The Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation has released a new publication that identifies five models of collaboration and the conditions under which they work best.
The Guide to evidence-based models of collaborative inquiry focuses on the importance of collaboration in teaching and highlights the benefits of sharing successful and innovative practices among educators. School leaders can use the guide to determine which model is most suitable for their school.
According to Jacky Hodges, Executive Director of Schools Policy and Evidence, collaboration plays a critical role in identifying and sharing best practices across classrooms.
Doing so effectively improves both student outcomes and teaching practice. The resource explores the evidence to support five effective practices: instructional rounds, quality teaching rounds, data walls, learning walks, and spirals of inquiry.
“School leaders and teachers may choose to apply one or more models depending on their school’s context,” Ms. Hodges said. “By reviewing the common elements across the models, school leaders and teachers can develop an understanding of which models may meet which needs or purposes in their school.”
Beecroft Public School is an example of a school that has successfully used the Spirals of Inquiry model to lift collaboration.
Teachers use Spirals of Inquiry to address key challenges in their school and ensure that their students’ needs are being met.
Through this model, teachers have created a dynamic culture of continuous improvement with a focus on results. The collaboration is led by an ‘expert other’ – a teacher who is teaching the year group and leads the inquiry – who uses deep inquiry questions to start the process, as well as reflection and evaluate the results of previous spirals.
“To begin with, we started looking at reading, and when we saw improvements in our students’ reading abilities, we broadened this collaborative practice and shifted our focus to numeracy,” Mrs. Randall, relieving principal of Beecroft Public School, said.
Teachers investigate what they are currently doing and turn their attention to what else they need to learn and how they can take action to make a meaningful difference.
The Guide to evidence-based models of collaborative inquiry is currently only available to NSW Department of Education teachers and school leaders.
This new resource offers valuable insights into the importance of collaboration and the power of innovative practices to drive success in teaching and learning.