Description
Key components of practitioner inquiry provide an effective approach to lasting educational change. By including narratives of practice from across diverse early childhood settings, this book investigates issues that arise during implementation of inquiry-focussed professional learning cycles. It presents practitioner inquiry as a vehicle for empowering educators and educational systems.
Research-based, this book brings together theory and practice from authors and internationally recognised commentators to inform and inspire early childhood educators. Chapters are thematically grouped in three focus areas. The first centres on background contextual information to set the scene, the second offers real-life stories based on authors’ experiences and the third provides insight into broader issues of leadership and professional learning. Voices of educators, teachers and leaders are included to provide multiple points of entry for readers with different interests, backgrounds, and levels of expertise.
As a resource to support ongoing professional practice in the prior-to-school sector, this book is essential reading for early years educators, teachers and leaders of educational change. It is relevant for those investigating how educators in early childhood centres, executive offices and consultancy positions can use data-based, locally relevant investigations of practice to improve educational outcomes.
Table of Contents
Introduction: Inviting engagement
Alma Fleet, Katey De Gioia, Marina Papic and Catherine Patterson
Part 1: Setting the Scene
1. Practitioner inquiry: Processes, potentials and purposes
Catherine Patterson
2. What is a useful question?
Marina Papic
3. Evidence for change: Finding and analysing data
Katey De Gioia
4. Practitioner inquiry as a tool for meeting and moving beyond regulatory requirements for teachers
Katey De Gioia
Part 1 Commentary: Supporting the transformative potential of practitioner inquiry in early years’ contexts
Nicole Mockler
Part 2: Sharing Stories of Experience
5. Unpacking complexity in complex environments
Alma Fleet
6. Stories from the classroom: School-based change through an inquiry-based approach
Anthony Semann and Leanne Armao
7. ‘Forming’ ourselves as teacher~researchers
Chris Celada and Margo Hobba
8. What matters: Participant voices in a year of sustained professional learning
Diti Hill-Denee (with Helen Aitken)
Part 2 Commentary: Experiences of meaning-full practitioner inquiry
Maria Cooper
Part 3: Exploring big ideas
9. Unexpected opportunities: Inquiry as professional learning
Catherine Patterson and Katey De Gioia
10. Intersections of pedagogical documentation and practitioner inquiry
Alma Fleet, Adam Christie and Jessica Dubois
11. Effecting positive change: The role of educational leaders
Marina Papic
12. Practitioner research as sustainable professional practice
Christine Woodrow and Linda Newman
Part 3 Commentary: Growing Professionally
Andrew Stremmel
Conclusion: Thinking together
Katey De Gioia, Alma Fleet, Marina Papic and Catherine Patterson
