Focusing

“Where will concentrating our energies make the most difference?” is the inquiry question in the focusing phase.

Leaders, teachers and learners engage in focusing to develop a deeper understanding of the situation and to agree an area to work on together.

The focusing phase may require further in-depth investigation of what is going on for specific groups of learners.

This phase of the spiral is referred to as Define your focus in the Report of the Professional Learning and Development Advisory Group (2014).

Developing a hunch

“How are WE contributing to the situation?” is the inquiry question in the developing a hunch phase. 

Leaders, teachers and learners engage in developing hunches to uncover and test beliefs about what is leading to the situation and to hone in on what they can do about it.

This phase of the spiral is referred to as Develop your thinking about why this is happening in the Report of the Professional Learning and Development Advisory Group (2014).

New learning

“How and where will we learn more about what to do?” is the inquiry question in the new learning phase. 

There is learning in all phases of the spiral. This phase involves the careful design of the professional learning needed to take action in the next phase. It involves deciding what to learn and how to learn it.

This phase of the spiral is referred to as Learn more about what can be done in the Report of the Professional Learning and Development Advisory Group (2014).

Taking action

“What can we do differently to make enough of a difference?” is the inquiry question in the taking action phase. 

Taking action is a team activity: teachers working collaboratively to turn new learning into new practices. It requires dialogue, observation, reflection and opportunities to try and try again.

This phase of the spiral is referred to as Take action – try new solutions in the Report of the Professional Learning and Development Advisory Group (2014).

Checking

“Have we made enough of a difference?” is the inquiry question in the checking phase.

The sources of evidence you identified and used in the earlier phases of the spiral are the basis for checking. Have your changes in practice led to the overall improvement you were aiming for?

This phase of the spiral is referred to as Check the difference you have made in the Report of the Professional Learning and Development Advisory Group (2014).

Keeping it all going

The inquiry framework is a spiral – that means one thing leads to another and doesn’t come to a stop at checking. The idea that innovation floats on a sea of inquiry means ideas ripple out and spirals of inquiry, learning and action become a way of thinking and doing things.

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