstandings about The Inquiry Cycle.  Some of them have been blogged about by a guru of inquiry based learning, Kathy Murdoch.  Here are some excerpts from the blog post.

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Here are some of the more common misconceptions about ‘the cycle’ and my response to them. I hope it is as useful to read as it has been to write!!

Misconception 1: Inquiry is all about ‘the cycle’. We DO the cycle….therefore, we DO inquiry.


Misconception 2: The cycle is a recipe. We need to follow the stages in sequence for it to ‘work out’ in the end.


#Misconception 3: All inquiries go through the same phases over a similar time frame.


# Misconception 4: Using a ‘cycle’ as a guide, we can plan a complete unit of inquiry for students
I think this is the most troubling use of the cycle I see. The cycle should INFORM planning, guide it but it doesn’t mean we can create the whole thing before we start. When I use a planner with the elements of the cycle in it – I see that planner as a guide throughout the process – not as a template to be filled in one sitting. The cycle is emergent….how kids ‘sort out’ the ideas information depends on what they gather – and that is not something we can determine in detail. The cycle unfolds.

#Misconception 5: The cycle is for teachers.


#Misconception 6: The cycle only applies to ‘units of inquiry’ in disciplines like science and social studies.


# Misconception 7: It’s my way or the highway or ‘there is only one cycle’….


A cycle of inquiry helps us plan and teach with intention. When it is understood, it pushes us beyond simply coming up with ‘activities’ and challenges us to think about how skills and concepts can be developed and deepened over time. It gives us some shared ‘meta’ language to use with students and colleagues



Click here for the full article.