1. Purpose

The purpose of this study is to closely examine the process of teachers’ knowledge construction within a community that has been intentionally constructed on the basis of inquiry as stance, as presented by Cochran-Smith and Lytle (1999, 2009). In order to achieve this aim, the study focuses on the following research questions: (1) how teachers adapt and respond to a community based on inquiry as stance, (2) whether the teachers’ inquiry within the community actually generates knowledge, and (3) how inquiry within the community relates to teaching practice.   

 2. Theoretical Framework

Inquiry as stance is a notion that is based on the assumption that teachers can act as generators of new knowledge in addition to their pre-existing role as consumers of existing knowledge or ideas. Stance generally refers to “the ways we stand, the ways we see, and the lenses we see through” (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999, p. 288). Thus, when teachers take an inquiry stance, it means adopting a critical, dynamic, and fluid way of knowing and being in the world of educational practice. In particular, the term “inquiry as stance” is used by Cochran-Smith and Lytle (1999) “to describe the positions teachers and others who work together in inquiry communities take toward knowledge and its relationships to practice” (p. 288). In this regard, the inquiry stance refers to the collective, not individualistic, stance of teachers, which in turn places emphasis on the importance of teacher communities in conducting collaborative inquiry.

An inquiry community based on the inquiry stance has several distinct characteristics (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1999, 2009; Hindin et al., 2007). First, the inquiry community is composed of teachers and researchers with various kinds of knowledge and experience, all of whom are considered fellow learners and researchers, regardless of their position or career. Second, the inquiry community requires sufficient time for teachers to conduct collective inquiry, as well as a sufficient lifespan to be maintained as a single group. Third, the inquiry begins by calling into question assumptions and knowledge regarding common practice, rather than by engaging with a pre-determined topic. Fourth, the inquiry community is formed and maintained through abundant descriptive talk and writings exchanged between teachers, through which they make their tacit knowledge more explicit, question their existing assumptions regarding teaching practice, and generate data that enables the consideration of alternatives.

The main objective of collaboration among teachers in the inquiry community is the co-construction of knowledge. Tillema and van der Westhuizen (2006) presented several criteria for determining whether teachers actually generate knowledge of their practice through collaborative inquiry. According to their study, the knowledge productivity of teachers can be established by scrutinizing whether teachers gain greater understanding and insight as a result of collaborative inquiry, accept others’ viewpoints as relevant and valid, and actively participate in group meetings and discussions. These three criteria provide a basis for understanding whether the teachers’ inquiry within the inquiry community actually generates knowledge.

Cobb, P. (1994). Where is the mind? Constructivist and sociocultural perspectives on mathematical development. Educational Researcher, 23(7), 13–20. Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1999). Relationships of knowledge and practice: teacher learning in communities. Review of Research in Education, 24, 249–305. Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (2009). Inquiry as stance: Practitioner research in the next generation. New York: Teachers College Press. Himley, M. (1991). Shared territory: Understanding children's writing as works. New York: Oxford University Press. Hindin, A., Morocco, C. C., Mott, E. A., & Aguilar, C. M. (2007). More than just a group: teacher collaboration and learning in the workplace. Teachers and Teaching, 13(4), 349–376. Hofer, B. & Pintrich, P. R. (2002) Personal epistemology: The psychology of beliefs about knowledge and knowing. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Orland-Barak, L. (2006). Convergent, divergent and parallel dialogues: knowledge construction in professional conversations. Teachers and Teaching, 12(1), 13–31. Orland-Barak, L., & Tillema, H. (2006). The 'dark side of the moon': a critical look at teacher knowledge construction in collaborative settings. Teachers and Teaching, 12(1), 1–12. Rust, F., & Meyers, E. (2006). The bright side: teacher research in the context of educational reform and policy-making. Teachers and Teaching, 12(1), 69–86. Schon, D. (1987). Educating the reflective practitioner. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington, DC. Tillema, H., & van der Westhuizen, G. J. (2006). Knowledge construction in collaborative enquiry among teachers. Teachers and Teaching, 12(1), 51–67. Zellermayer, M., & Tabak, E. (2006). Knowledge construction in a teachers' community of enquiry: a possible road map. Teachers and Teaching, 12(1), 33–49.