There is an old saying, tell me and I forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand. The last part of this statement is the essence of inquiry-based learning. Students rather than learning passively from the teacher and memorising facts, construct your own understanding and knowledge. The concept of inquiry-based learning is something that all of us experience through our entire lives. Growing up, children are continually asking questions in an attempt to make sense of the world. We all want to understand the world around us, or try to figure out how it works, and we do this by asking questions. For example, how are engines able to make cars move? Or why is the sky always grey in Ireland? It is our natural urge to inquire, and during this process we are continually thinking in order to make meaning. Essentially inquiry-based learning starts with the question. Many of us have grown up learning through traditional methods. In this approach, teachers act as the sage on the stage, passing on information from a textbook to the students in a step-by-step process. Success is then measured in the student's ability to recite this information with a focus on reproducing one correct answer. In inquiry-based learning is more dynamic than this, as it actively involves students in their own learning. In inquiry-based learning stems from John Dewy's constructivist theory that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing things and then reflecting on those experiences. Constructivists believe that children learn best when they ask questions and investigate solutions. We add new knowledge as they gather information, discuss their discoveries and experiences and reflect on new knowledge. In other words, students learning is not based on teacher-directed activities as chess recall, but rather they are learning the skills to synthesise, interpret and evaluate information. In an inquiry-teaching approach, the teacher acts as a facilitator of the student's learning rather than the provider of information. As well as having an excellent understanding of the content, the teacher also needs to carefully plan their learning units. This planning will involve the teacher either developing an open-ended question or devising a topic based on the curriculum for the students to determine their own questions. It will also involve designing exploration type activities that activates prior knowledge and engages the students. Typically, the lesson will start with an open-ended question devised by the teacher, the students or sometimes both. Through the use of carefully planned activities, the teacher will then encourage students to discuss the question and search for their own answers. It is during this process where students gather resources, do their own research and synthesise the information. They then present and share their findings. Finally, the students will then need to be given the opportunity to reflect on their learning. Through this process, students are building their own knowledge. Naturally, every class is different and the approach of the teacher will vary according to the ability of the class and the topic. Teachers are able to utilise different levels of inquiry from a structured approach to an open inquiry. They are essentially three levels of inquiry, structured, guided and open. A structured approach is where the teacher may need directly inquiry. The teacher provides a question to be investigated and they would then provide step-by-step instructions that will help enable the students to discover the answers. These kinds of inquiries are important because they enable students to gradually develop their abilities to conduct more open-ended inquiries. It is also a good level to start for teachers who are new to inquiry-based learning. With guided inquiry, the teacher generally chooses the questions, but the students would take more responsibility for establishing the direction and methods of their inquiry. The teacher plays an important role in guiding the inquiry. This could be a feedback or posing further questions that help lead the students in the right direction. In an open inquiry, the students take the lead in establishing the question and methods while the teacher takes on the support of the role. Having students ask the questions that guide their own investigations is the key to open inquiry and requires higher order thinking. It is also possible to use a combination of two types of inquiry and this is called coupled inquiry. For example, the teacher could begin with a guided inquiry phase followed by an open inquiry phase. If the teacher understands the different levels of inquiry, then they can vary the learning experiences according to the needs of their students.