Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Notes on Contributors
List of Illustrations
List of Tables
Preface
Part I: Exploring Practitioner Enquiry
1. Landscapes of Educational Change
2. Principles of Enquiry-Based Practice
3. Gathering and Building on Data
Part II: Illustrating Enquiry Initiatives
4. Redesigning Pedagogy in the Early Years of Primary School: An Employer Speaks, Franceyn O’Connor
5. Stories from School: When Things Go Well
6. Stories from Schools: When Issues Arise
7. Embracing the Unexpected: Professional Enquiry as a Source of Inspiration
8. Stories of Pedagogical Leadership: Collaborative Professional Learning, Fay Hadley, Katey De Gioia, Sheila Degotardi, Kate Highfield, Sandra Cheeseman, Debra Clarke
9. Sustaining Practitioner Enquiry Projects: Frustrations and Achievements, Anthony Semann and Rod Soper
Part III: Critical Reflections
10. Facilitating the Facilitators: Working Together for Change
11. A System Change Process: Practitioner Enquiry as a Social Practice, Kate O’Brien
12. Professional Learning through Practitioner Enquiry: Springboarding the Future
Glossary
Index
References

Promotional Information

Explores practitioner inquiry and its key components as an approach to lasting educational change.

About the Author

Alma Fleet is Associate Professor at the Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Australia.
Katey De Gioia is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Australia.
Catherine Patterson is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Australia.

With contributions from Sandra Cheeseman, Debra Clarke, Sheila Degotardi, Fay Hadley, Kate Highfield, Kate O'Brien, Franceyn O'Connor, Anthony Semann and Rod Soper.

Reviews

Practitioner inquiry, as presented in this book, opens up possibilities for deep engagement in early childhood settings in authentic ways. This book is a must read for anyone interested in understanding the what, how and why of embarking on practitioner inquiry. The stories explored within various chapters capture readers’ interests in subtle ways, and before you know it, you will be hooked and delighted that you chose to read this book. It will stimulate you and stretch you in the way you approach pedagogical decision-making, organisational change, and educational leadership in early childhood settings.
*Manjula Waniganayake, Professor of Early Childhood, Institute of Early Childhood, Macquarie University, Australia*

The book contains well-ordered chapters which make engagement with educational change come alive by using recent and relevant case studies. This helps the reader to understand how professional inquiry can improve what goes on in practice. Each chapter illustrates the purposefulness of using particular methods of inquiry and suggests how the process requires a demonstration of wide ranging personal and professional qualities including reflection about what goes on and why. It reveals the way educators take responsibility for their actions and make carefully considered choices about refinements to practice. The book therefore illustrates how engagement in those choice making activities promotes critical engagement with practice. A really useful resource for students and tutors.
*Michael Reed, Senior Lecturer, Centre for Early Childhood, University of Worcester, UK. Michael has co-edited a number of books including Reflective Practice in the Early Years (2010), Quality Improvement and Change in the Early Years (2012), Work Based Research in the Early Years (2012) and a Critical Companion to Early Childhood (2015). His latest work is focused on leadership in early education.*