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Visible Learning™
Visible Learning MetaX™
Version 1.4 – Updated February 2026

Inquiry-based teaching

Overview

  • Influence: Inquiry-based teaching
  • Domain: Teaching Strategies
  • Sub-Domain: Instructional strategies
  • Potential to Accelerate Student Achievement: Potential to accelerate
  • Influence Definition: 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.

Evidence

  • Number of meta-analyses: 12
  • Number of studies: 431
  • Number of students: 19,195
  • Number of effects: 652
  • Weighted mean effect size: 0.51
  • Robustness index: 4

Meta-Analyses

Meta-Analyses
Journal Title Author Article Name Year Published Variable Number of Studies Number of Students Number of Effects Effect Size
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Sweitzer & Anderson A meta-analysis of research on science teacher education practices associated with inquiry strategy 1983 Inquiry teaching in science 68 NA 19 0.44
Journal of Research in Science Teaching Shymansky, Hedges & Woodworth A reassessment of the effects of inquiry-based science curricula of the 60's on student performance 1990 Inquiry methods in science 81 NA 320 0.27
Conference paper Bangert-Drowns Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Inquiry-Based Instruction on Critical Thinking 1992 Inquiry teaching effects on critical thinking 21 NA 21 0.37
Dissertation Smith A meta-analysis of student outcomes attributable to the teaching of science as inquiry as compared to traditional methodology 1997 Inquiry method in science 35 7,437 60 0.17
Review of Educational Research Lazonder & Harmsen Meta-Analysis of Inquiry-Based Learning: Effects of Guidance 2016 Inquiry learning 72 NA 72 0.62
AERA Open Estrella, Au, Jaeggi, & Collins Is Inquiry Science Instruction Effective for English Language Learners? A Meta-Analytic Review 2018 Inquiry on ELL science 23 8,291 23 0.28
Journal of the Turkish Science Education Aktamis, Hidge, & Ozden Effects of the inquiry-based learning method on student's' achievements, science process skills, and attitude towards science: A meta-analysis science 2016 Inquiry learning in science 16 NA 16 1.03
Review of Educational Research Furtak, Seidel, Iverson & Briggs Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of inquiry-based science teaching: A meta-analysis 1998 Inquiry method in science 37 NA 37 0.50
Tadris: Jurnal Keguruan dan Ilmu Tarbiyah Abdurrahman Efektivitas dan Kendala Pembelajaran Sains Berbasis Inkuiri terhadap Capaian Dimensi Kognitif Siswa: Meta Analisis.  2017 Inquiry methods in science 15 2,118 15 0.46
International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies Kaçar, Terzi, Arikan, & Kirikçi The Effect of Inquiry-Based Learning on Academic Success: A Meta-Analysis Study.  2021 Inquiry methods 30 NA 30 1.15
Journal of Pedagogical Research Heindl Inquiry-based learning and the pre-requisite for its use in science at school: A meta-analysis. 2019 Inquiry methods in science 13 NA 13 0.74
International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology Antonio & Prudente Effects of inquiry-based approaches on students' higher-order thinking skills in science: A meta-analysis.  2024 Inquiry on higher thinking skills 20 1,349 26 0.89
TOTAL/AVERAGE 431 19,195 652 0.58
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