Educational Inquiry (D035) is a Graduate Core course at Western Governors University that teaches educators to research their own practice. It appears in the M.S. Educational Leadership standard path just before the capstone.
WGU's program guide says the course focuses on practical problem solving. Candidates learn to use scholarly literature to inform practice and to carry out action research, so that they can recognize opportunities for improvement and systematically implement and evaluate changes.
The course prepares candidates to conduct research for the capstone. Students often find it challenging because research language is new to many teachers, and because the proposal must line up question, method, ethics and data collection precisely.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course | D035 Educational Inquiry |
| Area | Graduate Core (M.S. Educational Leadership and related programs) |
| Level | Graduate, competency-based |
| Competency units | 3 (2019 program guide) |
| Prerequisite | Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices |
The guide notes that the Educational Leadership Capstone may be taken concurrently with Educational Inquiry. Check your own degree plan for current details.
What D035 Covers
After a planning conversation with your instructor, the guide lists three competencies:
| Competency (summarized) | What it asks of you |
|---|---|
| Apply the framework of educational inquiry ethically | Plan research that follows ethical principles, laws and policies |
| Select quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods | Choose methods that fit an action research question |
| Produce a research proposal | Write a proposal using sound methodology to improve learning |
Key Concepts Explained
Action Research
Action research is research by practitioners into their own setting, in cycles: identify a problem, plan a change, act, observe the results and reflect. It aims to improve practice locally rather than to produce findings that generalize to every school.
Matching Methods to the Question
Quantitative methods measure and compare (test scores, attendance counts). Qualitative methods explore experiences and meanings (interviews, observations). Mixed methods combine both when the question has a "how much" and a "why" part.
Example: A teacher asks, "How does daily retrieval practice affect grade 8 science quiz scores, and how do students experience it?" Quiz scores before and after six weeks answer the first part (quantitative); a short student survey with open questions answers the second (qualitative). Together that is a mixed methods action research design.
Research Ethics
Research with students involves informed consent from parents or guardians and assent from students, confidentiality, minimal risk and approval from the relevant review body. The WGU capstone description refers to IRB approval, so building ethics into the D035 proposal pays off later.
The Action Research Cycle in Practice
Most action research models follow the same loop. Knowing the stages helps you see where each part of your proposal belongs:
| Stage | What you do | Where it appears in a proposal |
|---|---|---|
| Identify | Notice a problem and gather initial evidence | Problem statement |
| Review | Read what research already says | Literature review |
| Plan | Choose the change and how to measure it | Methodology |
| Act and observe | Carry out the change and collect data | Data collection plan |
| Reflect | Analyze results and decide the next step | Analysis plan |
In D035 the focus is on planning this cycle well. Carrying it out fully belongs to the capstone, so the proposal should be realistic about timing, access to participants and the data you can actually collect.
Typical Work and How to Approach It
WGU courses are assessed through objective assessments or performance tasks; follow your own course instructions and rubric. Work in a course like D035 typically involves:
| Type of work | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| Problem statement | Defining a researchable issue | Local evidence of the problem, then why it matters |
| Literature review | Using scholarship | Group studies by theme and show the gap |
| Methodology section | Method choice | Question, design, participants, data, analysis |
| Ethics section | Protecting participants | Consent, assent, confidentiality, data storage |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Questions that are too big. "How can we close the achievement gap?" cannot be studied in one cycle. Narrow to a group, an intervention and a measure.
- Method mismatch. A "why" question answered only with test scores misses the point.
- Thin literature. Use peer-reviewed sources, not only blog posts or district documents.
- Ethics as an afterthought. Plan consent and confidentiality from the start.
Study Tips for D035
- Pick a problem you can act on in your own classroom or school.
- Write your research question first and test every later section against it.
- Keep a source log with full APA details as you read.
- Think ahead: a solid D035 proposal gives you a head start on the capstone.
How We Help with D035
Send the task instructions, rubric, your topic and any feedback. A writer with education research experience can explain action research and research methods, give feedback on your proposal or prepare an explained reference model.
Our research proposal writing guide explains the general structure in more depth.
GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. We never invent data or sources, and your proposal must describe your own planned research and be your own work under WGU's academic integrity policy. Models are written from scratch, with free revisions within the scope of your original request.
Get Your D035 Proposal on Track
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Frequently Asked Questions
The 2019 program guide lists Data Literacy and Evidence-Based Practices as the prerequisite.
The 2019 program guide lists 3 competency units. Check your degree plan for the current figure.
Action research, using quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods to study and improve your own educational setting.
The course prepares you to conduct research for the capstone, and the guide says the capstone may be taken concurrently with Educational Inquiry.
Research with students needs consent, assent and confidentiality, and the capstone refers to IRB approval; follow your course's instructions.
No. We explain methods, review your drafts and provide reference models so you can write your own proposal.