Enquiry-based learning is a powerful approach to pedagogy that is frequently engaging and motivating for students.

As a result, it often leads to deep learning – that is, learning in which students actively come to terms with things in their own minds, as opposed to learning in which knowledge is acquired or assimilated as a thing in itself.

Before we look at enquiry questions, it is worth thinking briefly about this idea of deep learning.

The phrase is somewhat vague. Yet, at the same time, it offers a metaphor that points towards something we think to be the case. This is especially so if we contrast it with its opposite – shallow or surface learning.

It might be best to think of the word ‘deep’ in the context of its synonym ‘profound’ and some of the further terms with which that is associated – multifaceted, multi-layered, meaningful and the phrase ‘full of meaning’.

Deep learning can be thought of as referring to learning that goes beyond simply being familiar with something, knowing what it is or being able to recount verbatim a thing that has been memorised.

The reason why enquiry-based instruction stands a high chance of leading to meaningful, multifaceted learning is because it is purposeful and directed.

Therefore, the student has a stake in what is going on and a reason to be involved.

If your faculties are engaged, it is more likely you will think actively about what is happening.

If you are thinking actively, it is inevitable that your experience of your own learning is more likely to be profound (or, even, just closer to profound than might otherwise be the case).

Now we can return to enquiry questions and present some brief guidelines on developing them:

1. Enquiry questions should cause students to enquire.
2. They should, therefore, be based on a subject. It is into this subject that students will enquire.
3. Students are likely to be more motivated by interesting questions.
4. If you are not sure what an interesting question looks like, ask your students.
5. It should be possible for students to reach some kind of endpoint in their enquiry. This does not necessarily mean finding a final answer.
6. Questions should, therefore, be written with some prospective endpoints in mind. The teacher ought to have an idea of where students might be able to get to with the questions.
7. Do not feel obliged to have one question. A host of enquiry questions could be derived from a single topic, with students then choosing which one they want to pursue.
8. Work with pupils to come up with questions. Present then with some stimulus material and guide them in constructing a series of questions.
9. If a question is not working, change it. What sounds great in theory does not always work out in practice.
10. If necessary, provide a series of sub-questions that pupils can use to guide their enquiry into the main question.