1. The Evolving Complexities of Inquiry as Practice
Presentation at the 2017 Spring CPED Convening – University of Pittsburgh, June 13, 2017

2. Introducing the Presenters
Candyce Reynolds, Portland State University
Cindy Tananis, University of Pittsburgh
Ray Buss, Arizona State University
Ed Bengtson, University of Arkansas

3. CPED Design-Concepts Scholar Practitioner Signature Pedagogy
Inquiry as Practice
Laboratories of Practice
Dissertation in Practice
Problem of Practice
CPED Design-Concepts

4. Initial Exercise What is Inquiry as Practice?
How does Inquiry as Practice exist in your EdD program?

5. Inquiry as Practice
Inquiry as Practice is the process of posing significant questions that focus on complex problems of practice. By using various research, theories, and professional wisdom, scholarly practitioners design innovative solutions to address the problems of practice. At the center of Inquiry as Practice is the ability to use data to understand the effects of innovation. As such, Inquiry as Practice requires the ability to gather, organize, judge, aggregate, and analyze situations, literature, and data with a critical lens.

6. Inquiry as Practice…
More than just understanding research methods and the various approaches. It is the systematic investigation (inquiry) as a continuing process (practice).

7. Inquiry as Part of PoP Selection
[Candyce]
I would like to write about the scaffolding we provide through our curriculum structure, class activities, and assignments to help students learn to sift through the complex of the educational problems they want to solve and identify a clear problem in practice. While this may seem easy, I find that most often students have identified a topic and not a clearly defined problem in practice. Understanding a complex problem means learning to scrutinize the literature, interrogate one’s own beliefs and practices, and develop critical thinking and writing skills. These processes have been developed through our own investigations of our practice in our program. The chapter would provide concrete ideas of how to help students move their ideas from an ill formed topic to a problem that can be studied and addressed.

8. Inquiry as Part of PoP Selection
Context:
Portland State University Graduate School of Education EdD in Educational Leadership: 4 specializations
Curriculum and Instruction
Educational Administration
Postsecondary
Special Education
I would like to write about the scaffolding we provide through our curriculum structure, class activities, and assignments to help students learn to sift through the complex of the educational problems they want to solve and identify a clear problem in practice. While this may seem easy, I find that most often students have identified a topic and not a clearly defined problem in practice. Understanding a complex problem means learning to scrutinize the literature, interrogate one’s own beliefs and practices, and develop critical thinking and writing skills. These processes have been developed through our own investigations of our practice in our program. The chapter would provide concrete ideas of how to help students move their ideas from an ill formed topic to a problem that can be studied and addressed.

9. More Context Post Master’s Program Three to Four Year Program
Experienced Professionals
All have burning topic or question they want answered from their work

10. What is the Problem?
Tendency to focus on Solutions: “I’m interested in…”
Particular reading strategy & how it works
Teleconferencing for rural medicine
I want to fix educational disparities
May be dissertation topic ultimately BUT might miss the complexities of the PROBLEM and development of INQUIRY as a process for identifying Problem in Practice

11. Identifying problem
As exercise in inquiry
As practice in inquiry

12. Inquiry as a Process: Habits of Mind
Goal is to engage students in PROCESS (or Toolkit) they can use with all Problems in Practice they face

13. Inquiry as Process: Habits of Mind
Inquiry and Critical Thinking
Beliefs and Practices
Examining Literature
Writing & Discussion for Exploration & Precision
Inquiry Tools

14. Identifying Problem: Beliefs and Practices
Tell a Story Problem behind the problem Why is the problem you are interested in a problem?

15. Identifying Problem: Examining Literature
Looking for the “because”
Critical discussion of literature

16. Multiple drafts with peer feedback Work on Precision
Identifying Problem: Writing and Discussion for Exploration and Precision
Journal Keeping
Free-writing
Guided Free-writing
Class Notes
Research Notes
Multiple drafts with peer feedback
Work on Precision

17. Identifying Problem: Inquiry Tools
Improvement science tools
Fishbone diagrams
Process mapping
Driver Diagrams
Logic Model
Precision and Elevator Speech
Refinement through coursework
Ignite presentations

18. Fishbone Diagram

20. Process Mapping

21. Driver Diagrams

22. Logic Model Short statement about Problem in Practice Ignite Sessions
Tell the story of problem in practice
Logically leads to your dissertation question
Precision = Key to solid study
Refined throughout the coursework
Ignite Sessions

23. Inquiry as Practice and an Interdisciplinary Approach to Curriculum Building
Today, we offer a coherent spiral of course experiences that build on basic strategies, approaches, and methods that are most likely to be encountered by scholar-practitioners in the settings of practice both as a leader of inquiry and a consumer of research.

24. Using Action Research as a Signature Pedagogy to Develop Inquiry as Practice
On the need for Inquiry Skills
A rationale for Using Action Research
Developing Inquiry Skills through AR
Conclusions and Questions
(a) What ‘signature’ approaches offer practitioners effective tools to conduct inquiry that translates into transformative action in their settings? and (b) How can we more deliberately connect students’ inquiry, both in their courses and dissertations, to their daily practice (laboratories of practice)?

25. Using AR to Foster Inquiry
On the need for Inquiry Skills
Levine (2005)
Poor research preparation for school leaders
“Disconnected from practice”
Shulman et al. (2006)
Mismatch of research preparation and career paths
“PhD-lite” because of ‘subtraction’ in EdD programs

26. Using AR to Foster Inquiry
On the need for Inquiry Skills
Implications for EdD programs
Inquiry & research skills matched to practice needs
leads to Inquiry as Practice
Inquiry & research skills connected to practice
leads to Laboratories of Practice
Hallmarks for EdD Programs
Utilizing Signature Pedagogies
Developing practice-related research skills
Engaging in on-going practice
“Carrying out local research...to guide practice”

27. Using AR to Foster Inquiry
A Rationale for Action Research (AR)
Action Research is
adaptable to various Problems of Practice
allows students to ease into research over time
facilitates systematic inquiry over time
sustainable during program and beyond

28. Using AR to Foster Inquiry
Developing Inquiry Skills through AR
AR Concept Paper
Cycle 0—Reconnaissance
Cycle 1—Mini-intervention
Cycle 2—Stepping “aside”
Cycle 2.5—Stepping “aside”
Cycle 3—Dissertation in Practice

29. Using AR to Foster Inquiry
Conclusions
Four strengths of AR
AR can be scaffolded by faculty
AR affords development of Inquiry as Practice
Research supports use of AR
Thank you
Questions