informing pedagogy through collaborative inquiry
DESCRIPTION
SoTL research is often instigated and directed by the instructors or facilitators who are responsible for a given course, program, seminar, or workshop. The facilitators, or sometimes an outside person is the researcher, while the students are the subjects. Even in participatory action research, the learners are still primarily treated as subjects. Recently, the author designed and delivered a graduate level course where the entire course design became the subject of a co-operative inquiry. In co-operative inquiry, “members of the group contribute both to the ideas that go into their work together, and also are part of the activity that is being researched. Everyone has a say in deciding what questions are to be addressed and what ideas may be of help; everyone contributes to thinking about how to explore the questions; everyone gets involved in the activity that is being researched; and finally everybody has a say in whatever conclusions the co-operative inquiry group may reach. So in co-operative inquiry the split between 'researcher' and 'subjects' is done away with, and all those involved act together as 'co-researchers' and as 'co-subjects'. “(Heron, 1992).In other words the learners are also the researchers alongside the instructor. This presentation is intended to outline the methodology known as co-operative inquiry, to briefly report on the author’s experiences with this approach in a graduate level Education class, and to solicit collaborators in pursuing possible opportunities to explore this approach further in undergraduate courses.TRANSCRIPT
1SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Informing Pedagogy
Through Co-operative
Inquiry
Calls for Collaboration, Triangulation, and Development
Katrin BeckerSat. 8:30-9:30
2SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Overview
• Who AM I? • The Usual Scenario• What is Co-operative Inquiry?• How Might We Proceed?• One Case• Lessons Learned• Call to Action• Resources
3SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Katrin Becker, PhD
Who Am I?
4SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Genres of SoTL
M. Formal (Quantitative) Meta-Analyses
Group 1:
Reports On Particular Classes
A. It worked!
B. Before & After: Qualitative
Assessments Of Changes In Practice.
Group 2:
Reflections On Years Of Teaching
Experience, Implicitly Or
Explicitly Informed By Other
Scholarship On Teaching
C. Before & After: Quantitative
Assessments Of Changes In Practice.
D. Essays Developing Good
Ideas
E. Summaries Of Expert Knowledge
Gained By Self-Reflection And
Experimentation In Ones Own
Teaching.
Group 3:
Larger Contexts: Comparisons Of
Courses & Comparisons Of Student Change
Across Time
G. Qualitative Studies Designed To Explore A Key
Issue.
F. Integration Of Larger
Frameworks With Classroom & Curriculum
Practice
H. Quantitative Comparisons Of
Different Courses Or Sections
Group 4:
Formal Research
I. Comparisons Of A Wide Array Of
Different Courses Using A Common
Assessment Instrument.
Group 5:
Summaries And Analyses Of Sets Of Prior Studies
J. Experimental Analyses
K. Annotated Bibliographies.
L. Brief, Annotated
Summaries Of Key Findings In The
Research Literature.
Credit: Craig E. Nelson, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Indiana University
5SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Genres of SoTL
M. Formal (Quantitative) Meta-Analyses
Group 1:
Reports On Particular Classes
A. It worked!
B. Before & After:
Qualitative Assessments Of
Changes In Practice.
Group 2:
Reflections On Years Of Teaching
Experience, Implicitly Or
Explicitly Informed By
Other Scholarship On
Teaching
C. Before & After:
Quantitative Assessments Of
Changes In Practice.
D. Essays Developing Good Ideas
E. Summaries Of Expert
Knowledge Gained By Self-Reflection And Experimentation In Ones Own
Teaching.
Group 3:
Larger Contexts: Comparisons Of
Courses & Comparisons Of Student Change
Across Time
G. Qualitative Studies Designed To Explore A Key
Issue.
F. Integration Of Larger
Frameworks With Classroom
& Curriculum Practice
H. Quantitative Comparisons Of
Different Courses Or Sections
Group 4:
Formal Research
I. Comparisons Of A Wide Array Of
Different Courses Using A Common
Assessment Instrument.
Group 5:
Summaries And Analyses Of Sets Of Prior Studies
J. Experimental Analyses
K. Annotated Bibliographies.
L. Brief, Annotated
Summaries Of Key Findings In The
Research Literature.
Credit: Craig E. Nelson, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Indiana University
Where I do Most of My Work
6SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Situating Co-operative Inquiry in SoTL
Genres of SoTL
M. Formal (Quantitative) Meta-Analyses
Group 1:
Reports On Particular Classes
A. It worked!
B. Before & After:
Qualitative Assessments Of
Changes In Practice.
Group 2:
Reflections On Years Of Teaching
Experience, Implicitly Or
Explicitly Informed By Other
Scholarship On Teaching
C. Before & After:
Quantitative Assessments Of
Changes In Practice.
D. Essays Developing Good
Ideas
E. Summaries Of Expert Knowledge
Gained By Self-Reflection And
Experimentation In Ones Own
Teaching.
Group 3:
Larger Contexts:
Comparisons Of Courses &
Comparisons Of Student Change
Across Time
G. Qualitative Studies
Designed To Explore A Key
Issue.
F. Integration Of Larger
Frameworks With Classroom & Curriculum
Practice
H. Quantitative Comparisons Of
Different Courses Or Sections
Group 4:
Formal Research
I. Comparisons Of A Wide Array Of
Different Courses Using A Common
Assessment Instrument.
Group 5:
Summaries And Analyses Of Sets Of Prior Studies
J. Experimental Analyses
K. Annotated Bibliographies.
L. Brief, Annotated
Summaries Of Key Findings In The
Research Literature.
Credit: Craig E. Nelson, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Indiana University
7SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
The Usual Scenario
image source: http://www.trialanderroracres.com/
image: mediwiki: Evelyn Simak
8SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
The Usual Scenario
• Instigated and directed by the instructors or facilitators responsible for course.
image source: http://www.trialanderroracres.com/
image: mediwiki: Evelyn Simak
9SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
The Usual Scenario
• Instigated and directed by the instructors or facilitators responsible for course.
• Outside researcher.
image source: http://www.trialanderroracres.com/
image: mediwiki: Evelyn Simak
10SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
The Usual Scenario
• Instigated and directed by the instructors or facilitators responsible for course.
• Outside researcher.• The students are the subjects.
image source: http://www.trialanderroracres.com/
image: mediwiki: Evelyn Simak
11SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What is Co-Operative Inquiry?
All Members• Contribute to work• Are participants in the activity
Heron, 1992
12SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What is Co-Operative Inquiry?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
• Contributes to thinking about how to explore the questions.
• Gets involved in the activity that is being researched.
• Has a say in whatever conclusions the co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Everyone:
13SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What is Co-Operative Inquiry?
So in co-operative inquiry the split between 'researcher' and 'subjects' is done away with, and all those involved act together as 'co-researchers' and as 'co-subjects'. Heron, 1992
14SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Participatory Action Research
Co-Operative Inquiry is a form of PAR.
Chevalier, J. M. and Buckles, D. J. (2013) Participatory Action Research: Theory and Methods for Engaged Inquiry, Routledge UK
15SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Participatory Action Research
Co-Operative Inquiry is a form of PAR.
Chevalier, J. M. and Buckles, D. J. (2013) Participatory Action Research: Theory and Methods for Engaged Inquiry, Routledge UK
The learners are still
primarily treated as subjects.
16SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
All Members• Contribute to work • Are participants in the activity
Heron, 1992
17SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
All Members• Contribute to work • Are participants in the activity
Heron, 1992
maybe
18SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
All Members• Contribute to work • Are participants in the activity
Heron, 1992
maybe
19SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
• Contributes to thinking about how to explore the questions.
• Gets involved in the activity that is being researched.
• Has a say in whatever conclusions the co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
20SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
• Contributes to thinking about how to explore the questions.
• Gets involved in the activity that is being researched.
• Has a say in whatever conclusions the co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
21SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
(maybe)• Contributes to thinking about how to
explore the questions.• Gets involved in the activity that is
being researched.• Has a say in whatever conclusions the
co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
22SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
(maybe)• Contributes to thinking about how to
explore the questions. (maybe)• Gets involved in the activity that is
being researched.• Has a say in whatever conclusions the
co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
23SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
(maybe)• Contributes to thinking about how to
explore the questions. (maybe)• Gets involved in the activity that is
being researched.• Has a say in whatever conclusions the
co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
24SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What roles do the students play?
• Has a say in• Deciding what questions are to
be addressed.• What ideas may be of help.
(maybe)• Contributes to thinking about how to
explore the questions. (maybe)• Gets involved in the activity that is
being researched.• Has a say in whatever conclusions the
co-operative inquiry group may reach. Heron, 1992
Learner:
25SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
My Proposal
Include the
Studentsas Equal Partners
in Inquiry
26SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
How Might We Proceed?
Need to address:• Ethics issues.• What kinds of questions can we
explore this way?
27SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
One Case
• Master's Level Education Course• Course Topic: Digital Game-Based
Learning (DGBL)• Taught summer 2012 & winter 2013• ~ 35 participants• Reason for Inquiry:
• Experimental Gamified Design
28SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
One Case
• Students were teachers.• Proposed Co-operative Inquiry 1/2-
way through course.
29SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Lessons Learned
• More Support / Direction• Advance Preparation
• decide on research questions / direction • prepare means of data collection• provide multiple ways to participate• template for publications
• Not Suitable for Novice Learners
30SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
What does it look like?
• Still one P.I. (lead)• Onboarding• Ethics• Data Gathering• Dissemination
31SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Call to Action
Who's Interested?
Katrin BeckerAdjunct, Computer Science & Information SystemsMount Royal University
32SoTL- 2013Katrin Becker
Resources
• Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2000). Handbook of qualitative research (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage Publications.
• Heron, J. (1992). Feeling and Personhood: psychology in another key. London: Sage.
• Jan, P. (2013). A New Scholarship of Classroom-based, Open, Communal Inquiry. Teaching and Learning Inquiry: The ISSOTL Journal, 1(1), 23-33.
• MacDonald, C. (2012). Understanding Participatory Action Research: A Qualitative Research Methodology Option. [Article]. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13(2), 34-50.
• Peer, K., & Martin, M. (2005). The leaner-centered syllabus: From theory to practice in allied health education. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 3(2).
• Richlin, L. (2006). Blueprint for learning : constructing college courses to facilitate, assess, and document learning (1st ed.). Sterling, Va.: Stylus Pub.