Which inquiry approach allows a problem to be solved using any method and emphasizes the process?

Which inquiry approach allows a problem to be solved using any method and emphasizes the process?

• A. Summative assessment
• B. Open inquiry
• C. Guided discovery
• D. Norm-referenced evaluation

Answer: (B)

Open inquiry is the approach where students tackle a problem with freedom to choose their own methods, deciding what questions to pursue, how to collect data, and how to interpret results. The emphasis is on the investigation process—planning, reasoning, and justification—rather than just obtaining a single correct answer. This mirrors how real-world problem solving works and helps learners develop critical thinking about how to approach evidence and draw conclusions. Guided discovery still provides some direction from the teacher, guiding students toward a solution with a suggested path, while structured inquiry gives a more fixed procedure to follow. Both place more constraints on method or steps than open inquiry. The other options describe assessment types rather than inquiry approaches, so they don’t fit the emphasis on flexible methods and process.

Open inquiry is the approach where students tackle a problem with freedom to choose their own methods, deciding what questions to pursue, how to collect data, and how to interpret results. The emphasis is on the investigation process—planning, reasoning, and justification—rather than just obtaining a single correct answer. This mirrors how real-world problem solving works and helps learners develop critical thinking about how to approach evidence and draw conclusions.

Guided discovery still provides some direction from the teacher, guiding students toward a solution with a suggested path, while structured inquiry gives a more fixed procedure to follow. Both place more constraints on method or steps than open inquiry. The other options describe assessment types rather than inquiry approaches, so they don’t fit the emphasis on flexible methods and process.