Online Session 25th February: What is an Inquiry?

In the online session last night with Paula, Tom, Ellie, Lisa, Lara we started by asking and questions that we wanted to discuss during the session:

• What is the literature review about?
• What are the timings of the Inquiry?
• How do you make sure your Inquiry is anonymous – in journal extracts?

Professional Inquiry

I found that the online session helped me to understand which ‘inquiry stage’ we are in at the moment. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, I was feeling a bit lost about where we should be in the inquiry process. Paula said we should still be in Stage 1 and possibly moving into Stage 2 as we are looking at literature.

One part of the discussion that I would really like to try was ‘Pinpointing’ where you are in the inquiry by discussing this with BAPP peers over skype by asking the following questions: 

Where are you now?

1. Your topic area and inquiry questions
2. Ethical issues that are involved in your inquiry
3. What you have done so far in terms of researching literature
4. What you have done so far in terms of gathering data
5. Have your partner write this on for you and give/send it to you.

I would really like to try this because I feel that the more I discuss my inquiry with others, the clearer I am about developing an ‘Action Plan’. If any other Module 3 BAPP Arts students would like to try this, comment below and we can try and organise a time?

Middlesex University (2016) Module 3 Handbook (p. 13)

 I think another part of the discussion that I found useful, is when Paula asked us, ‘What is an inquiry?’ and how we would explain this in terms of our own inquiry. The group came up with the following ideas and were in much agreement over these points:

• Something that is important for your professional practice
• Helping others to find out more / the inquiry will benefit others in your place of work
• Research to improve practice
• Action Research
• Giving you more knowledge to ‘defend’ your professional opinions and standpoints

In my opinion, I think a professional inquiry is carrying out research that is important in my own professional practices. For me, carrying out an inquiry will give me more knowledge about a specific area of teaching that will help me to develop my current professional practices as well as my practices in the future. Also, I believe that this inquiry will allow me to build of specific knowledge so that I am able to carry out further research in the future (possible on the PGCE course next year, or in a masters).

Literature Review

The literature review is looking at 10-20 sources. I have found Summon to be a fantastic resource and I have found a variety of interesting articles that have helped with my inquiry so far. Paula said that it is also useful to look at the Library Guides as well. The literature review is not about looking at separate sources and ideas, but putting these together and looking at the ‘whole picture’. You might look  authors representing a position or opposing a position and where you are in that discussion and where you want to take those opinions.

Overall, I found last nights session a really positive experience. It was so useful to come together to discus problems and ideas because they often apply to more than one of our inquiries. I also can find that the structure of the course can mean that you miss the support of your peers. Therefore, I would really like to try to have more Skype/phone conversations outside of the online sessions with the Module 3s during this study period.