Understanding the Theoretical Foundations of Inquiry-Based Learning: Pivot For Productive Science Education in Africa

This paper examines the theoretical foundations of IBL and their relevance to science education in Africa. It draws on cognitive constructivism, social constructivism, situated cognition, collaborative learning, and Cognitive Load Theory to explain how learners construct scientific understanding through active and socially mediated experiences.

The paper also highlights challenges associated with implementing IBL in African classrooms, including limited resources, large class sizes, inadequate teacher preparation, curriculum constraints, cognitive overload, assessment difficulties, and learners' limited prior knowledge. Importantly, it argues that IBL should not be transplanted uncritically from Western contexts but adapted to African socio-cultural realities, including teacher authority, communal knowledge systems, and indigenous ways of knowing.