Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century: Play Based & Inquiry Learning

Wednesday, November 9, 2022

Play Based & Inquiry Learning

Curiosity has been shown to make our brains more receptive to what we are learning (Stenger, 2014), it is also proven that when children are happier, they learn more (Yost, 2002). This is why play based and inquiry learning is so important for young learners. It is extremely beneficial for children to inquire and discover on their own. It is also important for them to enjoy and to feel connected to the work they are doing to get the most out of their educational experience. Play based learning can be hard for some teachers to implement with class sizes and lack of support. Especially as students get older, the classroom consists of less "play", however play can be as simple as setting up hands on learning or exploration stations, or utilizing learning games such as prodigy.

I have found some additional resources teachers can use to help implement play and inquiry based learning into their classroom. Play based and inquiry learning also gives teachers a way to differentiate their teaching to the different students and learning styles in their classrooms.