LibGuides: Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education: Instruction for Educators: Research as Inquiry

Research as Inquiry

Teacher education students learn how to inquire, formulate research questions, and apply those skills to improve their teaching practice. As teachers, they work with colleagues to expand their knowledge of pedagogy, students, and teaching skills. With their students, PK-12 educators model intellectual humility to demonstrate how curiosity leads to questions, to research, and to the iterative nature of the search process. Teacher education students and PK-12 educators demonstrate their expertise in Research as Inquiry by developing questions to improve or change their pedagogical practice, determining the appropriate scope and research methods to answer the questions, verifying the sources they find, and organizing the information in these sources to implement changes in their practice.

In an Education Context

Icon of a mortar board cap and rolled diploma

Teacher Preparation and Education

As they prepare for service as educators, teacher education students:

develop curiosity about curriculum development, pedagogy, future students, and communities in which they will work;
question the gaps in education practice, particularly around diversity and social justice issues;
translate curiosity into research questions, follow lines of inquiry-based research, seek multiple perspectives, and ask more questions based on the information they find;
understand research is an iterative and untidy process; and
develop as a researcher by pursuing research interests.

Image of a light skinned, dark haired person in front of a computer with an icon of an open book near the person's head

Teacher Professional Practice

In their professional practice, educators:

determine the appropriate scope and needed resources for a research question to solve classroom problems or challenges;
reflect continually on their own pedagogical practices and develop questions to improve their work through research; and
synthesize information about pedagogy, their students, and their community to continue their professional development.

Image of a brown skinned teacher next to a globe representing the world wide web

Teacher Pedagogy Practice

In their instructional practice, educators:

model an open mind and demonstrate how curiosity translates into research questions;
support students through their uncertainty and frustration with research and provide strategies for moving forward when the path is unclear;
demonstrate intellectual humility in the classroom and encourage students to seek and evaluate multiple perspectives; and
apply information literacy skills to develop research assignments that encourage students to identify questions and problems and research solutions to those problems.

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Additional Key Knowledge Practices and Dispositions

Social Justice

There are many ways for teachers to incorporate social justice ideals into their classrooms, including:

using digital and traditional storytelling activities;
asking whose stories get told, whose stories are missing, and where are the gaps;
identifying lack of equity issues in classrooms;
seeking out information and sources that don't just confirm one's beliefs and look for information from a wide variety of viewpoints;
learning to select appropriate information sources and tools to meet the needs of students with diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds;
knowing how to find quality resources for exploration whether through state library associations, public libraries, institutional libraries, and open access resources; and
considering who contributes to the scholarly literature, how organizations are funded and formed, and which voices are not present.

Incorporating these ideals means that teachers understand:

organizational schemas and how subject headings, keywords, and search results may reflect cultural bias;
the importance of testing search strategies to develop efficient ways of finding information;
the value of using diverse resources to identify children's books for their students; and
value systems used to disseminate information.

Digital/Media Literacy

As teachers develop their digital and media literacy skills, they:
consider the sources that they have discovered and think critically about them, investigating them for bias; and
seek guidance from experts as they introduce new technologies into the classroom.

Metacognition icon - brain and lightbulb emerging from a box

Metacognition/Reflection

As teachers assess their information literacy processes, they:

reflect on their specific needs and context before beginning searches;
reflect on their searches in order to become better searchers and to instruct their students on effective search strategies; and
exhibit mental flexibility and creativity to support their own curriculum development and student learning.

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Example Learning Objectives and Activities

Example Objective 1: Teacher education students will be able to seek out multiple perspectives from a variety of source types, focus a research question, and identify gaps in their research.
About the Objective: The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education encourages learners to recognize that authority is constructed and contextual and that various communities "may recognize different types of authority." This objective asks teacher education students to seek out different perspectives from different source types (some of which may not be the typical peer-reviewed journal article). The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources" which aligns well with seeking out multiple perspectives. Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4c, 4o, 5m; ISTE 2.2.c, 2.3.b Suggested Activity: Step 1: Have teacher education students locate a variety of sources and perspectives on a research topic. Step 2: Have teacher education students identify additional topics or questions related to a research topic through the pass the problem activity or by pairing students and having them ask questions about each other's topics. Step 3: Have teacher education students create a research log for the resources that they find, enabling them to track sources, identify perspectives in their sources, and identify gaps in their sources. They could use Excel or Microsoft Word or another word processor (though the table feature). Step 4: Have them revise their research question based on the information they've gathered in their research. Repeat as needed. Assessment: Use a think-pair-share strategy for students to review their partner's research logs to determine if multiple source types and perspectives were included. Were gaps in the research identified?

Example Objective 1: Teacher education students will be able to seek out multiple perspectives from a variety of source types, focus a research question, and identify gaps in their research.

About the Objective: The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education encourages learners to recognize that authority is constructed and contextual and that various communities "may recognize different types of authority." This objective asks teacher education students to seek out different perspectives from different source types (some of which may not be the typical peer-reviewed journal article). The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources" which aligns well with seeking out multiple perspectives.

Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4c, 4o, 5m; ISTE 2.2.c, 2.3.b

Suggested Activity:

Step 1: Have teacher education students locate a variety of sources and perspectives on a research topic.
Step 2: Have teacher education students identify additional topics or questions related to a research topic through the pass the problem activity or by pairing students and having them ask questions about each other's topics.
Step 3: Have teacher education students create a research log for the resources that they find, enabling them to track sources, identify perspectives in their sources, and identify gaps in their sources. They could use Excel or Microsoft Word or another word processor (though the table feature).
Step 4: Have them revise their research question based on the information they've gathered in their research. Repeat as needed.

Assessment:

Use a think-pair-share strategy for students to review their partner's research logs to determine if multiple source types and perspectives were included. Were gaps in the research identified?

Example Objective 2: Teacher education students will be able to turn a personal interest into a line of inquiry, evaluate results, and adjust their focus as needed.
About the Objective: The Framework encourages learners to engage and become critical participants in the scholarly conversations surrounding their disciplines and research interests. The Framework also focuses on helping learners to understand that "research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field." This objective asks teacher education students to take their personal interest(s) and turn them into a line of inquiry, search for relevant information, evaluate the results, and then make adjustments to their focus as needed. The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources" which aligns well with evaluating search results and adjusting the focus as needed. The InTASC Standards also touch on the importance of "generating meaningful research on education issues and policies, which is why it is important to encourage turning personal interest into a line of inquiry. Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4o, 10h; ISTE 2.3.b Suggested Activity: Step 1: Have teacher education students reflect on a time where they have had to make a big decision in their personal lives. Step 2: Identify the steps involved in this big decision. Step 3: Have teacher education students develop a line of inquiry to seek out research-based strategies to handle classroom challenges; reflect on and adjust the inquiry based on the effectiveness of the intervention. Assessment: Have students reflect on how those steps campare to the steps of the research process in an academic or professional setting.

Example Objective 2: Teacher education students will be able to turn a personal interest into a line of inquiry, evaluate results, and adjust their focus as needed.

About the Objective: The Framework encourages learners to engage and become critical participants in the scholarly conversations surrounding their disciplines and research interests. The Framework also focuses on helping learners to understand that "research is iterative and depends upon asking increasingly complex or new questions whose answers in turn develop additional questions or lines of inquiry in any field." This objective asks teacher education students to take their personal interest(s) and turn them into a line of inquiry, search for relevant information, evaluate the results, and then make adjustments to their focus as needed. The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources" which aligns well with evaluating search results and adjusting the focus as needed. The InTASC Standards also touch on the importance of "generating meaningful research on education issues and policies, which is why it is important to encourage turning personal interest into a line of inquiry.

Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4o, 10h; ISTE 2.3.b

Suggested Activity:

Step 1: Have teacher education students reflect on a time where they have had to make a big decision in their personal lives.
Step 2: Identify the steps involved in this big decision.
Step 3: Have teacher education students develop a line of inquiry to seek out research-based strategies to handle classroom challenges; reflect on and adjust the inquiry based on the effectiveness of the intervention.

Assessment:

Have students reflect on how those steps campare to the steps of the research process in an academic or professional setting.

Example Objective 3: Teacher education students will read, analyze, and ask questions about education research.
About the objective: The Framework encourages learners to engage and become critical participants in the scholarly conversations surrounding their disciplines and research interests. The Framework also focuses on helping learners to understand that "experts recognize the collaborative effort within a discipline to extend the knowledge in that field." This objective asks teacher education students to take education research articles, determine major concepts and connecting ideas, and generate their own questions, problems, and experiments building on current research. The InTASC Standards recommend that teachers "understand the ways of knowing in [their] discipline, how it relates to other disciplinary approaches to inquiry, and the strengths and limitations of each approach in addressing problems, issues, and concerns," which are the skills needed to enter into conversation and ask questions of disciplinary research articles. The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity," which plays a major role in asking questions about and thinking of ways to expand education research. Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4c, 5d, 5i, 8i; ISTE 2.3.b Suggested Activity: Step 1: Use the CREATES method to read, analyze, and understand the narrative of education research. This method encourages learners to break down the parts of a research project, determine connecting ideas, and generate their own questions, problems, and experiments. The CREATES method was developed for the sciences, but it can be used in education and may work well with action research articles. CREATES tutorial from UCLA Libraries CREATES website with curricular resources Assessment: Ask teacher education students to articulate the role of inquiry and curiosity in the education profession.

Example Objective 3: Teacher education students will read, analyze, and ask questions about education research.

About the objective: The Framework encourages learners to engage and become critical participants in the scholarly conversations surrounding their disciplines and research interests. The Framework also focuses on helping learners to understand that "experts recognize the collaborative effort within a discipline to extend the knowledge in that field." This objective asks teacher education students to take education research articles, determine major concepts and connecting ideas, and generate their own questions, problems, and experiments building on current research. The InTASC Standards recommend that teachers "understand the ways of knowing in [their] discipline, how it relates to other disciplinary approaches to inquiry, and the strengths and limitations of each approach in addressing problems, issues, and concerns," which are the skills needed to enter into conversation and ask questions of disciplinary research articles. The ISTE Standards for Educators also bring up establishing a "learning culture that promotes curiosity," which plays a major role in asking questions about and thinking of ways to expand education research.

Related InTASC and ISTE Standards: InTASC 4c, 5d, 5i, 8i; ISTE 2.3.b

Suggested Activity:

Step 1: Use the CREATES method to read, analyze, and understand the narrative of education research. This method encourages learners to break down the parts of a research project, determine connecting ideas, and generate their own questions, problems, and experiments. The CREATES method was developed for the sciences, but it can be used in education and may work well with action research articles.
- CREATES tutorial from UCLA Libraries
- CREATES website with curricular resources

Assessment:

Ask teacher education students to articulate the role of inquiry and curiosity in the education profession.

The sites below can be searched for teaching activities related to Research as Inquiry:

Relevant InTASC Standards

Relevant ISTE Education for Educators Standards

From Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers 1.0:

4c. Content Knowledge--Performances: The teacher engages learners in applying methods of inquiry and standards of evidence used in the discipline.

4j. Content Knowledge--Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands major concepts, assumptions, debates, processes of inquiry, and ways of knowing that are central to the discipline(s) s/he teaches.

5a. Application of Content--Performances: The teacher develops and implements projects that guide learners in analyzing the complexities of an issue or question using perspectives from varied disciplines and cross-disciplinary skills (e.g., a water quality study that draws upon biology and chemistry to look at factual information and social studies to examine policy implications).

5d. Application of Content--Performances: The teacher engages learners in questioning and challenging assumptions and approaches in order to foster innovation and problem solving in local and global contexts.

5i. Application of Content--Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands the ways of knowing in his/her discipline, how it relates to other disciplinary approaches to inquiry, and the strengths and limitations of each approach in addressing problems, issues, and concerns.

5m. Application of Content--Essential Knowledge: The teacher understands critical thinking processes and knows how to help learners develop high-level questioning skills to promote their independent learning.

8i. Instructional Strategies--Performances: The teacher asks questions to stimulate discussion that serves different purposes (e.g., probing for learner understanding, helping learners articulate their ideas and thinking processes, stimulating curiosity, and helping learners to question).

10h. Leadership and Collaboration--Performances: The teacher uses and generates meaningful research on education issues and policies.

From International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Educators:

2.2.c. Leader: Model for colleagues the identification, exploration, evaluation, curation and adoption of new digital resources and tools for learning.

2.3.b. Citizen: Establish a learning culture that promotes curiosity and critical examination of online resources and fosters digital literacy and media fluency.

Mapping the ACRL Framework to the AAC&U VALUE Rubric

Information Literacy Combined Rubric: Mapping the ACRL Framework to the AAC&U VALUE Rubric (Final Report of the Information Literacy Rubric Task Force)
See the full Information Literacy Combined Rubric in this article by Goldman, Crystal; Heskett, Karen; and Turnbow, Dominique (2020)

Relevant Articles

For a curated annotated bibliography of scholarship that may be helpful to librarians, teacher education faculty, and teachers who are working with Research as Inquiry in the classroom, click here.