Abstract:

Fostering innovation in education is a top priority, both for teachers seeking to keep their pedagogies fresh and relevant and also for school leaders and policymakers looking to address opportunities and challenges in diverse educational contexts. Often pursued alongside innovation initiatives, the application of inquiry-based approaches to professional development and teacher learning also has a strong foothold in education. Through a two-year collaborative inquiry, this study produced an approach at the intersection of these endeavors called inquiry-driven innovation—an ongoing process that empowers individuals and communities to pursue positive change that is relevant and responsive to their contexts.

This framework for school-based change is structured around five qualities of practice. Inquiry-driven innovation is purposeful and intentional, attentive to multiple perspectives, adapted to context, sustained and iterative, and structured and supported. This paper presents the Model for Inquiry-Driven Innovation and shares brief examples of how schools have used this model to innovate in teaching and learning.

The study was conducted in partnership with a school network in the United Arab Emirates. Consistent with collaborative inquiry and design-based research approaches, the university-based research team introduced an initial arc of research-informed professional development activities and resources before working iteratively with the participating teachers and administrators to modify and further develop these activities and resources. At the same time, the researchers collected data to capture participants’ experiences and professional growth, and to document the process of creating and scaling school-based innovations. These data were drawn from participant surveys, semi-structured interviews, focus group sessions, and group storytelling activities that invited participants to reflect on their involvement in the study.

Seven schools participated on a voluntary basis, each recruiting study groups of teachers and school administrators that met weekly to engage in professional development and peer learning activities. Each study group collaboratively designed and implemented an innovation project responsive to the needs of their schools, and assessed the effectiveness and impact of these projects. Innovation projects included the development of new curricula, parent engagement initiatives, and pedagogical resources. The full cohort of study groups also periodically exchanged ideas in person and online.

Two mini case studies are presented in this paper to illustrate the outcomes of engaging in the Model for Inquiry-Driven Innovation:
1) a low-cost Indian curriculum school that transformed its approach to pedagogy and parent involvement; and
2) a technology-rich British curriculum school that developed a toolkit to support dispositions that aid digital learning.

The model and case examples presented contribute a new and empowering approach to professional development. They add to the literature on both school-based innovation and inquiry-based professional development, and indicate the potential for future research around the practice of inquiry-driven innovation. The practical significance of this study is rooted in the potential that may be found in galvanizing collective inquiry groups of educational professionals in the process of pursuing innovations adapted to local context.

Keywords:

Professional development, inquiry, innovation, collaboration, school change.