A Living Educational Theory Research in Cultures of Inquiry: an approach to professional development

Abstract

In this paper I share my vision of professional development based on my experience and research over a 40-year career in primary, secondary and tertiary education in Ontario, Canada and in the last 5 years as an international mentor of graduate and post-graduate practitioner-researchers. I begin with my socio-historical-cultural context as a teacher and system leader in a 30,000-student school district in Ontario, Canada where I encouraged and supported teacher-research as professional development. I describe and explain how this approach to professional development using Living Educational Theory Research has evolved through my writings over 25 years. Finally, I advocate for the creation of living-educationaltheories in Cultures of Inquiry, using dialogue as a research method with visual data for improving professional development for the future and for the flourishing of humanity

Keywords

• living educational theory
• culture of inquiry
• practitioner research