Rannsóknamiðaða

Rannsóknamiðaða is Icelandic for an inquiry-based or research-led approach to learning and teaching. It refers to a pedagogical orientation in which students engage with questions, problems, or phenomena, conduct investigations, gather and analyze evidence, and construct their own understanding. The approach is rooted in constructivist ideas that knowledge develops through active, autonomous inquiry rather than passive reception.

In practice, teachers design learning situations around a guiding question or real-world problem. Students propose sub-questions, plan and carry out investigations, collect and interpret data, and present conclusions. The teacher acts as facilitator and guide, shaping the learning environment, providing resources, and scaffolding skills such as research methods, collaboration, and reflection. Formats often include projects, fieldwork, and cross-curricular tasks, with assessment emphasizing the inquiry process, the quality of evidence, and the ability to communicate findings, frequently through portfolios or presentations.

Benefits commonly attributed to rannsóknamiðaða learning include enhanced critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, student autonomy, and motivation. It can support transfer of learning to authentic contexts and foster skills such as collaboration, digital literacy, and information literacy. When well-implemented, it aligns with aims of developing competences valued in modern education.

Challenges include the need for time and resources to design meaningful inquiries, professional development for teachers, and ensuring coherent alignment with curriculum standards and assessment frameworks. There can also be variability in implementation quality and concerns about equity in access to opportunities for inquiry.

Rannsóknamiðaða sits within a broader family of inquiry-, project-, and problem-based learning approaches and is often promoted in Icelandic educational policy as a means to cultivate active, participatory learning and competencies across disciplines.