Curricular reform efforts are underway in many countries, focused on adopting inquirybased approaches to teaching and learning. Therefore, it is increasingly important to understand what outcomes students attain in inquiry environments. Derived from a literature review, a 23-item, criterion-referenced inventory is presented for theoretically implied and empirically based outcomes or benefits for students engaging in inquiry, and includes research on overlapping pedagogical topics such as discovery learning and problem-based learning. Student outcomes include knowledge and skills, intrinsic motivation, and development of expertise, among others. Supporting research is primarily available in the areas of cognitive and affective outcomes (e.g., knowledge, skills, motivation, attitudes, and creativity). This list can be used as a starting point for research or converted into professional development tools.

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Inquiry-based instruction is common to nearly every model of gifted education. Six teachers of 14 secondary classes were briefly interviewed about their teaching and learning methods, use of inquiry-based strategies, classroom descriptions, a typical day, student expectations, and inquiry-instruction outcomes. A criterion-referenced checklist of 25 qualities of inquiry classrooms was used in a protocol analysis of the transcribed interviews. The classes were previously categorized as Most, Middle, and Least Inquiry with a modification of Llewellyn’s simplified rubric for inquiry teaching complemented by teacher and student interviews and a teacher questionnaire. Extent of inquiry was well identified using only the teacher interviews and checklist. Teachers of Most Inquiry classrooms mentioned 21 or 25 of the 25 inquiry items. Middle Inquiry teachers mentioned 17 and 18 items. Least Inquiry teachers noted 6 and 9. Brief teacher interviews with a relatively straightforward coding system can assess the extent of classroom inquiry students experience.

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