Blog Post #2 – Learning Design (Inquiry-Based Learning)

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With the rise of online scams and phishing attempts, scammers have become more sophisticated with the manipulation tactics they employ to swindle people out of their hard-earned money or steal sensitive information. As such, it is now more important than ever to educate learners about the risks and equip them with the critical thinking skills necessary to protect themselves from these phishing attempts. For my chosen instructional approach, I explored inquiry-based learning and how it can be effectively applied to teaching about phishing and online scams.

Inquiry-based learning comes from the constructivist learning theory and encourages students to explore real-world problems by asking questions and using critical thinking to shape their answers. Instead of passively listening to content, it facilitates active learning by getting learners to interact with the world and explore topics (Weller).

This approach aligns well with the topic of phishing because recognizing online scams requires more than just memorizing warning signs. To be digitally literate and proficient in recognizing scams, one also must know how to critically evaluate messages, links, and sources. In an inquiry-based digital literacy lesson, students might ask questions like “Why do people fall for phishing emails?” or “What makes a scam convincing?” From there, learners could investigate real-world examples of phishing attempts, compare their characteristics, and identify patterns between attempts.

Additionally, an inquiry-based learning lesson on phishing encourages students to take control of their own digital agency. Rather than just being told what a scam looks like, they learn how to recognize suspicious cues through their own exploration. This promotes lasting skills that will help students protect themselves from phishing attempts and online scams for the rest of their lives.

In our interactive learning resource, one of the activities we have planned is to show students a series of legitimate and phishing emails. From there, they will be asked to determine which are scams and why. This activity promotes pattern recognition and self-reflection as the learner has to analyze message intent and structure.

An inquiry-based learning approach empowers learners to think critically, ask questions, and remain skeptical of online content. It encourages active participation in the learning process and helps develop the kind of digital literacy skills needed to protect oneself from online scams.

Works Cited

Weller, David. “What is Inquiry-Based Learning?” Barefoot TEFL Teacher, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.barefootteflteacher.com/p/what-is-inquiry-based-learning.