by Jan Connal, Cerritos College
Faculty Inquiry offers a way forward by borrowing many of the same knowledge building practices found in the science and technologies sectors. The elements of Faculty Inquiry –- a clear focus, the collection ground-level data, a collaborative meaning making from collected evidence, going public and taking action — build knowledge and effective, professional practice.
The “FIN knowledge” built by inquiry can be found throughout this website. This knowledge was generated by faculty collaborating with colleagues to collect and make meaning of ground-level data on issues that personally mattered to them. And, as a result, inquiry had a profound impact on teams’ professional knowledge about students, learning and teaching.
For example, we learned a great deal about students and how the following affective elements influence their learning (click on each highlighted term for information about the knowledge developed). Interestingly, though, we found that these same elements also influence professional learning because, as with students, they are associated with one’s personal identity.
