This thesis explores the role inquiry-based learning plays in student motivation. It investigates, using qualitative and quantitative methods, how the motivation of Grade 11 boys is affected when a unit of study is presented through inquiry-based learning. Students' motivation or lack of motivation to learn science plays an important role in the development of meaningful scientific concepts, and may be related to their academic achievement (Debacker and Nelson, 2000).The effect of inquiry-based learning is analyzed with respect to goal orientation, an accepted measure of motivation. Goal orientation is evaluated by assessing the learning strategies, self-concept of ability, self-efficacy, self-expectancy and value of science indicated by student participants before, during and after an inquiry-based lesson sequence. In general, the self-reported goal orientations of the students changed from a performance goal orientation toward a learning goal orientation after the lesson sequence.