The Practice Profile of Inquiry: Connecting Digital Literacy and Pedagogy

Abstract

This article elaborates on the Inquiry Cycle as an appropriate model of learning for the digitally enhanced classroom. Its goal is to provide a useful link between theory and pedagogic practice. This involves taking a new look at the concept of digital literacy. The authors propose a conceptual framework connecting classroom practices and elements of the Inquiry Cycle. This framework, including a specific definition of digital literacy in primary schools, draws on the theoretical work of Dewey from which the Inquiry Cycle is derived. The approach was developed and validated in a study of the teaching practices in eight Irish primary school classrooms reported here. A further outcome of this research, the Practice Profile of Inquiry, is introduced and discussed here. The authors propose this as a useful framework to connect instructional strategies and digital media in classroom practice. Furthermore, they suggest that the Practice Profile of Inquiry may be used as a tool to facilitate teachers as they plan projects and classroom activities to optimise learning.