Spirals of Inquiry

A Guide to the Phases of the Spiral of Inquiry

SCANNING: WHAT IS GOING ON FOR YOUR LEARNERS?

What  scanning  is:  

A  wide  perspective  on  learning  informed  by  learning  principles  

Involves  finding  out  what  is  happening  for  all  learners  from  their  perspectives  and  those  of  their  
families  and  their  community  
 

What  scanning  is  NOT:  

 
Seeking  evidence  to  reinforce  the  status  quo  
 
Only  looking  at  aspects  of  academic  learning  that  are  easily  measured  
 
Exclusively  about  what  the  professionals  think  

Note:  It  is  impossible  to  conduct  a  thorough  scanning  without  involving  learners  –  and  listening  
closely  to  what  they  have  to  say.  
 
Three  powerful  ways  to  engage  in  the  scanning  process:    
1.  Use  the  four  key  questions  from  Spirals  of  Inquiry  to  determine  the  extent  to  which  learners  
are  connected  to  their  school  community  (social-­‐emotional  learning)  and  are  developing  meta-­‐
cognitiion  and  self-­‐regulation  (cognitive  sciences).  
1. Can  you  name  two  adults  in  this  setting  who  believe  you  will  be  a  success  in  life?  
2. Where  are  you  going  with  your  learning?  (What  are  you  learning  and  why  is  this  
important?)    
3. How’s    it  going?  
4. Where  to  next?  

2.  Use  the  seven  learning  principles  from  the  conclusion  to  The  Nature  of  Learning  from  the  
Center  for  Educational  Research  and  Innovation:  OECD  as  a  framework  for  understanding  what  
the  learning  experiences  of  your  learners  are  like.  Here  are  some  examples:    
 
Learners  at  the  centre    
• Can  learners  describe  in  their  own  words  what  they  are  learning  -­‐  and  why  what  they  
are  learning  is  important?  
• Can  they  use  a  range  of  ways  to  demonstrate  their  learning?  
• Can  they  self-­‐manage  independent  learning  times?  

Halbert  &  Kaser,  Spirals  of  Inquiry,  2016     1  

 
 • Are  they  able  to  set  specific  learning  goals  and  construct  their  learning  through  active  
exploration?    

The  social  nature  of  learning  

• Do  learners  demonstrate  the  kinds  of  social  and  collaborative  skills  needed  for  
teamwork,  citizenship  and  the  workplace?  
• How  much  opportunity  do  they  get  to  collaborate  across  ages  and  stages  

Emotions  are  central  to  learning  

• To  what  extent  are  learners  able  to  monitor  and  manage  their  own  emotions?  
• To  what  extent  do  learners  exhibit  a  growth  mindset?  Are  they  developing  resilience  
and  persistence?  
• Do  learners  have  the  chance  to  use  physical  activity  appropriately  to  develop  calmness  
or  alertness?  

Recognizing  individual  differences  

• Can  learners  articulate  their  individual  strengths,  interests  and  passions?  
• Do  they  understand,  and  can  they  express,  what  they  find  difficult  or  challenging?  
• Do  learners  believe  that  their  prior  knowledge  and  cultural  backgrounds  are  respected,  
valued  and  utilized?  
• Are  they  developing  a  sense  of  personal  identity?    

Stretching  all  students  

• Are  learners,  regardless  of  their  age,  able  to  teach  someone  else  and  are  they  able  to  
make  a  contribution  to  the  community  as  a  whole?  
• Are  all  learners  experiencing  demanding,  engaging  and  challenging  work  without
excessive overload? Are  they  experiencing  challenges  that  are  within  their  zone  of  
proximal  development  –  not  too  hard  or  too  easy?    

Assessment  for  learning  

• Are  learners  clear  on  what  they  are  learning  and  why  it  matters?  
• Can  learners  describe  what  quality  work  looks  like  –  and  how  they  are  doing  with  their  
own  learning?  
• Are  learners  confident  and  comfortable  in  both  giving  and  receiving  feedback  with  their  
peers  based  on  co-­‐constructed  criteria?    

Building  horizontal  connections  

• Can  learners  see  and  understand  the  connections  across  content  areas/disciplines?  
• To  what  extent  does  learning  extend  beyond  the  walls  of  the  school?  
• To  what  extent  do  they  learn  on  a  regular  basis  from  members  of  their  community?  

 
 

Halbert  &  Kaser,  Spirals  of  Inquiry,  2016     2  

 
3.  Use  the  First  Peoples’  Principles  of  Learning  to  understand  what’s  going  on  for  your  learners.  
Here  are  some  starting  questions:  
• Do  learners  see  what  they  are  learning  in  school  as  contributing  to  their  own  well-­‐being  
and  to  that  of  their  families  and  communities?    
• Are  learners  developing  a  deeper  sense  of  place?  
• Do  they  have  a  chance  to  explore  and  understand  the  consequences  of  their  actions?  
• Do  they  have  the  opportunity  to  learn  from  and  with  different  generations?  
• Are  they  developing  a  greater  understanding  of  and  appreciation  for  Indigenous  
knowledge?  
• To  what  extent  are  stories  part  of  their  experience  at  school?    
• Are  they  developing  patience?  
• Are  they  exploring  their  own  identity?  

FOCUSING:  WHAT’S  GOING  TO  GIVE  YOU  THE  BIGGEST  IMPACT?  

What  focusing  is:  

Uses  information  from  the  scan  to  identify  an  area  for  concentrated  team  learning  and  action  

Usually  requires  collection  of  further  information  to  ensure  accurate  understanding  of  the  
situation  

Builds  on  strengths  or  positives  as  well  as  gaining  clarity  on  challenges  

Identifies  a  common  area  many  people  can  buy  into  

 
What  focusing  is  NOT:  
 
The  time  to  introduce  completely  new  areas  disconnected  from  the  scanning  process  
 
About  assuming  you  have  it  all  figured  out  and  don’t  need  to  investigate  any  further  
 
Just  about  problems  or  challenges  
 
About  everyone  choosing  his/her  own  area  of  interest  

Considerations:

• What  popped  out  at  you  during  the  scanning  phase?  What  pleased  you?  What  surprised  
you?  What  concerned  you?  
• What  additional  evidence  do  you  need?  How  will  you  gather  it?  
• What  are  some  strengths  that  your  learners  show  in  this  area?    
• How  could  you  build  on  these  strengths?    

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 • What  is  going  to  make  the  biggest  difference  for  your  learners?    
• What  can  you  most  effectively  tackle  over  the  next  few  weeks  or  months  

DEVELOPING A HUNCH: WHAT’S LEADING TO THIS SITUATION?

What  developing  a  hunch  is:    

About  getting  deeply  held  beliefs  and  assumptions  out  on  the  table  about  our  own  practices    

Considering  the  practices  that  we  can  do  something  about  

Checking  our  assumptions  for  accuracy  before  moving  ahead  

What  developing  hunches  is  NOT:  

A  general  brainstorm  of  all  possibilities    

Being  obsessed  with  the  actions  of  others  or  issues  over  which  we  have  limited  influence    

Venting  about  the  past,  fuming  about  the  present  or  finding  someone  to  blame  

 
 
Considerations:  
 
• How  can  you  express  your  views  in  a  way  that  opens  up  thinking  about  practices?  
• How  can  you  create  the  conditions  that  build  curiosity  (not  defensiveness)?  
• How  do  you  ensure  that  when  developing  hunches,  you  focus  on  the  areas  over  which  
you  have  control    (rather  than  blame  the  parents,  the  system,  the  learners  or  anyone  
else)?  
• How  will  you  develop  fairly  quick  ways  to  test  out  your  hunches?  
• How  might  you  involve  learners  and  their  families  as  you  check  out  your  hunches?  

 
 
 

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 LEARNING: WHAT DO YOU NEED TO LEARN? HOW WILL YOU DESIGN NEW
LEARNING?

What  new  learning  is:    

 
Motivated  by  and  connected  to  changing  the  learning  experiences  of  learners  
 
Directly  linked  to  the  focus  identified  in  the  earlier  phase  of  the  spiral  
 
Involves  understanding  why  new  ways  of  doing  things  are  better  than  previous  practices  
 
Sustained  and  supported  over  time  
 
 
What  new  learning  is  NOT:  
 
About  what  someone  else  thinks  would  be  useful  –  or  is  readily  available  
 
Disconnected  from  the  context  
 
Just  about  a  set  of  strategies,  without  deeper  understanding  of  the  purpose  
 
Only  short  term  or  a  quick  fix  

Considerations:

• Now,  that  you  have  explored  some  hunches  and  have  landed  on  a  focus  for  more  in-­‐
depth  learning  and  action,  what  is  it  you  need  to  learn  more  about?  
• Are  there  schools  with  a  similar  focus  from  which  you  can  learn?  What  resources  can  
you  access?    
• How  can  you  make  sure  that  the  strategies  you  are  considering  are  evidence-­‐informed,  
current  and  fit  with  your  context?    
• Over  time  how  will  you  build  in  multiple  opportunities  for  learning  during  the  school  
day?    
• How  will  you  sustain  the  momentum  and  keep  the  learning  engaging?  
• How  will  you  address  the  varied  needs  of  educators  in  your  setting?    
• How  will  you  ensure  that  everyone  –  formal  leaders,  teachers  and  support  staff  –  are  
engaged  in  their  learning?  

 
 
 
 
 

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 TAKING ACTION: WHAT CAN WE DO DIFFERENTLY TO MAKE ENOUGH OF A
DIFFERENCE?

What  taking  action  is:    

 
Learning  more  deeply  about  new  ways  of  doing  things  –  and  then  trying  it  out  
 
Informed  by  a  deep  understanding  of  why  new  practices  are  more  effective  than  others  
 
About  evaluating  the  impact  on  learners  –  and  seeking  their  feedback  
 
About  acknowledging  feelings  of  vulnerability  and  building  conditions  of  trust  
 
 
What  taking  action  is  NOT:  
 
Just  about  trying  out  some  new  strategies    
 
Borrowing  ideas  just  because  they  look  exciting  
 
Doing  something  different  and  failing  to  monitor  the  effects  on  learners  
 
Assuming  everyone  feels  OK  about  the  change  
 
 
Considerations:  
 
• How  will  you  ensure  that  everyone  involved  knows  they  are  expected  to  DO  something  
different?    
• How  will  you  make  sure  they  have  the  time  and  support  to  try  out  new  actions?    
• How  will  you  provide  opportunities  to  learn  from  what  is  working  –  as  well  as  from  the  
challenges  faced  -­‐  when  trying  out  new  approaches?    
• How  can  you  make  risk-­‐taking  less  risky?  How  can  you  celebrate  the  inevitable  failures  
as  part  of  new  learning?  
• How  will  you  ensure  there  are  lots  of  opportunities  for  reflection?    
• How  will  you  open  up  classroom  doors  as  you  try  out  new  approaches?    
• What  will  you  do  to  model  new  actions  yourself?  

CHECKING: HAVE WE MADE ENOUGH OF A DIFFERENCE?

The  purpose  of  shared  inquiry  is  to  make  a  difference  in  valued  outcomes  for  learners.  The  
checking  question  asks  are  we  making  enough  of  a  difference?    How  do  we  know?    
 
Change  does  not  always  equal  improvement  or  transformation.  There  may  be  instances  where  
teachers  change  what  they  are  doing  only  to  find  not  much  has  changed  for  their  learners.  

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New  actions  arising  from  an  inquiry  spiral  can  only  be  considered  ‘good’  if  learner  outcomes  and  
experiences  have  changed  for  the  better.    

What checking is:

 
Knowing  what  we  want  to  accomplish  for  our  learners  and  having  specific  ways  to  determine  
how  we  are  doing  –    early  in  the  inquiry  process  
 
About  high  expectations  that  our  actions  will  make  a  substantial  difference  for  ALL  learners  
 
About  providing  information  on  the  impact  of  our  actions  
 
About  beginning  to  set  the  stage  for  what  comes  next  
 
What  checking  is  NOT:  
 
Just  a  routine  to  follow  at  the  end  
 
About  making  some  difference  for  some  learners  
 
About  making  judgments  about  the  capacity  of  learners  
 
Designed  to  justify  our  actions  

Considerations:  
 
• What  evidence  will  you  seek  to  know  you  are  making  a  difference?  How  much  
difference  will  be  enough?    
• When  will  you  check  and  how  often?    How  can  you  check  in  a  way  that  allows  for  
adjustment  –  right  away?  
• How  will  you  make  it  safe  for  participants  to  share  what  they  are  learning  in  the  
checking  phase?  
• How  and  when  will  you  celebrate  the  learning  gains  you  are  making  as  a  team?    

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