What is inquiry-based learning?

Inquiry-based learning is a student-centered approach where learning is driven by questions, problems, and investigations. Students engage in seven forms of inquiry — from structured to open-ended — to build knowledge, develop critical thinking, and deepen understanding across subject areas.

What are good questions in education?

Good questions in education are questions that activate, advance, assess, and augment student learning. According to Erik M. Francis, good questions prompt students to demonstrate and discuss their learning at different levels of Depth of Knowledge (DOK), fostering curiosity, critical thinking, and deeper engagement with content.

How do good questions connect to Depth of Knowledge (DOK)?

Good questions are the primary vehicle for engaging students at different DOK levels. By rephrasing academic standards into student-centered questions, teachers can design learning experiences that require recall, skill application, strategic thinking, and extended reasoning — the four levels of Depth of Knowledge.

What professional development does Maverik Education offer on inquiry-based learning?

Maverik Education offers Good Questions for Inquiring Minds professional learning in four formats: half-day sessions, full-day workshops, professional learning series, and train-the-trainer programs. All formats are facilitated by Erik M. Francis and grounded in his books Inquiring Minds Want to Learn and Now That's a Good Question.

Who is Erik M. Francis?

Erik M. Francis is an internationally recognized educational consultant, author, and speaker. He is the founder of Maverik Education and the author of Deconstructing Depth of Knowledge, Inquiring Minds Want to Learn, and Now That's a Good Question. He has been recognized by Global Gurus as one of the world's Top 30 Education Professionals.

What is the Inquiring Minds Framework?

The Inquiring Minds Framework is a model developed by Erik M. Francis that helps teachers design and deliver inquiry-based learning experiences anchored by good questions. It identifies seven forms of student inquiry and provides a clear path from standards to student-centered questioning to deep learning.

MAVERIK

EDUCATION

Professional Learning

GOOD QUESTIONSFOR INQUIRING MINDS

A Schoolwide Solution

Inquiring MindsWant to Learn

The Situation

Students are expected to ask questions, think deeply, and explain their responses, results, or reasoning. However, most classroom questions are low-level, teacher-directed, and focused on recall. Without clear criteria for what makes a question good or a framework that promotes student inquiry, educators struggle to design learning experiences that genuinely challenge students to think, wonder, investigate, and express the depth and extent of their learning.

The Solution

Build a shared understanding of what good questions do and how to use them to plan and provide inquiry-based teaching and learning experiences that are educational, engaging, and enriching.

Our Approach

What Is a Good Question?

Clarify what makes a question good and how good questions drive teaching and learning.

Types of Good Questions

Identify the types of good questions and how each promotes cognitive rigor and student inquiry.

Questioning for DOK

Use good questions to prompt students to demonstrate and discuss their learning at different DOK Levels.

Standards as Questions

Rephrase the performance objectives of academic standards and learning targets into good questions.

Forms of Inquiry

Recognize the seven forms of inquiry and choose the right form based on the demand of the standard and the needs of the students.

Inquiring Minds Framework

Design and deliver inquiry-based learning experiences that are standards driven and student responsive.

Learning Outcomes

What YouWill Learn

Identify the types of good questions that promote cognitive rigor and student inquiry.
Recognize the seven forms of inquiry students can engage in and experience.
Understand how good questions prompt students to demonstrate and discuss their learning at different levels of Depth of Knowledge (DOK).
Pose good questions to activate, advance, assess, and augment student learning.
Rephrase the performance objectives of academic standards and learning targets into good questions.
Develop and deliver inquiry-based learning experiences using the Inquiring Minds Framework.
Choose which form of inquiry students will engage in based on the demand of the standards and the needs of the students.
Plan and provide inquiry-based teaching and learning experiences that are standards-based, student supportive, and driven by good questions.

Companion Resources

Inquiring Minds Want to Learn

Solution Tree

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Now That's a Good Question!

ASCD

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Flexible Delivery

Training Formats

Half-Day Session

An engaging introduction to inquiry-based learning and the power of good questions. Ideal for professional development days, faculty meetings, or conference sessions.

Full-Day Workshop

A comprehensive exploration of the types of good questions, inquiry-based lesson design, and classroom application. Includes collaborative planning and practice.

Professional Learning Series

Extended professional learning that implements inquiry-based teaching practices over multiple sessions with continuous coaching, guidance, and support.

Train-the-Trainer

Equip your instructional coaches and teacher leaders to facilitate and implement Inquiring Minds professional learning internally. Builds sustainable capacity so your school keeps growing.

Exclusive to Maverik Education

LAUNCH MAVERIK EDUCATION AI

Good Questions AI Assistant

A personalized, interactive AI assistant that uses the work of Erik M. Francis to help teachers and instructional leaders do the following:

✓Generate good questions that engage students at different DOK levels
✓Design inquiry-based learning experiences anchored by essential questions
✓Rephrase academic standards into student-centered questions
✓Receive personalized coaching and support on using good questions to deepen student learning

Don't rely on generic edtech AI. Our AI Assistant draws from a credible knowledge source so every response is accurate, authentic, and aligned to your school's specific goals and needs.

AI Book Study
Inquiring Minds Want to Learn

✓Review and reflect on the entire book or chapter-by-chapter
✓Respond to on-demand discussion prompts and guiding questions
✓Complete activities and engage in simulated scenarios to practice inquiry-based learning
✓Receive personalized coaching and support aligned to your subject area and grade level

Earn microcredentials through

AI Book Study
Now That's a Good Question

✓Review and reflect on the entire book or chapter-by-chapter
✓Respond to on-demand discussion prompts and guiding questions
✓Complete activities and engage in simulated scenarios to practice questioning strategies
✓Receive personalized coaching and support aligned to your subject area and grade level