Identifying the context of your learners gives you the base to work from in identifying your question. According to the Timperley model, the learner is at the heart of everything that teacher’s do, and therefore, it is their needs that will direct your question. Think about the knowledge and skill of your learners as well as relevant curriculum requirements.

• What is the most important thing to address? 
• What will the learners most need to access the learning? 
• Does the data support your thinking? 
• What change would you like to see as a result of the Inquiry process? 

If your workplace has a particular teaching and learning priority, then it is a good idea to adopt this as your area of focus. This will be data-driven, as these priorities are set using whole cohort data. There is a good chance your workplace will have a lot of resources and professional learning opportunities available to support the work in this area. You will be expected to be working on this area anyway and so this fits with the stipulation that the Inquiry should support your current work.

Once you have decided on your Inquiry question, you may wish to use the SMART tool to ensure your question is strong enough.