Education

Implementing and Adjusting Project-Based Inquiry in a Secondary English Language Arts Classroom

Document Type

Book Chapter

Abstract

Student engagement is key to academic achievement. Research shows that, among other factors, choice, a sense of autonomy, and shared decision-making contribute to increased engagement. Both project-based learning (PBL) and inquiry learning (IL) constitute two approaches to curriculum and instruction that stemfrom the belief that active involvement in learning facilitates student engagement and combine to form project-based inquiry (PBI) -a process that centers around phases starting with developing a compelling question and ending with a means for sharing or publishing the answers to the question. This combination served as the impetus for the author, as a high school English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, to introduce a yearlong inquiry project into 11th-grade classes. This study uses a teacher research design to document the author's efforts as a secondary ELA teacher to introduce and then refine an inquiry project over several years. Findings related to scaffolding meaningful research skills and cultivating a sense of ownership over project topics will be discussed. © 2026, IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

Publication Title

Higher Education Classrooms as Places for Inquiry: Stories and Methods from Practitioner Researchers

Publication Date

2025

First Page

373

Last Page

411

ISBN

9798337303055

DOI

10.4018/979-8-3373-0305-5.ch013

Keywords

project-based inquiry, English Language Arts, student engagement, project-based learning

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