Page 173 - International Perspectives on Effective Teaching and Learning in Digital Education

Using Inquiry-Based Learning for Developing University Students’ Digital Skills

Table 1 Steps in the Scenario
Step Description
Step 1 Group work and research question formulation: classroom discussion in
(Engagement) which students were encouraged to reflect on their digital competences
and ways of improving their learning experiences using digital technology.
Students worked in groups to formulate a research question which would
address an improvement in their studies by employing digital technology.
Step  Exploration of relevant resources: students engaged in exploring the
(Exploration) available resources (digital tools and apps) and examined their relevance
for their research focus. The teacher played the role of facilitator,
answering their questions and guiding them through the data collection
process.
Step 3 Reflection and presentation of observations: the instructor led the
(Explanation) students through the process of finding and reviewing relevant literature
and sources aimed at evaluating the suitability of the selected digital tools.
Students presented their findings and observations to the instructor and
other groups.
Step 4 Peer–to–peer workshop design: students were given the task to use the
(Elaboration) evidence and information collected through their research to design and
carry out workshops for their peers and thus apply their learning in a
different context.
Step 5 Workshop evaluation: students first engaged in self– and peer–assessment
(Evaluation) based on jointly designed evaluation criteria. This was followed by a final
evaluation discussion with their instructor.

lection took place at the conclusion of the scenario through an online ques-
tionnaire and a focus group discussion, complemented by an in-depth analy-
sis of the scenario implementation.
The IBL scenario was implemented in the study course English for Education
Studies at the Faculty of Education, University of Primorska. Its primary aim
was to enhance students’ digital skills in educational contexts, encouraging
them to design and lead peer workshops on the use of various digital tools
and applications. The scenario followed five distinct steps, corresponding to
the phases of the 5E instructional model (Table 1):
Upon completing the scenario, students participated in an online ques-
tionnaire and a focus group discussion, where they shared their experiences,
attitudes, and perceived challenges related to the IBL approach.

Context and Participants
The study is related to the project Green, Digital and Inclusive University of Pri-
morska whose main objective is to enhance university teachers’ and students’
digital skills. The needs analysis conducted within the project revealed an in-
creased need to develop both teachers’ and students’ digital skills. This led to
a search for new and innovative approaches which would not only actively

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