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Inquiry-badlearning

Youngchildrenlovetoaskquestions.

It’soneofthewaysinwhichtheymake

noftheworldandtheirplaceinit.

Questionsarealsoapowerfultoolfor

educatorstopromotechildren’sthinking

ercitheirnof

agencyanddevelopvaluableandcomplex

ildrenare

abletopoquestionsandinvestigatethe

answers,theyfeelinchargeoftheirown

y-badapproachesto

learningharnessthisspiritofinvestigation,

creatinganinteresting,engagingand

meaningfulcurriculumthatuschildren’s

interestsandquestionsasastartingpoint

foreffectivelearning.

TheEarlyYearsLearningFramework(EYLF)

(DEEWR,2009)recognisinquiryasa

centralcomponentineffectivelearning,not

onlyinchildhoodbutalsothroughoutlife:

‘Activeinvolvementinlearningbuilds

children’sunderstandingsofconceptsand

thecreativethinkingandinquiryprocess

thatarenecessaryforlifelonglearning’

(EYLF,p.32).

LearningOutcomeFourspecifically

highlightstheimportanceofchildren

becomingconfidentandinvolvedlearners

throughthedevelopmentof‘skillsand

processsuchasproblemsolving,

inquiry,experimentation,hypothesising,

rearchingandinvestigating’(EYLF,p.35).

TheNationalQualityStandard(NQS)(ACECQA,2011)addressthiskindoflearningin

QualityArea1:Educationalprogramandpractice: