Sustained Inquiry-Focused Professional Development for Teacher Learning

• In Event: Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: Using Embedded Technologies for Teacher Professional Development

Abstract

We provide a case study analysis of seven practicing elementary teachers’ responses to a year-long professional development program. The program employed dialogic inquiry as method and message. Observational data, questionnaire responses, and teacher writings in the online space provided data for this investigation. Three themes emerged regarding the facilitation of learning in this program: (1) context for inquiry learning and implementation seemed to play a salient role in teachers understanding and application of the practice; (2) teachers required ongoing scaffolding for understanding, implementing, and reflecting on their inquiry based activities; and (3) sustained professional development may be necessary for the construction of a deep and facile understanding of inquiry.
Keywords: Professional Development, Inquiry, Teacher Learning

Authors

• Helenrose Fives, Montclair State University

• Tammy Mills, Montclair State University

• Charity Mack Dacey, Montclair State University