Collaborative Inquiry: Responsive, Reflexive, Reciprocal Learning for Students and Educators

• In Event: Learning Our Way Forward: Research and Evaluation Informing System Change and Innovation

Abstract

Purpose and Perspective
Collaborative inquiry (CI) processes within these initiatives draw from a stance that recognizes strengths and assets of students and teachers in classrooms where reflective inquiry in practice enriches and builds dynamic new, distinctly individual forms of understanding within classroom practice (Coburn, 2004; Schon, 1987). Professional learning is effective as it is based on the assumption that teachers are ‘adaptive experts’ (Timperly, 2010), not individuals with professional knowledge deficits that require ‘topping up’ (Webster-Wright, 2009). The point of action and understanding is developing a deeper understanding of students as learners and using this information to inform new actions and responses whereby student achievement and learning inform educator pedagogic activity.

The 7-12 initiatives represent a tri-level strategy that includes professional learning plans, annual educator surveys, and district panels from different regions as a means to increase student success and professional learning and knowledge for participating educators. Where one initiative targets specific students who are at risk of not completing secondary school, the other focuses on effective pedagogy across 7-12 classrooms, with both incorporating a developmental evaluation approach to the inquiries.

In the K-8 sector initiatives, facilitators work in learning relationships with participating classroom teachers to document and respond to student learning experiences, infuse relevant expertise and content knowledge within the co-learning study, while planning and constructing new actions targeted at addressing relevant learning needs within classrooms. While one initiative starts from a study of student experiences, the other brings expertise and content knowledge into the classroom, working responsively from student experience. Both attempt to create reflexive learning experiences for students and educators in an ongoing inquiry.

Methods and Data
Data for this paper are drawn from mixed methods approaches conducted by external and internal evaluations. Surveys, case studies, student achievement data and various districts and school reporting documents and action plans serve as sources of data through which the paper draws its findings. The findings for this study represent partnerships involving schools, districts, the ministry, and an academic institution.

Results and Significance
There is evidence that a tri-level partnership which anchors actions through CI serves to deepen understanding and actions toward effective learning and teaching practices across the education sector in Ontario. These initiatives promote engagement of teachers and students, while resulting in improved student achievement. Changes reported by participating educators suggest a model of adaptive or evolving professional practice and processes from which the learning and understandings emerged.

These initiatives represent a departure from a large scale system approach to school improvement that adopts a high stakes accountability model. Instead, these initiatives represent how building and sustaining learning partnerships across a system which seek to infuse reflective, evaluative forms of inquiry, result in a distributed model of accountability. Herein, school improvement is shared, and new actions and learning become catalysts for charge at all levels of the system.

Authors

• Hana Saab, Ontario Ministry of Education

• Ben Shannon, Ministry of Education, Ontario

• David Cameron, Ontario Ministry of Education

• Megan Borner, York Region District School Board/Association of Educational Researchers of Ontario

• Judi Kokis, Ontario Ministry of Education