The definition of inquiry is to seek from within. In order for Roth and Smith to use IBL in their teaching they needed to define what inquiry meant to them. They started from the idea of questions: between the ages of two and five kids ask around 40,000 questions, by the time they get to middle school this number dramatically lowers. Why does question asking stop after the age of five?
Definition of Inquiry-Based Education from Alberta Education:
Effective inquiry is more than just asking questions. Inquiry-based learning is where students formulate questions, investigate to find answers, build new understandings, meanings and knowledge, and then communicate their learnings to others. In classes where teachers emphasize IBL, students are actively involved in authentic (real life) problems within the context of the curriculum and the community. These powerful learning experiences engage students deeply.