Acknowledgments
About the Authors
List of Figures, Tables, and Resources
Preface
Part One: Collaborative Inquiry: A Transformative Professional
Learning Design
Chapter 1. Teacher Driven Improvement
Addressing Adaptive Challenges
A Collaborative Inquiry Framework
What it is and What it is Not
What do the Experts Say?
Moving Collaborative Inquiry from Theory to Practice
Chapter 2. Bringing Collaborative Inquiry to Scale
Coburn’s (2003) Redefinition of Scale
Conditions Necessary to Bring Collaborative Inquiry to Scale
Part Two: Strengthening the Power: Realizing Change in Schools and
Classrooms
Chapter 3. Determining and Maintaining Focus
Establishing a Needs Based Focus
Formulating an Inquiry Question
Developing a Robust Theory of Action
Chapter 4. Provoking Thinking to Assess Impact
Building Appreciation for and Capacity to Use a Variety of
Assessment Data
Teacher Learning Through the Collaborative Analysis of Student
Work
Determining Next Best Move
Reconciling Discrepancies: Theories of Action
Chapter 5. Shaping the Development of a Professional Learning
Culture
Shifting from Professional Development to Professional Learning
Building Quality Professional Relationships
Improving Collaboration
Expanding the Reach of Learning
Resources
References
Jenni Donohoo is the director of Praxis-Engaging Ideas, Inc and a
project manager for the Council of Ontario Directors of Education
(CODE). Jenni has a PhD in Educational Studies and Supervisory
Officer Qualifications. Jenni is a former classroom teacher and
currently works with system, school leaders, and teachers around
the world to support high quality professional learning. She has
authored many peer-reviewed publications and three best-selling
books, including Collaborative Inquiry for Educators, The
Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry (with Moses Velasco),
and Collective Efficacy: How Educators’ Beliefs Impact Student
Learning. Jenni’s areas of expertise include collective efficacy,
metacognition, adolescent literacy, and facilitating collaborative
learning structures.
Moses Velasco is a Professional Learning Leader with Toronto
District School Board. He has held several teacher leadership
positions at both the school level and central departments. He is
currently completing a Masters of Education degree with the Ontario
Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of
Toronto. In addition to his professional and academic work, he sits
on the board of directors for the Learning Forward Ontario
affiliate. Moses is passionate about the critical role teachers
play in improving education by expanding their understanding and
exercise of leadership and influence. He also loves karaoke.
"There is a new #1 in Visible Learning – teachers’ collective
efficacy. This book gets to the heart of working together to build
the confidence that teachers and school leaders can change the
learning lives of all learners, that they then do change their
learning lives, and that they collaborate in this endeavour.
Donohoo and Velasco ensure we focus on the right problems to
collaborate about, that the process can be scaled, and that
thinking is provoked to maximise impact. A most worthwhile book
that shows the why, the how, and the impact of collaborative
inquiry."
*John Hattie, Professor of Education & Director of the Melbourne
Education Research Institute*
"The concept Collaborative Inquiry is increasingly bandied about
these days with little precision. In one fell swoop Donohoo and
Velasco change all that with this succinct, hard hitting, complete,
powerful and above all accessible book on Collaborative Inquiry.
It’s all there: research, practice, theory, examples and crystal
clear charts and guides to comprehension and deep action. _We learn
what high quality Professional Learning is, and what it is not (13
comparisons); the 6 Lynchpins of Collaborative Inquiry, the
distinction between Professional Development and Professional
Learning, and each chapter starts with a ‘Cardwork Map’ that
contains the 4 key ideas in each chapter. The Transformative Power
of Collaborative Inquiry is as it promises: you can transform
learning in your school and district by examining and employing the
ideas in this book!"
*Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus*
"The power of collaboration is evident throughout this book as
Jenni and Moses guide readers through an inquiry process that can
strengthen every professional learning community. They provide the
"how" to the oft-asked question about teacher collaboration and
shine light on the path that will get us all there. Their goal is
clear – learning – and they hold teachers in the highest esteem as
they help us all improve our interactions with our peers to benefit
students."
*Douglas Fisher, Professor*
"Perhaps the greatest lesson we can learn from The Transformative
Power of Collaborative Inquiry is that growth and development
involves being open to challenges on the way to learning, leading
and authentic collaboration. This book is a must read and a
wonderful guide!"
*Ann Lieberman, Senior Scholar*
"By focusing on the importance of teachers as drivers for school
improvement, Donohoo and Velasco highlight an important element
that is often overlooked in this crucial learning process.
Realizing that school improvement is not an event, they help us
engage in the collaborative inquiry process in a way that changes
culture in schools, leading to improved outcomes for students.
Teachers in classrooms, principals in schools and leaders in
central offices all play a significant role in creating the
conditions for learning and improvement that are outlined in this
very timely work."
*John Malloy, Director of Education*
"The Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry is a quest
for educators to learn collaboratively in order to improve student
achievement while improving individual and shared educational
practices. It blends what collaborative inquiry is with
researchers’ work that supports the importance of inquiry as a
productive mindset with practical tools, processes, and structures.
Donohoo and Velasco build a case that collaborative inquiry can
serve as a productive school improvement structure."
*Larry Thomas, Executive Director*
"Donohoo and Velasco′s book provides an engaging, informed and
practical call to action for placing educators as the leaders of
their own, their peers′ and their students′ learning through The
Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry. Vitally they go
beyond merely calling for action to providing examples from schools
and educators, their own professional experiences, and from latest
research evidence. There are many authors who advocate for
collaborative inquiry; where Donohoo and Velasco stand out is in a
providing a timely must read book with useful resources to support
facilitators develop conditions and practices for depth of quality
collaborative inquiry to benefit educators and students."
*Carol Campbell, Associate Professor*
"Robust and ongoing collaborative inquiry at every level — among
teachers but also among school and system leaders —has been shown
to improve schools and school systems. Yet such collaborative
inquiry remains relatively uncommon. This book enables
collaborative inquiry "at scale" by combining an informed and
nuanced grasp of relevant research with astute and practical
guidance derived from the authors’ own extensive experience."
*Judith Warren Little, Professor*
"The Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry is a fantastic
resource for anyone interested in realizing the enormous potential
of collaborative inquiry to substantially deepen the learning of
students, adults, and educational systems. With a rich collection
of guidelines, tools, and examples, Jenni Donohoo and Moses Velasco
bring clarity and precision to the what, the how, and the why of
effective collaborative inquiry. A valuable and timely book for
change agents in schools and districts."
*Santiago Rincon-Gallardo, Banting Postdoctoral Fellow*
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