Helping preservice teachers develop habits of inquiry: Can it be done?

Abstract

This exploratory study examined the feasibility of (a) a reading methods course promoting habits of inquiry in preservice teachers and (b) using “video cases” as a means of both promoting habits of inquiry and measuring the extent to which a preservice teacher has developed the dimensions of inquiry‐based teaching. Three dimensions of inquiry were identified: the ability to describe the pertinent facts of a situation, the ability to analyze and synthesize the facts, and the ability to demonstrate intelligent action and further experimentation. Prior to a methods course in reading and then again after completing the methods course, preservice teachers were shown a video case of a struggling reader and asked to rate the reader's ability, explain why they rated her as they did, and tell what they would do if they were to work with this reader in the future. Both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that preservice teachers made significant improvement in all three dimensions of inquiry upon completing the reading methods course. Lastly, video cases proved to be an excellent way of measuring the dimensions of inquiry as well as showing curricular potential at promoting inquiry.