The distinction between inquiry-based instruction and non-inquiry-based instruction in higher education: A case study of what happens as inquiry in 16 education courses in three universities

• We did a collective case study of inquiry in 16 preservice teacher-education courses.
• Purposively sampled instructors said they took an inquiry-based approach or not.
• Data included interviews, instructional plans, syllabi, and classroom observations.
• Inquiry instruction differed most in course planning, learning-assessment, and roles.
• Co-construction and small-group participation in instructional activities differed.

This collective case study describes instructional plans and observed inquiry-based instruction (IBI) in 16 undergraduate education teacher-preparation courses purposively sampled from instructors who said they did or did not take an IBI approach. Open coding and content analysis of interview transcripts, recordings of observed instruction, syllabi, and cross-case comparisons informed what was alike, different, and unique for IBI and non-IBI. We used negative cases, data triangulation, audit trail, and interrater reliability for 25% of the codes. IBI and non-IBI differed most in course-planning, student-learning assessment, co-construction of instruction, and the nature and quantity of teacher and student roles and talk.