Teaching as Inquiry - An introduction

Why Teaching as Inquiry?
"How's your inquiry going?"  "We need to talk about inquiry at the next department meeting..."
Those phrases used to make me break out into a sweat and I am sure I am probably not alone.
I have decided to collate/curate my resources into one place. Currently I am not teaching but I am "doing an inquiry". And for the first time I am excited about it! Because I finally "get IT!
I have also accessed a fantastic resource on the VLN (virtual learning network) put together by a colleague, Mark Maddren of CORE Education and will link his resources here where relevant.

Why?

Effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students NZC p35. 

Since any teaching strategy works differently in different contexts for different students, effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students.

The Teacher inquiry process and knowledge building cycle is a fundamental aspect of a schools process to build the relevant professional knowledge, skills and dispositions. Timperley, H. (2009, August). Using assessment data for improving teaching practice. Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) Conference

Research done in New Zealand found sustainable PLD success was possible because the schools had embedded a process of inquiry—using student achievement data to adjust teaching practice for maximum effectiveness. The process was fully embedded so that it had become “taken for granted” and a part of the schools’ core business.http://www.nzcer.org.nz/nzcerpress/set/articles/sustaining-improvements-student-achievement-myth-or-reality 

Internationally Data-driven decision making has become an essential component of educational practice across all levels, from chief state school officers to classroom teachers, and has received unprecedented attention in terms of policy and financial support.  Ellen, B., Mandinach, (2012). A Perfect Time for Data Use: Using Data-Driven Decision Making to Inform Practice. Educational Psychologist, 47,(2), 71-85. 

Link to Mark Maddren's VLN page