Sparking the Flame: Research as Inquiry for Aspiring Educators

Madeline Grimes; Erik Byker

Sparking the Flame: Research as Inquiry for Aspiring Educators

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe and report on the implementation of an inquiry-based module for future educators. Research consistently highlights a gap between the academic expectations of secondary school and the requirements of higher education, particularly concerning inquiry and research skills. While College-Career Ready (CCR) standards (Green et al., 2023) aim to bridge this divide, many first-year undergraduate students including preservice teachers, still struggle with the shift toward inquiry and critical analysis. This study investigated the efficacy of an intensive, year-long inquiry-based learning (IBL) program called "Pathways for Success" (PFS), which was designed to foster research skills among 229 (n=229) first-year and transfer undergraduates interested in teaching. A mixed-methods survey research design (Goodfellow, 2023) was used to answer the following research questions: 1) What is the Research as Inquiry Module and how was it implemented? 2) What were the undergraduate students’ perceptions of the process of research and its application to their future? 3) What did the undergraduate students perceive as the challenges about engaging in research? Findings reveal that students held positive perceptions of the module and its professional applications, yet they also identified key challenges, including formulating research questions and managing their time.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Madeline Grimes ^*
0009-0008-5897-658X
United States

Erik Byker
0000-0002-2475-4195
United States

Publication Date

December 31, 2025

Submission Date

August 14, 2025

Acceptance Date

December 19, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 14 Number: 3

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA36ST62CP

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Grimes, M., & Byker, E. (2025). Sparking the Flame: Research as Inquiry for Aspiring Educators. Journal of Teacher Education and Educators, 14(3), 201-217. https://izlik.org/JA36ST62CP