sprouting with A+ Education
Through Google and Google Scholar I was able to focus my question and find basic information about inquiry learning in the English classroom. Next I moved to the Australian database Informit A+ Education. This site was created by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and therefore relates specifically to Australian educational professionals. Because the site only searches archives within Australia, I can use Aussie specific spelling and educational language and will be informed on educational trends actually being used right here.
To help me break down my ideas into search strings, I used the 'Thesaurus' option to see any phrases I may have missed during my Google searching. This proved very helpful as it made me notice terms like 'learning communities,' 'cooperative learning' and 'narrative inquiry,' and 'questioning techniques' that I may not have considered previously.
I found that checking the box 'include term variations' also gave me more options and widened the available terms, improving my search results.
Once I picked several terms I wanted to search, I was able to select them together, and search the terms as a group within A+ Education's database. This produced 4,637 results using the Boolean Operator search string the site produced automatically.
Search String Results Comments
SUA="Cooperative learning" OR SUA="Learning communities" OR SUA="Learning communities" OR SUA="Questioning techniques" OR SUA="Narrative inquiry"
4,367
I started my search with terms I found using the thesaurus. Although these terms don't match my English classroom requirement, I thought perhaps I might find some helpful articles anyway. I was wrong. Most of the articles were about higher education and theoretical approaches to inquiry learning. Not useful.
weeding my search
I decided to start again, this time using search terms from the thesaurus combined with my own words like "English" "engagement," "reading for pleasure," and "rigour." Below is a sample of the results of my 'expert searches'--the ones that proved most successful below and my comments about them. I first attempted to link articles I liked with the database, but found that A+ Education would not allow my links to work. Instead I screen captured (images created by me) the titles of the articles I found interesting and placed the citation below.
Search String Results Comments
"inquiry learning" English secondary
3
Narrowing my search gave me three great results--the first article describes inquiry learning with Senior students in New Zealand and the second article is on using inquiry learning in English classrooms in the form of questioning techniques.
"project-based learning" English secondary
7
In order to find practical approaches to inquiry learning I switched to the term 'project-based,' and found more results. One source described English classrooms using Shakespeare and robots on stage to encourage inquiry and problem solving skills!
("inquiry-based learning" OR "inquiry learning") secondary AND reading
5
This search gave me even better results. One is about teachers in Brisbane using inquiry learning to debate and discuss using the Socratic Method. Another describes using the inquiry method and children's literature to teach mathematics!
(?nquiry learning) read* English rig*
5
In order to continue improving my search and get more sources, I visited A+ Education's 'Specific Searches' page to learn some new Boolean Operators. Typing '?nquiry' gave me alterate spellings, and an asterisk after the first part of a word gave me alternate endings to the word. 'Read*' gave me 'read,' 'reading,' 'readings' 'reader' etc. and 'rig*' gave me 'rigor,' 'rigour,' 'rigourous,' etc.
Using these operators didn't increase my results, but introduced me to new articles that could answer my question (like the one below about using literature circles and inquiry tasks to explore the experience of refugees).
final thoughts
After using A+ Education for the first time I will definitely go back when I need to do more research. There were positives and negatives to using this database and it was interesting to discover a new database I didn't know existed!
Pros
A+ Education provides articles from Australia and New Zealand, so the articles felt more local and relevant.
Alternate spellings were less of an issue than on American databases or search engines.
The articles had large abstracts and highlighted search words within them, so it was easy to see if the article was useful.
I enjoyed using the new searching operators.
Cons
I didn't realise at first that to access articles I would need to go through the QUT Library account or ask for a free trial. This made accessing articles and the thesaurus frustrating at first until I figured this out.
Because A+ Education uses only Australian and New Zealander publications, the variety and supply of articles specific to my question was limited.
Even with the QUT subscription to A+ Education, for some reason there were still some articles I could not read more than just the abstract.
Created by author
Created by author
Created by author
(Comber, 2001)
references
Adams, B. (2015). The Shakespeare Challenge: Robots on Stage. Education Technology Solutions, 68, 60-63. Retrieved from http://www.educationtechnologysolutions.com.au/
Boas, E. (2012). Using literature circles to inquire into the big themes: exploring the refugee experience. English in Australia, (47)3, 25-28. Retreived from http://search.informit.com.au.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/fullText;dn=197342;res=AEIPT> ISSN: 0155-2147.
Columbia, L. (2005). Learning through integration: using literature to teach mathematics and science. In D. Fisher, D. Zandvliet, I. Gaynor & R Koul (Eds.), Sustainable communities and sustainable environments: envisioning a role for science, mathematics and technology education: proceedings of the Fourth International Converence on Science, Mathematics and Technology Education (6p). Perth, WA: Curtin University of Technology.
Comber, B. (2001). Critical inquiry or safe literacies: who’s allowed to ask which questions? In . Boran & B. Comber (Eds.), Critiquing whole language and classroom inquiry (pp. 81-102). Urbana Illinois: National Council of Teachers of English.
Gillon, K., & Stotter, J. (2011). Inquiry Learning with Senior Secondary Students:Yes It Can Be Done. Access, 25(3), 30-32. Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/documentSummary;dn=341090467276495;res=IELHSS
Heiner,C., & Martoo, G. (2015). Socratic Smackdown: a game of enlightenment. Mindscape, 35(2), 8-11. Presented at QAGTC/IRATDE/AAEGT 2015 International Conference, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.