Inquiry Based Learning Models, Information Literacy, and Student Engagement: A literature review

This paper explores the research literature relevant to the increasingly popular field of Inquiry Based Learning (IBL) practices in K-12 academic environments. IBL is constructivist and student-centered (Barron & Darling-Hammond, 2008; Condliffe, Visher, Bangser, Drohojowska & Saco 2016; Duffy & Raymer, 2010; Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari, 2015), leveraging student motivation and engagement through its grounding in authentic, relevant study (Deci & Ryan, 2016; Saunders-Stewart, Gyles, Shore & Bracewell, 2015). Recent research shows positive academic and achievement gains for students engaged in IBL work and the practice is growing.