Inquiry-based learning for first-year marketing principles studies

This paper provides an interpretive account of how a large student cohort deals with a major inquiry-based learning (IBL) assessment task in a first-year core Marketing Principles subject in undergraduate business studies. It offers a practical example of IBL in action in marketing and extends Hutchings and O’Rourke’s (2006) study of IBL in action in three ways (first-year cohorts, technology-enhanced IBL and the marketing discipline). Hutchings and O’Rourke’s four-part method for describing IBL in action is followed: (1) the enabling factors for the students’ work are described; (2) the process for which they decided on the task is discussed; (3) the method of work is considered, namely ongoing collaboration in a wiki and (4) the outcomes produced are discussed, i.e. a completed, unique wiki-based marketing plan for each group of students. The paper summarises the main lessons to be learnt for educators.