OVERVIEW AND RATIONALE
Undertaking the inquiry process led me to a more specific question focused on supporting the development of creative writing skills in the classroom through inquiry learning. As I worked through the inquiry process and conducted an assessment of the resources generated by the search terms connected to my original question, my thinking became clearer. It became evident that I needed to include a more specific focus that would lead to the most impact on my classroom practice and subsequently on students’ writing skills. The refined question became:
How can inquiry learning be used in the high school English classroom to support students to develop their creative writing skills?
During the initial inquiry I was employed as Head Teacher English and henceforth was concerned with ways to engage students in the development of their imaginative writing skills. My recent appointment as Teacher Librarian and the allocation of 11 periods of ‘Communication Skills’ has changed my reach in many ways, but my students would likely benefit from the inquiry learning process. There is no set syllabus for the classes that I am currently teaching but resources are predominantly focused on writing skill acquisition and consolidation, so the inquiry question remains relevant. Inquiry learning would not only provide students with an opportunity to engage in the writing process in a more authentic way and the level of investigation required would allow for the explicit teaching of research skills while students explore ways to improve writing which is would also be beneficial.
ANNOTATED LIST OF PROFESSIONAL AND SCHOLARLY SOURCES
Source 1.
McLean, I. (2016). Speculative Fiction: A genre study using inquiry based learning to improve imaginative writing in Stage 4 English. English Teachers Association of NSW mETAphor, 1, pp. 40-44.
This source was written for the NSW English Teachers’ Association journal mETAphor. The English Teachers’ Association of NSW is a non-profit teaching association which is able to hire a small staff based on income from membership, publications, and professional learning events. The association’s journal is published quarterly and is provided to financial members. While the journal is not peer reviewed, it is a trusted and valuable source of knowledge for teachers of English in NSW. There is a committee comprising association staff and volunteers who are English teachers from the public and private education sectors so in essence, all stakeholders are represented. There is trust placed in the association to provide quality resources to members and effort is made by the mETAphor committee to seek submissions that capture authentic classroom experiences and practical approaches to the classroom. The source is reliable in the sense that it is an example of inquiry learning in an English classroom. The focus on imaginative writing links directly to the inquiry question and the article explains an approach to the practical application of inquiry learning. The article was published in 2016 which means that it links to the current NSW Stage 4 English Syllabus which increases its relevance.
The article draws on the respected work of Kuhlthau, Maniotes, and Caspari and refers to resources from Guided Inquiry Design: A framework for Inquiry in Your School (2012). McLean gains credibility through this reference as it indicates the processes used in the classroom are based on a trusted model (2016, p. 40). The article details what kinds of activities and resources are provided to underpin the inquiry in the classroom giving great support to a reader who may want to undertake a similar process with their students. The school where McLean works is named which provides contextual details and there is a reflection on the impact of inquiry learning and how it improved the level of engagement and the quality of work submitted.
Overall, this source was the most relevant to the inquiry question and the fact that it linked with prescribed readings for the Inquiry Learning course and that it is based in NSW added to its usefulness.
Source 2.
Wiebe, S. (2010). A Poet’s Journey as A/r/tographer: Poetic Inquiry With Junior High School Students. LEARNing Landscapes, 4(1), pp. 239-253.
The second source I perused after searching for inquiry learning in the English classroom was in many ways an esoteric exploration of the significance of poetry, but it did eventually delve into inquiry in the classroom, and Wiebe (2010) raised several key points about the impact of inquiry learning and the role of the teacher during the inquiry process. Wiebe’s (2010, p. 245) discussion of the classroom environment required to facilitate inquiry learning is what was most useful in this article and his exploration of the theory underpinning his decision to ‘let go’ and give students more agency was significant. The article was more reflective than some of the instructional pieces I read which was a contrast that allowed me to reflect upon the way that many teachers maintain the traditional approaches of their own teachers.
The article is published in the LEARNing Landscapes journal which is peer reviewed and open access. The journal is a subsidiary to LEARN which is a non-profit educational organisation supporting the English speaking community in Quebec. The journal provides arts educators with a range of theory to practice approaches to pedagogy. Submissions are accepted based on adherence to the style guide and theme of the issue. The LEARNing Landscapes journal’s requirements are outlined clearly on the website which suggests transparency and rigour (LEARNing Landscapes Journal, n.d.). The fact that the journal is open access is interesting as the this may impact the author as far as collecting royalties for their work. On investigation it is interesting to note that the author of the article is on the Editorial Board of the publication. Overall there is a genuine exploration of inquiry in a Year 9 English class which links to my inquiry question (Wiebe, 2010).
Source 3.
Brown, H. (2004). Walking into the Unknown: Inquiry-Based Learning Transforms the English Classroom. The English Journal, 94(2), pp. 43-48.
The third source of interest described the inquiry process in an English classroom in America (Brown, 2004). While it did not specifically focus on creative writing there were references to writing workshop as students were required to present their findings via a website and copy that they wrote so this cemented its relevance (Brown, 2004). While Brown’s article was published in 2004 the reflection captured is still useful. It is important to note though, that the reluctance of students to use the technology due to their typing speed and difficulty using the software would be less likely to be an issue today as technology is more prevalent in schools and households (Brown, 2004, p. 46).
Overall Brown focuses on improving students’ engagement with the research process (Brown, 2004, p. 43). The implementation of inquiry learning provides students with the opportunity to engage authentically with an area of interest and find a deeper connection to their studies (Brown, 2004, p. 44). I found the article to be very honest in its representation of the classroom dynamic and found the inclusion of student dialogue and feedback helpful (Brown, 2004, p. 46).
The publisher of the article—The National Council of Teachers of English—is a highly respected organisation supporting English language arts teachers in the USA. The organisation has been around for over 100 years providing professional learning, resources, and a range of journals which are available for purchase on top of membership fees. The English Journal is peer reviewed by three outside reviewers and supports teachers in middle schools and junior and senior high schools (NCTE National Council of Teachers of English, 2020). It is published bi-monthly and past issues are stored online dating back to 1912 for members to access (NCTE National Council of Teachers of English, 2020). The longevity of the organisation and the English Journal indicates that it is a trusted authority in the area of English language arts and the experiences captured are a true representation of pedagogical practices. The article is structured clearly with headings and the expression is detailed and coherent and it acts as an instructional document (Brown, 2004).
Source 4.
Boas, E. (2016). Developing an inquiry approach. In E. Boas & S. Gazis (Eds.), The Artful English Teacher (pp. 103-129). Australian Association for the Teaching of English.
The fourth source I have included is a chapter from The Artful English Teacher (2016) which I noticed, on Twitter, had received commendation from the Educational Publishing Awards Australia. I was fortunate to attend a workshop presented by the author and I work with the other editor through a volunteer role with the NSW English Teachers’ Association. The high praise this text has received indicates its worth as a teacher resource and the article that links with the inquiry question provides insight into the theoretical underpinnings of inquiry learning, ideas on how to engage students with the process in the classroom, and several ‘snapshots’ of inquiries (Boas, 2016).
The resource was created for the Australian Association for the Teaching of English (AATE). The AATE supports the state English teaching associations and produces its own professional learning, resources, and journal to support teachers across Australia. To capture the impactful nature of inquiry learning in the classroom there is reference to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to provide a link to the expectations of teachers. The ‘snapshots’ provide an overview of a range of inquiries providing a scaffold that links to my inquiry question (Boas, 2016, pp. 109-127). While the structure of the inquiry is different from Source 1 the underlying premise is the same and the theoretical exploration as well as practical ideas make this a very useful source.
Source 5.
Hewes, B., & Hewes, L. (2016). Are Humans Wild at Heart? And Other Epic English Projects for Year 9-10. Hawker Brownlow Education.
I have been following the blog and Twitter accounts of the authors of this text for some time so have some familiarity with the processes outlined in Are Humans Wild at Heart? And Other Epic English Projects for Year 9-10 (2016). The delineation between what is typically included in inquiry learning process and the structure of ‘project based learning’ (PBL) as described in this source is an important consideration when conducting further research (Hewes & Hewes, 2016, p. 19). There are some similarities to the other sources I have found but also marked differences in the way the authors set up the process of inquiry. Two of the sources I have located, McLean (2016), and Brown (2004) organise inquiry learning for students to undertake individual inquiries into areas that they are personally interested in. Boas (2016), Wiebe (2010, and Hewes & Hewes (2016) set inquiry up as a collaborative effort with individual components along the way. All sources include explicit teaching on a ‘just-in-time’ basis to support students with their skill development and research skills (Kirschner et al., 2012, p. 83).
Hawker Brownlow Education publish a range of educational texts for Australian teachers and as this is their primary concern, there is an element of authority carried with the name. Bianca Hewes has included a range of resources on her professional blog, so the text is ultimately a culmination of many years work in the sphere of PBL (2020). As one of the author sis an English teacher and the projects are created for an English classroom, they provide a thorough overview of ways to explore aspects of literature and have students respond creatively (Hewes & Hewes, 2016, pp. 154-158).
INFOGRAPHIC
The infographic provides an overview of the process, strategies, and resources that support inquiry learning processes in an English classroom. A brief overview of each section has been provided (Lamb & Johnson, 2014, p. 58). To begin there is an introduction to the inquiry process with the blurb: ‘Get students excited about the inquiry process, build the field of knowledge, research (provide support!), develop the inquiry question, gather sources, and share the learning (Kulthau et al., 2012)!’ Some teaching strategies are provided under the explanation: ‘Transform the classroom space by shifting the power structures and making it 'ours' to see the impact of inquiry learning (Brown, 2004; Wiebe, 2010).’ The final section is a reminder of the resourcing required and the tools students may need to share their work: ‘Students need to access quality sources and at the culmination of their project a way to share their learning (Hewes & Hewes, 2016; Boas, 2016).’ The images are included to add visual metaphors and break up the text (Lamb & Johnson, p. 58). The colours are muted – orange, aqua, white, and cream with a mixture of white and black text. The font sizes vary depending on how much information is included in each section.
REFLECTIVE EVALUATION
My experiences with inquiry learning were minimal before undertaking this research and while I have used elements of inquiry before it was not in a sustained manner. I can see great possibilities for inquiry learning in the English classroom and especially in the library space. My pedagogical preference aligns with constructivist learning and a ‘just in time approach’ when teaching core skills for writing workshop. This inclination appears to have been an effective apprenticeship for inquiry learning (Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari, 2015, pp. 15; Hewes & Hewes, 2016, p. 1).
It is heartening to realise, when reflecting upon the Information Search Process (ISP), that my experience of ‘information seeking’ very much aligned with the model and the challenges and emotional state I worked through are an accepted and integral part of the process (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 1). The ‘initiation’ stage left me feeling apprehensive when I considered a possible topic area (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 7). I wanted to research something I was interested in that would be useful to me at some point but what would stand the test of time considering I was possibly changing careers? I landed on imaginative writing as focus as it is relevant to both an English teacher and a Teacher Librarian. I moved from the initiation stage to ‘selection’ quickly, but I found the development of inquiry questions rather daunting. I created two sets of inquiry questions and two mindmaps as I found it difficult to narrow to a topic that would have enough breadth but not to the point that I would be overwhelmed by information. By the second mindmap I was focused and feeling a little more confident and I found the process of brainstorming supported the ‘exploration’ stage (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 9).
The ‘exploration’ stage, eventually, was enjoyable as I do relish an opportunity to investigate resources (Kuhlthau, 2015, paras. 9-10). Fortunately, after only a short spate of frustration, I realised by working through a range of search terms that I needed to adjust the question, and this brought back a manageable number of results. I was led down several ‘rabbit holes’ to find useful articles on writing instruction and other work by Kuhlthau, Maniotes, & Caspari which will assist me to develop strategies to support students using the library. I did have to refocus myself at this point to gather relevant resources for the ‘collection’ stage rather than a range of interesting but unrelated items (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 9).
Unlike the ISP model, I did not feel relief or disappointment by the time I reached the ‘presentation’ stage, (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 12). Instead, I felt as if I may have been prematurely confident as I was unsure how I would present the findings in a suitable infographic. I found myself doubting my sources once it came to the analysis and development of the infographic and whether they were ‘good enough’ to be included. I reasoned, however, that I did find each of them helpful in different ways and they were part of the learning process. Overall, I included five sources in the infographic but captured only a fraction of the information in an effort to keep the display to apply principals of design (Lamb & Johnson, 2014, p. 58).
The next stage of my learning journey will be implementing the inquiry question with students – I would love to see their inquiries into what makes imaginative and creative writing impactful and I would like to read finished pieces of writing at the conclusion of the inquiry process. Further to this, I would also like to investigate how other types of writing have been supported through inquiry learning. As part of my professional development, as I found the inquiry process so useful to determine the purpose of my research, the process will support me with contributions I would like to make to the NSW English Teachers’ Association journal mETAphor now that I have the capacity to methodically work through a process to develop and answer a question. I would also like to develop a suite of resources to support students at each point of the inquiry learning process now that I have a greater understanding of the affective, cognitive, and physical actions that come into play during inquiry (Kuhlthau, 2015, para. 1).
REFERENCE LIST
Boas, E. (2016). Developing an inquiry approach. In E. Boas & S. Gazis (Eds.), The Artful English Teacher (pp. 103-129). Australian Association for the Teaching of English.
Brown, H. (2004). Walking into the Unknown: Inquiry-Based Learning Transforms the English Classroom. The English Journal, 94(2), pp. 43-48.
Hewes, B. (2020). Bianca Hewes. https://biancahewes.wordpress.com/
Hewes, B., & Hewes, L. (2016). Are Humans Wild at Heart? And Other Epic English Projects for Year 9-10. Hawker Brownlow Education.
Kirschner, P.A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R.E. (2006). Why Minimal Guidance During Instruction Does Not Work: An Analysis of the Failure of Constructivist, Discovery, Problem-Based, Experiential, and Inquiry-Based Teaching. Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 75-86.
Kulthau, C. C. (2015). Information Search Process. Rutgers School of Communication and Information. http://wp.comminfo.rutgers.edu/ckuhlthau/information-search-process/
Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2012). Guided Inquiry Design. Libraries Unlimited.
Kuhlthau, C. C., Maniotes, L. K., & Caspari, A. K. (2015). Guided Inquiry (2nd ed.). ABC-CLIO.
Lamb, A. & Johnson, L. (2014). Infographics Part 1: Invitations to Inquiry. Teacher Librarian, 41(4), pp. 54-58.
LEARNing Landscapes Journal. (n.d.). Disclaimer, Copyright and Ethics Statement. https://www.learninglandscapes.ca/index.php/learnland/Disclaimer-Copyright-Ethics-Statement
McLean, I. (2016). Speculative Fiction: A genre study using inquiry based learning to improve imaginative writing in Stage 4 English. English Teachers Association of NSW mETAphor, 1, pp. 40-44.
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(issue), Pages.
NCTE National Council of Teachers of English. (2020). English Journal. https://ncte.org/resources/journals/english-journal/
Wiebe, S. (2010). A Poet’s Journey as A/r/tographer: Poetic Inquiry With Junior High School Students. LEARNing Landscapes, 4(1), pp. 239-253.
