“Structure Completely Altered My Approach”: Teacher Research on Adaptations to a Yearlong Inquiry Project

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:40 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Learning From and With Our Students: Adolescent Identity and Agency in Secondary Classroom Research (Table 15)

Abstract

Both project-based learning (PBL) and inquiry learning (IL) constitute two approaches to curriculum and instruction that stem from the belief that active involvement in learning and questions produces student engagement (David, 2008). This study uses a teacher research design to documents my efforts as a secondary English Language Arts (ELA) teacher to introduce and then refine an inquiry project into my classes. Data sources include teacher reflective notes, student reflections, and student final projects. Findings indicate that student ownership required deliberate cultivation and facilitating meaningful student research necessitated more scaffolding, more direct instruction, and more opportunities for dialogue.

Author

• Erin Nerlino, Clark University