Inquiring about Inquiry: A Research Journey

It is the responsibility of teacher educators to ensure that novice teachers are reflective practitioners who can critically examine their own practice. One promising practice that supports the development of this reflective stance is teacher inquiry. In this descriptive case study, the authors present data collected from three teacher candidates who engaged in classroom inquiry during a required, semester-long practicum seminar. Data included teacher candidate’s inquiry questions and written summaries of their inquiry projects. Data were analyzed using a priori codes gleaned from the competencies identified in the state-mandated teacher candidate assessment system implemented in the northeast state where the research was conducted. In addition, inductive codes that emerged from the data and informed by the literature were analyzed to identify themes across inquiry questions and projects. Implications for teacher preparation are presented. Key Words: teacher inquiry; teacher competencies; teacher candidates; reflective practic