• a description of the class or group’s context is still important as they are still part of the inquiry - teachers should be mindful of the fact that learners are, in most cases, not physically with each other
• a description of the learner’s context may now include a description of their new learning environment, including information relating to the learner’s access to and use of any required technologies
• catering for a learner with disability is still required - adjustments should reflect the new teaching method
• catering for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander learner is still required - adjustments should reflect the new teaching method
• the inquiry and its learning outcomes should still be based on the needs of the learners
• any changes to a pre-existing inquiry should be noted - this can be annotations in the action plan and needn’t be a complete re-write
• is it a live streamed lesson, pre-recorded or another method, are there opportunities for learners to comment or ask questions, how have the learning objectives been modified to accommodate this new teaching and learning environment?
• what modifications have been made to learning activities to make them accessible online?
• what modifications have been made to teaching strategies to make them more effective online?

• inquiry questions should still be achievable and based on the learners’ needs
• VIT has a SMART tool to help provisionally registered teachers (PRTs) test their inquiry question.
• PRTs should also discuss their question with their mentor (what resources are required, how will assessments be done?).

Professional learning

• PRTs are still required to undertake the professional learning necessary to complete their inquiry
• professional conversations can be conducted in whatever way the mentor and PRT are both comfortable with (e.g. video conference, phone, email)
• professional observations can be conducted in whatever way the mentor and PRT are both comfortable with (e.g. video, pre-recorded lessons) and still need to be accompanied by conversations to discuss what was observed.

Child safety and wellbeing / maintaining appropriate professional relationships

• PRTs will need to describe how the duties in this area have changed and how they and / or their workplace have accommodated for this
• documentation of one professional conversation with a mentor discussing their legal obligations as a teacher and how they maintain appropriate professional relationships is still required
• maintaining professional relationships now might mention steps taken to establish and maintain these professional boundaries between learners and teachers in an online setting
• PRTs should be aware of approved school or service methods of communicating with learners and their families.

• the action plan (e.g. resources, activities, strategies, assessments, safety and wellbeing considerations, learning outcomes, factors affecting learning and any other relevant considerations) will now focus on the online learning environment - teachers will need to consider the opportunities and limitations of the new teaching and learning environment
• any inquiry that was planned or begun prior to the shift online will need to be modified to reflect the current situation
• teachers should still allow for as many assessment types and opportunities as possible (formative, summative, formal, anecdotal etc.)
• all materials collected and planning materials used should still be the authentic learning documents
• language used to describe the teaching and learning process may change in line with the new teaching context [e.g. describing a lesson as synchronous or asynchronous depending on whether it was delivered in real time or not (live or pre-recorded)].

• VIT generally recommends that the inquiry is completed over 4 – 6 weeks
• PRTs must still be observed at least 3 times by a mentor or experienced colleague - they will need to discuss with a mentor how this observation and follow up conversation will happen.

Gathering other evidence

• not all descriptors of the standards may be demonstrated in your inquiry 
• you may need to demonstrate some descriptors outside of the inquiry - this may include evidence from previous teaching experience as a registered teacher with your current group or a different group of learners
• your mentor / experienced colleague may have witnessed actions or practices you used that could evidence a standard or descriptor - where descriptors have not been evidenced in the documentation of your inquiry into practice, this additional evidence can be used
• this section may be completed by you or your mentor / experienced colleague where you wish to provide additional evidence - specific details of your actions or behaviour need to be documented
• all 37 descriptors of the APST must still be evidenced - most will still naturally occur during the program of teaching and learning
• PRTs should discuss with colleagues any difficulties they are having gathering evidence for a descriptor
• action plans and teaching may need to be more flexible than usual.

• the process of reflection will not change, but PRTs may need to consider how to display, share or annotate learner work samples as part of their evidence.