Search for the Woolly Mammoth: A Case Study in Inquiry-Based Learning

Over the ages university teachers have searched for more and more effective methods of transferring knowledge. In this new millennium academic teachers have been exhorted to embrace new technology, be more flexible, and move from teacher-centered learning to student-centered learning. Educators are told constantly to allow students to be responsible for their own learning. The transmission-style lecture, potentially effective and practical in circumstances such as large classes, is still the major teaching approach used in universities today. Veterinary curricula in universities such as Mississippi University and Cornell are replacing traditional-style lectures with student-centered forms of learning that begin with problems. Traditional learning approaches can be likened to guidebooks the students read, while active, Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) is a more experiential approach—the student becomes the traveler and takes the actual journey. This journey is guided by interaction with teacher and peers and helps students make connections among previously disparate and incoherent bits of information. Research by Rand found that veterinary students who experienced problemsolving approaches to learning had a better understanding of core principles and gained the ability to apply those principles to novel situations. Problem-based approaches allow students to formulate an integrated, holistic understanding of the learning material. Not only does the learning that they experience during their journey help to promote better understanding of concepts, it also encourages students to ask relevant questions, identify important issues, evaluate evidence, and use critical reasoning to formulate conclusions.