How does Irish teachers’ understandings and lived experience of IBL impact their teaching practice?

Abstract

This dissertation explores Irish post-primary teachers’ lived experience of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) as they use it to teach areas of the Junior Cycle Framework (2015) (JCF). The research focused on how teachers’ lived experience of IBL, when viewed through the lens of inquiry as stance, informed the understandings of teachers about the nature of IBL, and how it impacted their teaching. Little is known about the lived experience of post-primary teachers in Ireland as they engage with the recent JCF. A qualitative methodology was employed to generate data through one-to-one interviews with four teachers and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was drawn upon to analyse the data and identify emergent themes. Findings reveal the efficacy of using inquiry as stance as a framework to understand the nature of IBL and teacher professional development. They also suggest childhood experience is a significant factor affecting experienced teachers’ beliefs about education and the role of the teacher. Further, this research found that participants understood IBL beyond procedural conceptualisations, and this bodes well for continued reflective practice among Irish teachers. Finally, this research found that the Irish context is conducive to teaching IBL owing to the conceptual nature of the learning outcomes of the JCF and the absence of draconian accountability measures and mandated Continuing Professional Development in IBL.