Researchers like Harada, Yoshina, Donham, Bishop, Kuhlthau, and Oberg have pointed out the
benefits for students to move from rote to inquiry learning. However, “the norm in many classrooms
remains teaching practice that results in rote learning and regurgitated facts.” In recent
years, the Hong Kong government’s Education Bureau has put inquiry-based learning as the first
emphasis under the new General Studies curriculum for primary schools with the objective of
“creating more learning space by removing obsolete content, allowing more time for inquiry-based
learning.” Many schools are now attempting to incorporate this mode of learning into their curriculum.
This study reports on two phases of IBL projects undertaken by 141 grade 4 students,
each phase lasting for two to three months. The projects were led by general studies teachers and
heavily supported by Chinese-language teachers, the information technology teacher, and the
school librarian. Through analyzing the lesson plans, in-class exercises, homework assignments,
written reports, presentations by students, and data collected through surveys and interviews, this
article focuses specifically on the role of the general studies teachers in guiding students through
the inquiry process. It also analyzes the students’ development of knowledge and research skills, as
well as students’ and parents’ perceptions of the projects.