Inquiry-Based STEM and Environmental Education

Inquiry-Based STEM Learning is an educational methodology that encourages students to investigate environmental problems through questioning, observation, experimentation, and evidence-based reasoning. In Türkiye, this approach has been increasingly implemented in STEM and environmental education projects, particularly through TÜBİTAK-supported outdoor learning initiatives and science education programmes.
Students actively participate in learning processes by identifying environmental issues, collecting and analysing data, testing hypotheses, and developing possible solutions related to sustainability, biodiversity, pollution, and ecological systems. Teachers act as facilitators who guide students through inquiry and discovery rather than direct instruction.
Within the Environment-Based Learning (EBL) framework, inquiry-based learning allows students to connect mathematics and science with real-life environmental contexts. Natural environments become learning laboratories where students observe patterns, measure variables, interpret scientific evidence, and apply STEM competences to authentic situations.
This methodology is especially valuable for disadvantaged educational contexts because it promotes active participation, curiosity, collaboration, and experiential learning. It supports the development of critical thinking, scientific literacy, problem-solving, and environmental awareness while increasing students’ motivation and engagement in STEM subjects.