"Collaborative inquiry" means working together with others to investigate and find out more about a topic or problem. It involves sharing ideas, knowledge, and solutions to learn from each other and come up with better results.
Full definition
Based in principles
of collaborative inquiry through teacher study groups, we explored how to solve numerous problems of practice.
By engaging
in collaborative inquiry into their own professional practice, these district leaders are developing a shared understanding of how to implement professional learning through inquiry.
Participants created action plans for supporting their colleagues in
using collaborative inquiry when they return to their sites in the fall.
Teacher leaders from across the district are developing their understanding of adult learning and their skills
leading collaborative inquiry, so that they can facilitate meaningful adult learning at their own sites.
Leaders invested in professional development, making time
for collaborative inquiry, and modeling data use practices that work.
The focus of this action research was to use
collaborative inquiry groups to change teacher practice to become more autonomy supportive in order to increase student engagement in the classroom.
At this level, district and school personnel may undertake
collaborative inquiry into important problems, and engage in a search for solutions that go beyond current knowledge and expectations.
Questions posed by
collaborative inquiry teams need to come from a place of authenticity, where participants are grappling with issues in which the solution is unknown.
To start, schools and districts need to create a shared understanding of the purpose and value of
collaborative inquiry among teachers and administrators.
Leaders in these districts engaged school staff members in
collaborative inquiry about the unique circumstances affecting student learning or teacher performance in their schools.
At this step,
collaborative inquiry really begins as a broad faculty group identifies a priority question that members are committed to exploring.
They ask useful questions, display data in ways that tell compelling stories and use information to
promote collaborative inquiry among teachers.
Also, while teachers valued evidence of increased student outcome resulting
from collaborative inquiry, teachers did not often engage in gathering evidence of student learning.
So
if collaborative inquiry is new to your school, you will need to give attention to establishing the appropriate conditions for success.
Without a long term record of the outcomes of each cycle
of collaborative inquiry, lessons learned are simply lost over time.
Over time, they build their capacity to independently
lead collaborative inquiry and sustain the learning culture in their schools and districts.
Our workshops are designed for individuals and groups of teachers interested in
using collaborative inquiry to deepen adult learning at their sites.
Learn a step - by - step process for engaging
in collaborative inquiry and using a range of data sources to improve instruction and student outcomes within your school or district.
The ideas are illustrated with practical examples from schools that have successfully expanded time
for collaborative inquiry.
Despite these challenges, there were positive components to this process regarding my development of leadership to
build collaborative inquiry.
The skilled teacher masterfully weaves
collaborative inquiry with project - based / experiential learning opportunities, adding richness and authenticity to the task at hand.
At Oakland Tech High School, 17 ninth - grade teachers are wrapping up their first year of
collaborative inquiry work with Mills Teacher Scholars.
She has authored several research papers and articles on effective leadership preparation and its evaluation, and is coauthoring a book on
collaborative inquiry as principal professional development (Teachers College Press, forthcoming).
Students as Researchers is a project in which student teams (elementary or secondary) are trained to conduct
collaborative inquiry research following the Tri-Council Policy Guidelines for Ethical Research Involving Humans.
Dr Janelle Wills, Director Marzano Institute Australia, says, «Through extensive research and practical examples, this outstanding book puts forward a compelling case for
structured collaborative inquiry processes to achieve success for all students.
Edward and his colleagues explore these issues with their teacher partners through a variety of
different collaborative inquiries In addition to his work as a researcher, Edward is also a Lecturer on Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Each of the eight steps has a clearly stated purpose, and each is a key part of a process that
drives collaborative inquiry over time (see fig. 2).
Quarterly, the faculty will use portfolios and assessment rubrics, and
conduct collaborative inquiry protocols to closely examine student work and identify how to modify teaching practices based on that critique.
This core element of the Mills Teacher Scholars approach to
collaborative inquiry plays a central role in creating the conditions for authentic teacher learning, modeling teacher curiosity about their practice and building collective teacher efficacy.
Through gathering and analyzing student learning data
during collaborative inquiry, she understood that students at different stages of development needed different supports, or scaffolds, to help them grow.
Of the respondents, 83 % were female and 88 % reported that they had been involved in some of formal — Ministry supported
collaborative inquiry within Ontario schools, with the remaining 12 % being involved in some form of informal inquiry.
Last month we featured West Contra Costa Unified's Verde Elementary School and their
ongoing collaborative inquiry into best instructional practices in balanced literacy.
Our partnership with OUSD's New Highland Academy was featured in Educational Leadership Magazine, with a focus on how we support our teacher leaders» capacity to lead and
sustain collaborative inquiry with their colleagues.
09, is preparing a case study on teacher
collaborative inquiry at Boston International Newcomers Academy for the Data Wise Project.
Engage your faculty in
collaborative inquiry by planning for and leading all 8 steps of the Data Wise Improvement Process in your setting
Taking leadership with this, especially in the context of today's overall focus on
collaborative inquiry learning and with all of the new, technology - enabled contexts for greater collaboration, should be the first priority for teacher - librarians.
For directions to create sustained,
active collaborative inquiry around student work, see Collaborative Analysis of Student Learning, by Colton, Langer & Goff.