Potential inquiry topics
- How can I lead a collaborative inquiry to support teachers in improving CoL targets?
- How can I inspire and lead teachers to implement change in their practice through the use of Seesaw?
Reflection
I am part of a few CoP’s such as my junior syndicate team, school Professional Learning Communities (PLC), Communities of Learning (CoL) leaders, and MindLab study group. Wenger, McDermott & Snyder (2002), defines CoP’s as “groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems, or a passion about a topic, and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area by interaction on an ongoing basis” (p.4). My MindLab CoP is a group that is a joint enterprise as we are like minded teaching professionals who are focused on using what we are learning to create change in our own practice and within our schools. We have developed mutual engagement through support each other throughout our MindLab journey, building a trusting and reflective culture through our own supportive learning community. We also have a shared repertoire through in depth discussion and sharing our communal resources to support each other's learning and professional practice. As all members of the MindLab CoP have similar passions we are driven by a love of learning and wanting to develop professionally, particularly with digital teaching and leadership.
My MindLab CoP had some feedback towards the wording of the inquiry questions which I changed to make them more specific, measurable and purposeful. This discussion also altered the focus to leadership theories as this is a main focus for my professional development. Robinson (2009) supports this with his discussion of the use of the diffusion adopters. Although the collaborative inquiry impacts some of the MindLab CoP they commented that they can not impact on the decision making or have much influence or input into this inquiry.
One member of the MindLab CoP works at a different school and has been using Seesaw for over a year, across different year groups. Therefore we would be able to support each other by promoting further learning through Seesaw and sharing ideas of how we can support learning with their collaboration and blended learning, through uploading everything into Seesaw, using the blended learning approach. Smythe (n.d) supports this by discussing research that shows that blending traditional education approaches with digital can increase engagement, improve learning outcomes and give students greater satisfaction. Webster (2012) also states that “technology in the hands of our students means that the classroom walls become almost theoretical; no longer would each room need to contain them and their learning, they would have access to everything and everyone that could possibly help them along in their learning journey.”
My CoL CoP suggested that my collaborative inquiry question has the power to have valued impact on students and the teachers that I lead with the new collaborative inquiry approach. “Collaborative inquiry provides a structure for educators to lead and learn together productively” (Donohoo & Velasco, 2016, p.3). However they did comment that we have limited time constraints and deadlines with set release days that may impact on my professional learning progress in this area.
Although both inquiries are based on leading change, my MindLab CoP is more supportive, invested and collaborative with resources to support my learning and development. My CoL CoP is heavily restricted by time and deadlines. Due to this reflection, I now want to focus on the Seesaw inquiry as my MindLab CoP will be able to contribute and support my learning and I will be able to contribute to their inquiries in a similar way.
References
Donohoo, J., & Velasco, M. (2016). The transformative power of collaborative inquiry (p. 3). Thousand Oaks, United States: SAGE Publications Inc.
Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002). Capturing complexity: a typology of reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85.
Smythe, M. (n.d). Blended learning: A transformative process? Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology. Retrieved from https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/download/ng/file/group-3740/smythe---blended-learning-a-transformative-process.pdf
Robinson, L. (2009). A summary of Diffusion of Innovations. Changeology. Retrieved from http://www.enablingchange.com.au/Summary_Diffusion...
Webster, A. (2012). Beyond the classroom walls: breaking down barriers with technology. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2012/sep/10/technology-schools-breaking-down-barriers
Wenger, E., McDermott, R., & Snyder, W. (2002). Cultivating communities of practice. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press.
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