The Rise of Agentic Inquiry in the Classroom

“The future doesn’t belong to students who can find the right answer. It belongs to those who know how to ask the right question.”

Walk into almost any classroom today and you’ll see technology everywhere. Students collaborate in shared documents. They complete assignments online. They watch videos, conduct internet research, and use educational apps that would have seemed unimaginable just a decade ago. Schools have invested millions in devices, digital platforms, and learning management systems.

Yet students are often still asked to locate information, summarize what they find, answer predetermined questions, and demonstrate mastery through traditional assessments.

Artificial intelligence is different.

Unlike previous educational technologies, AI doesn’t simply help students access information. It helps them generate ideas, explore perspectives, analyse data, create solutions, and engage in dialogue. It has the potential to become less like a digital textbook and more like an intellectual collaborator.

This shift requires us to rethink how learning itself happens. The question educators must ask is no longer, “How do we use AI in the classroom?”, but instead, “How can AI deepen inquiry, critical thinking, and authentic learning?”

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Why Things Feel Different

Education has experienced several technological revolutions – from personal computers to the internet, search engines, and mobile devices. Each innovation changed how students learned. Artificial intelligence is changing how students think.

Suggested Article: The Potential of AI in the Classroom

If education is primarily about remembering information, AI presents a challenge. If education is about developing thinkers, innovators, collaborators, ethical decision-makers, and lifelong learners, AI presents one of the greatest opportunities education has ever encountered.

Ontario’s curriculum reflects this reality through its emphasis on seven transferable skills:

Critical thinking and problem solving
Innovation
Creativity and entrepreneurship
Self-directed learning
Collaboration
Communication
Global citizenship and sustainability
Digital literacy

These competencies are intended to be developed across every subject because learning today is about applying knowledge in authentic contexts, not merely recalling facts.

Read: The importance of transferrable skills in the Ontario Curriculum

Each transferable skill can be strengthened through purposeful AI integration. Students can use AI to brainstorm ideas, compare perspectives, critique arguments, generate multiple approaches to a problem, and receive immediate feedback. The learning goal, however, is never the AI output; it is the student’s thinking about that output.

Inquiry Learning Was Already Preparing Us for This Moment

Inquiry-based learning begins with curiosity, moves through investigation, evidence gathering, analysis, creation, and reflection. AI does not replace this process – it accelerates it by allowing students to spend less time collecting background information and more time evaluating evidence, comparing perspectives, and solving authentic problems.

In addition, developing prompts requires students to ask richer questions. Inquiry teachers have always taught students that the quality of answers depends on the quality of questions. AI simply makes that relationship more visible than ever.

In terms of critical thinking, students must learn to verify evidence, recognize bias, challenge assumptions, and evaluate AI-generated responses. Inquiry classrooms naturally cultivate these habits by asking students to investigate, corroborate, and defend conclusions using credible evidence.

Finally, as information becomes more abundant, the teacher’s role shifts from delivering content to designing meaningful learning experiences and helping students develop the human capacities AI cannot replace.

Designing Agentic Inquiry Experiences

Agentic Inquiry is an approach to learning where students take ownership of asking questions, investigating authentic problems, evaluating information, using AI responsibly, and creating meaningful solutions that make an impact.

An Agentic Inquiry lesson begins with a compelling question rather than a technology tool. Students investigate using multiple sources – including AI where appropriate – evaluate the quality of information, collaborate with peers, and create solutions for authentic audiences. Reflection completes the cycle by helping learners refine both their thinking and their questioning.

Implementation Principles

Start small. Introduce AI within existing inquiry projects instead of creating entirely new units. Establish classroom norms around responsible AI use, transparency, citation, and verification. Encourage students to document how prompts evolve during an investigation so that questioning itself becomes visible learning.

The following section demonstrates how inquiry-based learning and responsible AI use can work together through six authentic, curriculum-aligned classroom projects. Each project follows the inquiry cycle: Wonder → Question → Investigate → Collaborate → Create → Reflect.

Agentic Inquiry Project Idea #1: Can We Afford Our Dream Playground? (Mathematics)

In this Agentic Inquiry project, students become landscape designers, engineers, mathematicians, researchers, financial planners, and community advocates. Rather than completing isolated math problems, they apply mathematical thinking to solve an authentic problem that could realistically be presented to the school council or administration.

Driving Question: How can we design a playground that our school community can actually afford?

The big idea we want students to understand is that mathematics helps us make informed decisions. Students will discover that several real-world projects require mathematical reasoning, budgeting, estimation, measurement, data analysis, and communication. You can begin by stating that the principal has announced: “Our school has received funding to improve the playground, but we only have $150,000. We want your class to design the best playground possible.” Students will quickly realize that they can’t just choose everything they want, and as such, mathematics and budgeting are essential tools for making informed decisions.

First Step: Inspiration

Instead of introducing this project by handing students a budget sheet or a list of mathematical expectations, begin by inviting them to imagine. Show photographs of playgrounds from around the world. Some might feature towering climbing structures, while others include natural play areas, sensory gardens, accessible equipment, or outdoor classrooms. Ask students what they notice. Which playgrounds would they want to play in? What features make a playground exciting? What makes one welcoming for everyone?

Suggested starting point: Teaching Math Using Inquiry-Based Learning

As students share their observations, record their questions and wonderings. They might ask why some playgrounds include wheelchair-accessible equipment, why certain surfaces look different, or how schools decide what equipment to purchase. Rather than answering these questions immediately, encourage students to investigate them throughout the project. This initial conversation establishes an important principle of Agentic Inquiry: students are not simply solving a teacher-created problem – they are pursuing questions that matter to them.

Investigating the Needs of the School Community

Before students begin designing, they need to understand who they are designing for. Encourage them to think like researchers by investigating what their school community actually needs. Small groups might visit the playground during recess to observe how students use the current space. They can interview younger students, teachers, educational assistants, and supervisors, asking questions such as, What is your favourite part of our playground? What is missing? What would make recess more enjoyable? How could the playground be more inclusive?

As responses are collected, students organize the data using tally charts, bar graphs, or pictographs, depending on grade level. They compare results, identify patterns, and discuss which ideas appear most frequently. Through this process, students begin to recognize that mathematical data collection helps communities make decisions based on evidence rather than opinions.

Applying Mathematical Ideas

With a clearer understanding of community needs, students next investigate the physical space available.

Provide mathematical tools and equipment such as:

Measuring tapes
Trundle wheels
Metre sticks
Measuring apps

Teacher Tip: If your class regularly completes outdoor math investigations, a trundle wheel is one of the best classroom investments you can make. Students love using it, measurements are far more accurate than estimating, and it opens the door to authentic lessons on perimeter, area, and scale.

Student head outside to measure the existing playground. They calculate the length and width of play areas, determine perimeter and area, and identify spaces that could accommodate new equipment.

This investigation naturally introduces authentic mathematical conversations. Is there enough room for a climbing structure? How much safety surfacing would be required? Could two pieces of equipment fit beside one another while maintaining required safety zones? Students soon realize that even the most exciting ideas must work within physical constraints. Creating scale drawings of the playground further strengthens spatial reasoning while helping students visualize their designs.

Conducting Additional Research

Once students understand both the needs of the community and the available space, they begin researching playground equipment. Each team might investigate a different category, such as climbing structures, swings, sensory equipment, outdoor classrooms, accessible play features, or sports equipment. Their goal is not simply to find attractive options but to gather information that will help them make informed decisions.

Students record dimensions, recommended age ranges, accessibility features, installation costs, maintenance requirements, and safety considerations. They compare products from different manufacturers and begin recognizing that every design choice involves trade-offs between cost, function, and community benefit.

AI can become a valuable research partner during this stage. Students might ask AI to compare different playground surfaces, explain why inclusive play spaces matter, or suggest accessible equipment options. However, Agentic Inquiry emphasizes responsible use of AI rather than unquestioning acceptance. Students can be challenged to verify AI-generated information using manufacturer websites, educational resources, and trusted organizations.

Read about some excellent tools and apps to integrate during this stage

Back to Budgeting

Now the mathematics becomes increasingly complex and purposeful. Each team receives a realistic project budget along with a catalogue of equipment prices. Suddenly, every decision has financial consequences. A large climbing structure may consume one-third of the available funds, while accessible equipment, benches, shade structures, and safety surfacing must also be considered.

Students calculate totals, compare costs, estimate expenses, and continually revise their plans as new information emerges. They discover that designing within a budget requires prioritizing community needs rather than simply selecting their favourite equipment. Rich mathematical discussions will naturally emerge as students debate whether it is better to purchase one expensive feature or several smaller pieces that serve more children.

Designing an Inclusive Solution

Rather than creating a single playground plan, teams develop multiple design options while considering budget, accessibility, and the diverse needs of their school community.

As they refine their designs, students investigate what makes a playground truly inclusive. They consider questions such as: Can every child access this equipment? Are there opportunities for active play, quiet spaces, sensory experiences, and social interaction?

Students often have brilliant ideas that are difficult to visualize. Building quick playground prototypes with simple construction materials helps transform abstract thinking into concrete designs. Lego has some great Education Bundles to help more hands-on, kinetic learners communicate their ideas.

By comparing different layouts, calculating space requirements, and weighing costs against community needs, students learn that every design choice involves trade-offs. They must justify why one proposal offers greater value, better accessibility, or more meaningful play opportunities than another. These discussions move mathematics beyond computation, demonstrating how mathematical thinking helps us make thoughtful, evidence-based decisions that benefit everyone.

Sharing, Reflecting, and Learning

The inquiry concludes with students presenting their playground proposals to an authentic audience, such as school administrators, the parent council, facilities staff, or younger classes. Their presentations include scale drawings, budget calculations, graphs, and written explanations that demonstrate how mathematics informed every design decision. Encourage audience members to ask questions and have students learn to communicate and defend their thinking using mathematical evidence.

The final stage of Agentic Inquiry is reflection. Students consider how their understanding evolved throughout the project by examining which mathematical concepts proved most valuable, how AI supported (or challenged) their research, and how their ideas changed as they gathered evidence. Students will hopefully come to see mathematics differently. Instead of completing isolated calculations, they use mathematical thinking to make decisions, solve authentic problems, and design a playground that meets the needs of their community.

Agentic Inquiry Project Idea #2: Can We Save our Local Pollinators? (Science)

In this Agentic Inquiry project, students become field biologists, environmental scientists, ecologists, researchers, data analysts, and community advocates. Rather than learning about ecosystems through a textbook or completing isolated science activities, they investigate a real environmental challenge that exists in their own community and use scientific inquiry to develop practical solutions.

Driving Question: Can we save our local pollinators?

The big idea we want students to understand is that science helps us understand the world and empowers us to protect it. Throughout this project, students discover that scientists observe patterns, collect evidence, analyze data, evaluate information, and collaborate with others to solve complex environmental problems.

You can launch the inquiry by sharing a simple but thought-provoking observation: Scientists around the world have noticed that populations of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are declining. Since pollinators play a vital role in growing many of the foods we eat and maintaining healthy ecosystems, communities everywhere are looking for ways to help protect them. We want your class to investigate whether our school can make a difference.

Students quickly realize that protecting pollinators is about much more than planting a few flowers. They need to understand why pollinators are important, investigate what is causing their decline, collect evidence in their own schoolyard and community, and determine which actions will have the greatest impact. As the inquiry unfolds, students discover that observation, research, data collection, and evidence-based decision-making are essential tools for understanding and protecting the natural world.

Becoming Field Scientists

Scientists begin by gathering evidence, and so do students.

Rather than remaining indoors, students head outside to investigate the schoolyard, nearby parks, or community green spaces. Encourage student to observe where pollinators are found and where they are absent. Students record the types of flowers growing, identify trees and shrubs, note weather conditions, and count the number of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators they observe during a set period of time.

Students quickly notice that some areas are filled with activity while others appear almost lifeless. These observations will naturally lead to new questions. Why are pollinators attracted to one location but not another? Does the type of flower matter? Does sunlight make a difference? Could the use of pesticides affect what they observe? Using AI can be useful here by helping students to narrow the focus of their questions, or analyze the quality of their questions. We wrote about this in our article ChatGPT and Inquiry Learning.

Instead of providing answers, encourage students to develop hypotheses based on the evidence they collect.

Researching Pollinators

As their questions become more focused, students begin researching the pollinators that live in their own region. Split students into small groups to investigate native bees, monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, moths, beetles, or other important pollinating species. The goal is to understand each species’ role within the ecosystem, its habitat needs, and the challenges it faces.

Consider giving each student a dedicated Nature Observation Journal for the duration of the inquiry. Having one place to record sketches, questions, data, and reflections encourages students to think like real scientists throughout the project.

Read: Understanding the Difference Between Inquiry and Research

Artificial intelligence can also serve as a valuable research partner during this stage. Students might ask AI to explain the life cycle of a monarch butterfly, compare native and non-native bee species, or summarize why pollinator populations are declining. However, Agentic Inquiry emphasizes that AI should support investigation, not replace it.

Spend time working with groups to help them learn how to verify AI-generated information using conservation organizations, government resources, scientific articles, and local environmental groups.

Investigating the Causes

Once students understand the importance of pollinators, they investigate why many populations are declining. Rather than studying each issue in isolation, students examine how multiple factors interact.

Groups might explore some of the following issues:

Habitat loss caused by urban development
The effects of pesticides on bee populations
The impact of invasive plant species
How changing weather patterns influence migration and flowering seasons

As they gather information, students organize evidence using charts, concept maps, and graphic organizers that help them identify patterns and relationships. Throughout the investigation, they begin to see that environmental problems are more complex and interconnected than they might have realized.

Collecting and Analyzing Data

Science depends on evidence, and this project provides numerous opportunities for students to collect and analyze meaningful data.

Students compare pollinator observations made at different times of day, in different weather conditions, or across multiple locations. They have the opportunity to create tally charts, bar graphs, line graphs, or digital data displays to represent their findings. Older students might calculate averages or compare percentages to identify trends.

As they interpret the data, students begin asking deeper scientific questions. Why were more bees observed in one location than another? Which flowers appeared most attractive to pollinators? Are certain habitats providing better conditions for survival?

Rather than simply practicing graphing skills, students use data to support scientific explanations and make evidence-based conclusions.

Developing Solutions

After investigating the problem, students shift from researchers to environmental planners. Instead of searching for one perfect answer, teams develop several possible solutions that could improve pollinator habitats within their school or community. Some proposals may include:

Planting native wildflowers
Creating pollinator gardens
Reducing pesticide use
Installing bee hotels (these are a lot easier to make than they seem – and it gives students a tangible way to support native pollinators while observing habitat use throughout the year)
Protecting natural habitats
Educating the community about pollinator-friendly practices

Each idea must be supported by scientific evidence gathered throughout the inquiry. Students compare the advantages and challenges of different approaches, considering factors such as cost, available space, maintenance requirements, and long-term environmental impact.

Taking Meaningful Action

One of the most powerful aspects of inquiry-based learning is moving beyond the classroom. Whenever possible, encourage students to put their ideas into action. They might design and plant a pollinator garden on school grounds, create seed packets for families, build bee hotels using natural materials, develop informational posters, or organize a community awareness campaign during Earth Week.

Even small actions help students recognize that scientific knowledge has purpose. They begin to see themselves as active participants in environmental stewardship rather than passive learners studying environmental issues from a distance.

Reflecting on the Inquiry

The project concludes with students sharing their findings and reflecting on what they have learned. They think about how their understanding of pollinators and ecosystems changed throughout the inquiry, which discoveries surprised them the most, and how collecting evidence helped them make informed decisions. Students also reflect on how AI supported their research and why it was important to verify information using reliable sources.

By the end of the project, students will have hopefully come to understand that science is not just about learning facts; it is about using curiosity, critical thinking, and evidence to better understand the world and make a positive difference in their own community.

Agentic Inquiry Project Idea #3: Could AI Have Changed History? (Social Studies/History)

History is often taught as a series of events that have already happened. Students learn dates, memorize important people, and explain why certain moments changed the world. While these are important skills, they don’t always help students understand that history was shaped by choices made by individuals, governments, and communities with limited information and uncertain outcomes.

This Agentic Inquiry project invites students to think like historians, researchers, journalists, political advisors, and ethical decision-makers. Rather than simply recalling historical events, they investigate a pivotal moment in history and ask a fascinating question:

Driving Question: Could AI have changed history?

The big idea we want students to understand is that history is shaped by the decisions people make based on the information available to them at the time. Throughout this inquiry, students discover that historians ultimately recognize that every decision has consequences. They also explore how modern technologies like artificial intelligence might have influenced historical events, while recognizing that technology alone never determines the outcome.

You can launch the inquiry with a simple scenario. Ask students to imagine that one influential historical figure suddenly had access to today’s AI tools:

Could AI have helped them make better decisions?
Would it have prevented conflict?
Could it have spread misinformation even faster?
Would history have unfolded differently?

Students quickly realize there are no simple answers. To explore these questions, they must first understand what actually happened, why people made the decisions they did, and what information was available at the time.

Investigating the Historical Context

Before students can imagine how AI might have influenced history, they need a strong understanding of the historical event itself. Small groups choose or are assigned a significant moment connected to the curriculum. In Ontario, might include the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway, the signing of treaties with Indigenous Peoples, the War of 1812, Confederation, the Underground Railroad, the Women’s Suffrage Movement, or another historical event appropriate for the grade level.

Download: 50 History Questions to inspire your next Social Studies inquiry (PDF)

Students begin by researching the people involved, the events leading up to the moment, and the decisions that shaped the outcome. Rather than focusing solely on what happened, encourage them to ask deeper questions. What challenges were people facing? What information did they have? What pressures influenced their decisions? Were there alternative choices available?

Large sticky notes make it easy to collect wonderings, organize ideas, and revisit questions as students’ thinking evolves throughout the project.

Examining Multiple Perspectives

One of the most important habits of historical thinking is recognizing that every event can be viewed from different perspectives. Encourage students to investigate how various individuals or groups experienced the same historical event. Depending on the topic, they might examine the viewpoints of government leaders, Indigenous communities, settlers, soldiers, activists, or ordinary citizens. They compare primary and secondary sources, identify bias, and discuss why different accounts sometimes tell different stories.

Suggested article: How to Respectfully Teach Indigenous History

These conversations help students move beyond seeing history as a single narrative. Instead, they begin to recognize that historical understanding is built by examining evidence from many voices, particularly those that have often been overlooked.

Using AI as a Historical Research Tool

Artificial intelligence can become a valuable learning partner during this stage of the inquiry. Students might ask AI to summarize historical background, explain unfamiliar vocabulary, compare historical viewpoints, or generate questions for further investigation. However, Agentic Inquiry emphasizes that AI should support historical research, not replace it.

Discuss how AI can occasionally oversimplify events, overlook important perspectives, or present information without sufficient context. For this reason, every AI-generated response must be verified using reliable historical sources. Some of these include museum websites, archives, primary documents, government resources, or reputable history organizations. Cross-referencing provides an authentic opportunity to teach digital literacy while reinforcing the importance of evidence-based historical inquiry.

Exploring “What If?”

Once students have developed a solid understanding of the historical event, the inquiry shifts from investigation to analysis. Students return to the driving question, relying on historical evidence to explore realistic possibilities. Some examples include:

If studying the Franklin Expedition, students might consider whether modern satellite imagery, weather forecasting, or AI-assisted navigation could have changed the outcome.
If examining the Women’s Suffrage Movement, they might explore how AI-powered communication tools or social media could have influenced public awareness.
While investigating treaties between Indigenous Peoples and the Crown, students could discuss whether AI translation tools or broader access to information might have improved communication or introduced new challenges.

The goal is not to rewrite history but to deepen students’ understanding of the decisions people made within the limitations of their time. This could be a great opportunity to utilize Scenario-Based Learning.

Weighing the Benefits and Risks

As students discuss their ideas, they can create evidence-based arguments that consider both the potential benefits and the possible risks of introducing AI into their historical scenario. Could AI have helped leaders make better-informed decisions? Could it have improved communication? Might it also have spread misinformation, reinforced bias, or been controlled by those in positions of power? These discussions encourage students to think critically about both history and the responsible use of technology today.

Creating an Evidence-Based Response

Rather than writing a traditional report, students demonstrate their learning by creating a product that answers the driving question using historical evidence. Some students might produce a debate, podcast, documentary, newspaper article, mock interview, museum exhibit, or video presentation. Others may create a panel discussion where historical figures explain how AI could – or could not – have influenced their decisions.

Many students choose podcasts or interviews to share their learning. An inexpensive USB microphone dramatically improves audio quality and makes classroom presentations feel more authentic. This simple USB podcast microphone is a great investment to have in the classroom for this kind of purpose.

Regardless of the format, students are expected to support every claim with evidence gathered throughout the inquiry. They explain the historical context, identify the decisions that were made, and justify whether AI would have realistically changed the outcome. This shifts the focus from memorizing historical facts to thinking like historians who analyze evidence and defend their conclusions.

Sharing and Reflecting

The project concludes with students sharing their findings and reflecting on what they have learned. They consider how their understanding of the historical event changed as they examined new evidence and different perspectives, and how AI supported their research while reinforcing the importance of verifying information with reliable sources.

By the end of the project, students will have analyzed evidence, considered multiple perspectives, and explored how technology can influence decision-making. More importantly, they come to understand that history is not just about learning what happened in the past; it is about understanding why people made the choices they did and how those decisions continue to shape our world today.

Final Reflection

Artificial intelligence will continue to evolve, but the purpose of education remains constant: to develop thoughtful, compassionate, capable learners who can contribute meaningfully to their communities. Agentic Inquiry offers a framework for achieving that goal by combining the enduring power of inquiry with the possibilities of responsible AI. How much will you use Agentic Inquiry in your classroom this year? Leave a comment below, or join the conversation on Instagram!