Inquiry Based Education
"In the context of science education, inquiry is a major means for learners to extend their understanding of the natural and made environment. It is essentially active learning, inseparably combining both mental and physical activity. The motivation for inquiry is within the learner and the learner's relation to the things around him or her. Inquiry starts with something that intrigues, that raises a question in the mind of the learner - although it is not necessarily expressed as a question - something that is not presently understood, that does not fit with expectations, or just something that the learner wants to know about, defining the cutting edge of learning in a particular area."
This is a very good definition by Wynne Harlen, UK.
See:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/ifi/resources/inquirydesc.html#wynneh or
http://www.entdeckendes-lernen.de/3biblio/definitionen/definitionen.htm#wynne
