Comparing Approaches
Comparing Educational Approaches to Learning
Characteristic |
Inquiry-based Learning |
Project-based Learning |
Problem-based Learning |
Case-based Learning |
Explores real world problems and challenges. |
May or may not |
May or may not |
√ |
√ |
Students work in groups. |
√ |
May or may not |
√ |
√ |
Involves active and engaged learning. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Students are self-directed. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Students practice and learn organizational skills. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Students practice and learn research skills. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Students develop communication skills. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Approach allows flexibility. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Process allows integration of technology. |
√ |
√ |
√ |
√ |
Students decide what they need to learn, identify resources, decide how best to learn from them, use resources to report learning, and assess their progress. |
√ |
√ |
|
|
Students have a significant voice in selecting the content areas and nature of the topics they investigate. |
√ |
|
|
|
Students have some choice in deciding what they will work on. |
√ |
√ |
|
|
Students focus on developing a product or creations, and complete a project. |
|
√
|
|
|
Educational goals may or may not address a specific topic or problem. |
√ |
√ |
|
|
Problems are truly ill-structured–there is not meant to be one solution. As new information is gathered in a reiterative process, perception of the problem, and thus the solution, changes. |
|
√ |
√ |
√ |