Building collaborative communities of enquiry in educational research

Christie, Donald and Cassidy, Claire and Skinner, Don and Coutts, Norman and Sinclair, Christine M. and Rimpilainen, Sanna K. and Wilson, Alastair (2007) Building collaborative communities of enquiry in educational research. Educational Research and Evaluation, 13 (3). pp. 263-278. ISSN 1380-3611 (http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13803610701632091)

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Abstract

This article explores the concept of community of enquiry through an examination of 3 case studies: (a) a school-based community of enquiry involving pupils, teachers, and researchers; (b) a community of enquiry involving teachers from around 100 different schools in a Scottish local authority, together with policy advisers and researchers; and (c) the project team involved in the present study itself. The 3 case studies are considered in relation to 7 factors identified in previous research as significant considerations when attempting to build a community of enquiry, namely: dialogue and participation; relationships; perspectives and assumptions; structure and context; climate; purpose; and control. The authors conclude by highlighting key issues and potential implications for attempts to foster collaborative partnerships between educational researchers and practitioners.