By Stephanie De Anna
Inquiry Learning in Teacher Education
An Introduction from Course Instructor Joanie Proske
Queens University Continuing Teacher Education and Professional Studies offers a series of courses through their Teacher-Librarian Program, including Teacher-Librarian Specialist (CONT999). This particular course offers candidates an opportunity to engage in a self-selected topic of inquiry which weaves throughout the course modules. After conducting an assessment of their school’s library using the Leading Learning growth standards, each student identifies an area of personal interest that also contributes to their growing knowledge of the library learning commons (LLC). Using the Focus on Inquiry model as a guide, the students move through the various stages of inquiry with the instructor, and sometimes peers, offering guidance and support. The emphasis is on the process with the end product varying in format to best suit the needs of the learner and their intended audience.
Course developer and Queens Instructor Joanie Proske has noted that many of the teacher-librarian candidates are unfamiliar with guided inquiry and the opportunity to experience the inquiry process firsthand presents a powerful learning experience. They are amazed by the range of strong emotions that are connected to the affective domain of inquiry learning. As a result of completing their own inquiry journey, the candidates feel much more confident leading inquiry investigations when supporting their own students in the LLC and gain a richer understanding of the topic they chose to research.
The topics selected for investigation range widely, including: diversity audits, Indigenous collection development, Loose Parts, teaching digital citizenship, social emotional learning, promoting collaboration with specialist teachers, 3D printing, social justice in the elementary LLC, and Canadian copyright. Sometimes students are able to gather answers to their open-ended inquiry questions through access to library research, journals, and literature. Sometimes a gap in existing knowledge is identified and additional means of investigation are employed to fully investigate such as the use of surveys, data analysis, interviews, and inference. Stephanie DeAnna’s inquiry investigation into the effect of the current pandemic on collaborative practice between teacher-librarians and students gathered information through a survey sent to BC teacher-librarians. Her project is an example of how inquiry can be applied to conduct active library research – to identify the new challenges which teacher-librarians face and to encourage new solutions.
Pandemic Challenges to Collaboration:
Inquiry by Stephanie De Anna
How has the current global pandemic effected the ability of teacher-librarians and teachers to participate in true collaborative practice?
- What does true collaboration between a teacher-librarian (TL) and teacher look like and how does this support student learning?
- Due to the pandemic, what are the new collaboration challenges and how has this effected collaboration within school?
- How are teacher-librarians currently building a community of collaboration despite the challenges of a pandemic?
This inquiry examined the effect of the current global pandemic on the ability of teacher-librarians and teachers to participate in collaboration. A survey was completed by 26 different teacher-librarians working in various BC School Districts. The majority were surveyed from the Surrey and Langley School Districts, which are current hot spots for COVID-19. The survey provided first-hand accounts of the current challenges that COVID-19 continues to have on collaboration in schools. It also explored how teacher-librarians are currently building a community of collaboration despite the challenges of the pandemic. This inquiry fills a current gap in research on how BC teacher-librarians are adapting to the new challenges of collaborating in a pandemic and how they are finding innovative ways to stay connected.
View the Presentation
detailed analysis of the findings.
Stephanie De Anna is a high school teacher in Surrey, British Columbia. She holds a Bachelor of Physical Education and Coaching, and has been teaching for five years. Stephanie is currently completing her post-graduate certificate in Teacher-Librarianship through Queens University.