How am I using inquiry-based learning to improve my practice and to encourage higher order thinking among my students of mathematics?

In this paper, I describe and explain how I enquired into my own practice as a teacher of mathematics in a post-primary school. I engaged in an action research study as I explored how I could use inquiry-based learning (IBL) to encourage higher order thinking among my students of mathematics. I did this through two cycles of action research. In cycle one my focus was on introducing IBL into my lessons. The focus of cycle two was on improving the students’ ability to write-up their inquiries. Through the cycles of the enquiry, I gained a deeper understanding of the values embodied in my practice as a teacher. I used these values as my living standards of judgement by which I judged my practice. During the research period I successfully integrated the levels of inquiryas advocated by the European Seventh Framework project ‘Pathway’ into my teaching and used the SOLO taxonomy as a way of assessing higher order thinking.In my study, I show how my students engaged in the inquiry-based learning process as I asked, researched and answered the question ‘How can I use inquiry-based learning to improve my practice and to encourage higher order thinking among my students of mathematics?’  Through the research process, my own learning and that of my students has been transformed and this gives me enormous satisfaction.