Agents of Change: Guiding Teachers to Use Inquiry to Identify Challenges & Seek Solutions
Edition: 2
Copyright: 2025
Pages: 116
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Educators face many challenges each day in their classrooms, and it is clear they want to address these challenges to improve the learning environment for themselves and their students. But what can be done to guide this improvement process and become Agents of Change? Teacher inquiry is the key. It is through the inquiry process in-service and pre-service teachers can become active participants in improving what happens in their classroom.
This book, Agents of Change, outlines the inquiry process starting with the first chapter where the reader begins to identify actionable challenges within their classroom. Followed by each subsequent chapter outlining a step-by-step plan to make change; finding high quality, defensible resources, determining what strategy might be used to gain improvement, and ending with sharing results of the changes achieved. The book includes links to outside resources as well as checklists to guide or assess the stages of the inquiry process. This book is designed to scaffold new teachers starting their career as well as support veteran teachers who want to continue to be lifelong learners. The inquiry process shared will help new and veteran educators become AGENTS OF CHANGE where they are Challenge Identifiers and Solution Seekers.
Introduction
References
CHAPTER 1 What’s bugging you? Find the Mess you want to improve or change?
Mess list task
Documentation of meeting with mentor teacher
References
CHAPTER 2 What is known about your topic: Finding resources to inform practice
Starting your literature review
Annotated bibliography task checklist
If you want to go one step further
Bumblebee bites exercise
Literature review excerpt
References
CHAPTER 3 What do you want to know? Developing research questions
What do you want to know: Finding your inquiry question(s)
Good research questions
References
CHAPTER 4 Collecting data: Identifying participants and data-gathering tools
Interviews
Ranking scales
Journals
Developing data-gathering tools
CHAPTER 5 Data analysis planning: How to unpack the data to determine what it says
Themes and patterns
Coding
Concept maps
CHAPTER 6 Getting approval for your research/inquiry project
CHAPTER 7 Sharing your study with others Part I—Writing a research report
Literature review
Research question(s)
Methodology
Data collection strategy
Timeline/Procedures
Implementation of your plan
Analysis, results, and conclusions
Limitations
CHAPTER 8 Sharing your study with others Part II—Poster development
How to prepare for presenting your findings
Poster elements
Title Examples:
Study abstract
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Conclusions
Designing an effective poster
How to prepare for your oral presentation
CHAPTER 9 Reflecting on the research process: Impact on what you do
Comparison of the cyclical inquiry (AR process) and Reflection cycle
References
CHAPTER 10 Are you ready? Build a strong resume and prepare for your interviews
Resume example