The resources below provide a framework for conceptualizing and developing your inquiry based approach. It is helpful to refer back to these resources as the inquiry process moves through the steps of the Spiral. These are also helpful as points of discussion and reference during staff meetings and colleague collaboration.
Resources
Spotlight
The Spiral Notebook for Student Changemakers (2023)
Leading Through Spirals of Inquiry: For Equity and Quality (2022)
The Decision Playbook (2019)
The Spiral Playbook (2017)
Drawing heavily from the Spiral of Inquiry and the Decision Framework, Joanna Macintosh provides a framework to address critical issues in secondary schools. Proceeds from book sales go directly to inquiring schools. Place an order here.
Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser expand on their previous work in this new book for school leadership teams. The book is written for those new or experienced with the Spirals of Inquiry. Order your book here!
Making thoughtful choices in a complex world. This resource is a great decision-making resource for teachers and leaders, as well as intermediate and secondary students. Order your print copy here or download here.
This handbook is a condensed, plain language version of Spirals of Inquiry, and depicts the work of many educators in BC and the Yukon. Proceeds from book sales go directly to inquiring schools. Order your copies here.
Spirals of Inquiry Resources
The Spiral Notebook for Student Changemakers (2023)
Drawing heavily from the Spiral of Inquiry and the Decision Framework, Joanna Macintosh provides a framework to address critical issues such as cyber-bullying, loneliness, and racism in secondary schools. This resource is designed for teachers and principals to use with their students. Proceeds from book sales go directly to inquiring schools. Please contact us to order.
Leading Through Spirals of Inquiry: For Equity and Quality (2022)
Now available! Judy Halbert and Linda Kaser expand on their previous work in this new book for school leadership teams. Book is written for those new or experienced with the Spirals of Inquiry.
The Spiral Playbook (2017)
This handbook is a condensed, plain language version of Spirals of Inquiry, and depicts the work of many educators in BC and the Yukon. Proceeds from book sales go directly to inquiring schools. To order copies, please contact us.
Narrowing the Gap Through Collaborative Inquiry | Spirals of Inquiry
In this short video clip, Judy Halbert introduces the Spirals of Inquiry phases.
The Spirals of Inquiry Podcast
The Spirals of Inquiry Podcast hosted by Elementary Educator and Network Leader, Ashley Aoki (SD 67 – Okanagan Skaha), features educational leaders across the globe sharing experiences and knowledge on implementing the Spirals of Inquiry framework. A place where networking and professional growth intersect.
Decision Making Resources
Delta Learns Website
Check out Delta Learns website to learn more about why decision-making moves matter, stuff that traps us, classroom decision-making tools, and much more! The Delta Learns website is brought to you by educators at the Delta School District and Decision Scientists: Lee Failing, Graham Long, and Robin Gregory.
Decision Playbook
Young people are powerful. Increasingly they are making decisions on the world stage that are improving our world’s trajectory. If we educators can rally around them and teach them the skills laid out in this book, then we are all empowered to take positive action in the world. This playbook is a very useful decision-making resource for teachers.
Spiral of Inquiry and Decision Maker Moves: A Rigorous Blend
This paper on Spiral Decisions explores how you can use the Spiral of Inquiry and the Decision Maker Moves in combination to get the most out of your efforts to improve student learning.
Indigenous Inquiry & Resources
Valleyview Secondary School ICSEI Presentation (2021)
Students and staff of Valleyview Secondary School (SD73) share their story of collaborative inquiry which utilizes the Spiral of Inquiry as a framework to better understand the educational experiences of Indigenous students — what’s going on for them as learners?
Nechako Lakes School District ICSEI Presentation (2021)
Leona Prince, Nechako Lakes (SD91) District Principal of Aboriginal Education, explains how the Spirals of Inquiry is a process-driven model which highly relates to the First Peoples Principles of Learning and Aboriginal Worldviews and Perspectives.
Spiral of Inquiry (2020)
Check out this video demonstrating the accomplishments that BC School Districts and NOIIE are seeing, around increasing Indigenous participation and success in schools around the province
Improving Transitions for Indigenous Learners (2019)
Improving Transitions for Indigenous Learners report explores how collaborative inquiry can help educators to improve transitions for Indigenous students. It draws on insights from ten inquiry teams across British Columbia and from the coaches who were assigned to support their inquiries.
Spirals of Inquiry (2019)
Check out this video demonstrating the accomplishments that BC School Districts and NOIIE are seeing, around increasing Indigenous participation and success in schools around the province
EPIC: Experiential, Project-based, Indigenous, Community
EPIC is an inclusive program, aimed to engage students in a diversity of challenging learning experiences. The program focuses on project-based, experiential learning for all students, with an aim to create understanding of the First Nations Principles of Learning.
Supporting Learner Transitions
Through the Aboriginal Enhancement Schools Network (AESN), a number of BC school teams are focusing on improving transitions for Aboriginal students — from elementary to middle/secondary school and from secondary to post-secondary — through a disciplined approach to educator inquiry.
Continuing Our Learning Journey: Indigenous Education in British Columbia – Module 1
This introductory video, posted by the Province of BC, provides an overview of Indigenous
education in BC and explores challenging common assumptions about Indigenous learners.
Spirals in Action
Sands Secondary School, Delta School District (2021)
In this video, Joanna Macintosh and students from three service learning inquiries share their learning and experiences around utilizing the Spiral of Inquiry framework within student leadership projects to create positive change in their school. Inquiry topics include creating a peer to peer mentorship program to tackle negative social media experiences, antiracism and mental wellness.
Spirals in Action, School District 73 (2021)
Check out this presentation on the continuation of inspiring innovation and inquiry work in SD 73 this year.
Nanaimo/Ladysmith (SD68) 2017-18 NOII/AESN Inquiries
Check out this video that quickly highlights all the 2017/18 NOII/AESN Inquiries in SD68.
Yukon Education
Betty Burns (Yukon Primary Curriculum Consultant), Jesse Jewell (Yukon Experiential Curriculum Consultant), and George Bahm (Yukon First Nations Advisor), facilitated and engaged K-3 teachers in a place-based learning network with the goal of inspiring and equipping teachers to make a meaningful difference for their leaners using the Spiral of Inquiry.
Yukon Education
Amber Harper and Michelle Gillard, teachers at Christ the King Elementary School in Whitehorse, Yukon, along with Yukon Education Learning Network Participants, used the Spiral of Inquiry to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their students by exploring the importance of developing a sense of place.
Yukon Education
Nicole Cross and Camille Luks are teachers at Porter Creek Secondary School in Whitehorse, Yukon. They used the Spiral of Inquiry to make a meaningful difference in the lives of their students by teaching about diversity and supporting inclusion, through designing support for all learners using a Multiple Experts Model.
Headlands School, UK, Radio Interview
Listen to a Year 9 student, Mackenzie, and Mrs. Evans from Headlands School chat with Judy and Linda about the Spiral of Inquiry.
Professional Learning Resources
Self-Regulated Learning: An Empowering Approach to Teaching and Learning
An invaluable resource showcasing recent research done by an international group of SRL researchers. This resource is a space for educators to learn about SRL, share tools and resources, and work through ideas and challenges to support students to develop as self-regulating learners.
Walking Forward: Learning from Place, by Heidi Wood and Gillian Judson
An exceptional resource emphasizing the importance of Place being a teacher for all learners, featuring stories from a number of Surrey schools.
Leadership Mindsets: Innovation and Learning in the Transformation of Schools (2009)
This book, written by Judy Halbert & Linda Kaser, outlines an alternative way of thinking about school leadership. Leadership Mindsets has been written specifically for aspiring to newly-appointed school leaders who are determined and motivated to create quality and equality for learners in the schools they serve, through networks of inquiry, learning and support.
Delta School District’s Culture of Collaborative Professional Inquiry
Brooke Moore and the team in Delta have been using short videos for the past few years to tell the stories of individual school inquiries.
Delta Learns “Powerful Learning” Website
This site was created by Delta School-based Educators and Learning Services Staff, and is full of resources on classroom practices and strategies grounded in First Peoples Principles of Learning, woven together with a universal, inclusive approach. The landing pages are organized by assessment for learning principles, and topics include: Relationships, Learning Targets, Success Criteria, Evidence of Learning, Feedback, and so much more!
Adaptive Expertise and the Spiral of Inquiry
Professor Emeritus Helen Timperley’s powerpoint presentation on how collaborative inquiry, utilizing the Spirals approach, is a key way to develop adaptive expertise and to address complex challenges.
ICSEI Virtual Congress
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2022 Conference
The Networks once again had the opportunity to present at the 2022 ICSEI Virtual Congress. The theme of this year’s presentation was on catalytic affiliation across the networks, and how it can speed up connections and deepen impact. Dr Catherine McGregor, from the University of Victoria, has explored and written about catalytic affiliation within networks. NOIIE teams across the globe shared their perspectives on catalytic affiliation within their network communities, including topics of flow, kindredness, deeply embedded commitments, sparks and ignition, cwelelep, storied engagement, dissonance and dialogue. The powerpoint presentation, with detailed notes, can be accessed via the button below. With much gratitude, we had the talented Network Leader and artist, Jody Billingsley, illustrate the session highlights. Thank you, again, to all Network members who shared their stories on the international stage!
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2021 Conference
The Networks recently had the opportunity to deliver three presentations at the 2021 ICSEI Conference. The NOIIE Transitions Study was showcased through a collaborative presentation which highlighted the work of several Transition school teams. A portion of this presentation is captured through videos, shared by Valleyview Secondary School in Kamloops and the Nechako Lakes School District. These videos are also posted on our NOIIE Resources page, under Indigenous Inquiry & Transitions. Network teams from the Yukon, BC (Richmond & Delta) and Sweden participated in a Symposium session, with all contributing a paper describing their work which will later be submitted to the TEL Journal. And finally, seven Network representatives from across the globe presented a variety of images capturing stories about what it means to be a part of the Network. This particular session was simultaneously captured in art form, with gratitude to Network Leader and artist Jody Billingsley from the Delta School District. Jody’s beautiful artwork capturing the key themes of this presentation is found here. Thank you to all Network members who brought their stories to the international stage!