Changing practices:supporting the introduction of inquiry-based learning in a
suburban Gaelscoil.
Ó Coileáin, Colm
(2020)
Changing practices:supporting the introduction of inquiry-based learning in a
suburban Gaelscoil.
PhD thesis, Dublin City University.
This dissertation outlines my journey in preparing for, and implementing, the new Junior Cycle science curriculum, and how that implementation has in turn shaped my new understanding of inquiry-based learning in Irish-language science classrooms. The research underpinning this dissertation is influenced by the metaphor of the research as bricolage, and was carried out using an action research methodology, self-study and qualitative interviews. Each strand of the research is undertaken using the approach that
most suited that aspect of the research.
I describe my initial attempts to support the use of inquiry-based learning amongst science teachers in all Gaelscoileanna nationally, as I organised and presented a series of webinars on that topic as Gaeilge.
I explain how the reflection process in this initial work led me to investigate my own teaching practice, to determine the extent to which I can claim that I am using inquiry based methodologies in my classroom, and depict how this process contributed to a refinement in my understanding of inquiry-based learning.
I continue by describing and explaining how this reflexive process, in conjunction with the collaborative work undertaken by me and the other science teachers in my school, further informed and influenced my new understanding of inquiry-based learning.
The dissertation concludes with an investigation into how the teachers’ interpretation of the new Junior Cycle science specification, with its emphasis on the use of inquiry, and the process of co-creating the science curriculum we implemented for our students,shaped their understanding of inquiry. This, in turn, helped me clarify my understanding of our roles as science teachers, and gain a new perspective on the nature of science
education.
Metadata
Item Type:
Thesis (PhD)
Date of Award:
November 2020
Refereed:
No
Supervisor(s):
Crotty, Yvonne
Uncontrolled Keywords:
Inquiry based Learning; Science Teaching; Junior Cycle Science Curriculum; Gaelscoileanna.