Collaborative Inquiry
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COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY: TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS SITUATED, RESPONSIVE CO-CONSTRUCTION OF PRACTICE AND LEARNING by Leyton M. Schnellert A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in The Faculty of Graduate Studies (Curriculum and Instruction) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2011 © Leyton M. Schnellert, 2011 Abstract The research reported here grappled with the challenge of designing and facilitating teacher professional development that bridges theory and practice so as to enhance teacher practice and learning and student learning outcomes. A case study design was employed to study a community of inquiry (CoI) located within a Southern Arctic school district within which classroom teachers and special education teachers worked as partners to improve their writing instruction and increase access to learning and outcomes for students in inclusive classrooms. This research addressed three questions: (1) what practices did educators engage in as co-teachers within a CoI to consider, explore, and construct more inclusive writing instruction?; (2) how and why did collaborative, action- oriented inquiry cycles help teachers to develop understandings and practices that addressed, nurtured and supported diverse students’ literacy learning?; and (3) what conditions and qualities within professional development activities supported teacher learning and development of practice?. Findings suggested that teachers can make situated changes to practice that increase diverse students’ access to curriculum and learning when they: (1) set, enact, monitor and adapt context-specific goals for both students and themselves; (2) work collaboratively and problem-solve with others while trying to make shifts in practice; and (3) draw in resources as supports that can be adapted within their inquiries. In addition, co-teaching was found to be an approach that not only increased student access to curriculum and learning but had significant potential to support teacher learning and sustained shifts in practice. Implications for teachers’ learning, changes to practice, collaboration and professional development are discussed. ii Preface Approval for this research was granted by the University of British Columbia Behavioral Research Ethics Board (Certificate of Approval B04-0764). All participants received the opportunity to provide consent to participate in the research following university and school district ethical protocols. Pseudonyms were used for all participants and the name of the community has not been identified in this document. Drafts of portions of this work have been presented at international and national conferences (Schnellert & Butler, 2009a, 2009b, 2009c, 2010a, 2010b). iii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. ii Preface ............................................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................iv List of Tables ....................................................................................................................xi List of Figures ................................................................................................................ xii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ xiii Dedication........................................................................................................................xiv Chapter 1 – Introduction .................................................................................................1 Background ................................................................................................................1 Statement of the Problem and Purpose of the Study .................................................1 A focus on situated, collaborative inquiry .......................................................2 Collaborative teaching and professional development ....................................5 Linking CoI and co-teaching to shared concerns about inclusion and writing instruction.............................................................................................6 A focus on diverse learners and inclusive classrooms ...........................7 Linking inclusion and writing instruction ..............................................8 Contribution to the Literature ....................................................................................9 Overview of the Dissertation ...................................................................................10 Chapter 2 – Theoretical Framework: Drawing From and Building Upon a Foundation of Theory and Research .............................................................................12 Professional Development as a Practice-Based, Sustained, Situated, Inquiry- Oriented and Collaborative Process ........................................................................13 iv Teacher knowledge as derived through practice ............................................14 Situated professional development and practice-based learning ......................16 Inquiry-oriented professional development links context and practice ............20 Collaboration in situated, practice-oriented inquiry..........................................27 Pulling the pieces together: A multi-faceted conceptual framework ...............31 Outcomes Associated with Practice-Based, Sustained, Situated, Inquiry- Oriented, Collaborative Professional Development ................................................................32 Teacher learning as a valued outcome in process-focused professional development....................................................................................................33 Shifts in attitude and disposition ...........................................................33 Shifts in teacher knowledge ..................................................................37 CK and PCK arrived at by connecting theory and practice.......38 PCK grounded in reflection on problems of practice and possible actions..........................................................................40 PCK that emerges when teachers actively take note of, reflect on and problem-solve while practicing ..........................................42 Shifts in teacher practice .......................................................................44 Shifts in pedagogical practices..............................................................44 Practices intended to improve students’ access to and learning of curriculum ................................................................................ 45 Practices intended to develop students’ cognitive skills and strategies ....................................................................................46 Practices that help teachers to be more responsive in their interactions.................................................................................48 v Practices that nurture and support students’ active learning .....49 Practices that help students to be generative thinkers/learners..50 Shifts in inquiry as a practice .............................................................52 Student learning .............................................................................................54 Teacher collaboration as a valued outcome in process-focused professional development ...................................................................................................58 Collaboration as a process ..................................................................58 Benefits of collaboration ....................................................................61 Ideas Inquiry Community Members were Introduced to ........................................63 Writing instruction .........................................................................................64 Writing process ..................................................................................67 Writing workshop ..............................................................................69 Reading/writing connection ...............................................................71 Teacher as writer and model ..............................................................72 Mini-lessons .......................................................................................73 Formative assessment ........................................................................74 Writing instruction as inclusive practice .......................................................76 Collaborative teaching ...................................................................................80 Synthesis and Conclusion ........................................................................................81 Chapter 3 – Methodology ...............................................................................................86 The Big Picture: Theories and Goals ......................................................................86 Case Study as a Methodology: Why Case Study ....................................................87 Case Study Design ...................................................................................................90 An embedded