Teacher collaborative inquiry as a professional development intervention: benefits and challenges

Team-Based Professional Development Interventions in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

“…Another learning outcome of participating in a team-based professional development intervention was a change in a participant’s teaching approach ( Deni & Malakolunthu, 2013 ; Dickerson et al, 2014 ; W. Green et al, 2013 ; Norton et al, 2011 ; Rienties, Brouwer, & Lygo-Baker, 2013 ). For example, Deni and Malakolunthu (2013) concluded that teachers were readjusting their teaching style to more s tudent-centered teaching or a democratic teaching style with explicit empathy for students, as a result of participating in a teacher inquiry community. Deni and Malakolunthu used data triangulation involving interviews, observations, audio recordings, and a qualitative questionnaire to validate their findings.…”

“…Teachers also gained hands-on examples of how to implement new teaching strategies and teaching methods in the classroom. Some articles generally stated that teachers had learned effective practices without going into detail about it ( Harwood & Clarke, 2006 ; Poyas & Smith, 2007 ); other articles provided concrete examples of these effective practices ( Deni & Malakolunthu, 2013 ; Dickerson et al, 2014 ; Norton et al, 2011 ; Rienties, Brouwer, Bohle Carbonell, et al, 2013 ; Rienties, Brouwer, & Lygo-Baker, 2013 ; Schuck et al, 2013 ). For example, teachers in the qualitative study by Norton et al (2011) involving document analysis and teacher narratives, learned to improve their teacher–student relationships by conducting one-on-one meetings during the semester.…”

“…For example, teachers in the qualitative study by Norton et al (2011) involving document analysis and teacher narratives, learned to improve their teacher–student relationships by conducting one-on-one meetings during the semester. However, new practices could not always be transferred from one classroom to another ( Deni & Malakolunthu, 2013 ).…”

“…Other learning outcomes involved a better understanding of students and how to support their learning ( Deni & Malakolunthu, 2013 ; Dickerson et al, 2014 ; W. Green et al, 2013 ; Harwood & Clarke, 2006 ; Norton et al, 2011 ). Deni and Malakolunthu (2013) stated that teachers gained better understanding of how to handle difficult students, and address learning difficulties, and gained better understanding of how to support students’ educational aims. Finally, several articles described teachers’ experimentation with new ideas gained through participation in team-based interventions.…”

“…Finally, several articles described teachers’ experimentation with new ideas gained through participation in team-based interventions. Deni and Malakolunthu (2013) and W. Green et al (2013) stated that participating in a teacher inquiry community resulted in experimenting with new ideas, and that participating in a community of practice resulted in experimentation with innovative practices .…”