Teacher Research: Getting Started

What is teacher research? Depending on who is asked, the responses could yield screams of horror or excited shouts of joy. Teacher research is a broad and important aspect of development not only for the teacher-researchers themselves but also for the colleagues with whom they share results in writing or at conferences or meetings. Teachers are doing research at all levels of education, from examining kindergartners\u27 ability to synthesize materials to exploring adult GED students\u27 writing improvement using journals. The positive effects of conducting research in the classroom are tremendous, and without research we are losing a valuable resource in our own as well as our colleagues\u27 development as teachers and learners. Further, by not conducting research we also hurt the primary focus of our careers--our students. This article provides answers to the aforementioned question by giving some suggestions for starting effective teacher research. This article is the first in a series that will examine teacher research from a variety of perspectives

Teacher research projects in computing

The introduction of computer science (CS) to the National Curriculum for schools in England has led to a situation where teachers must develop both subject knowledge and pedagogical expertise in parallel, which presents a significant challenge. Professional development to address this may be most effective when situated in the teachers' own working practices. This paper describes a project to support CS teachers in developing pedagogical skills by planning, designing and implementing their own classroom-based research, supported by university colleagues

Exploring Teachers' Beliefs About Teacher Research

The purpose of this study is to explore teachers’ beliefs and conceptions about teacher research in Syrian tertiary English language teaching contexts. Questionnaires, follow-up interviews and written follow-up were used to collect the data. This research serves as an introductory study for further research on teachers’ beliefs and conceptions about research. 52 English language teachers participated in this study and the data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The main themes in this study were included in the questionnaire so these were used as bedrock where relevant data from interviews and written follow-up were collated to provide a deeper and more comprehensive account of the participants’ beliefs and practices concerning research and the impact of research on their teaching practices. The findings revealed that the teachers have diverse conceptions of research. On the one hand, positivistic research was seen as the model of how research should be; however, on the other hand, a simpler version of research, called ‘informal research’, was practised instead. The research culture as captured in this study was shown to be not conducive to engagement in research due to administrative lack of support. In this regard, this study has considerable potential in the design for future research to more fully understand teachers’ beliefs and conceptions about research and their engagement/lack of engagement in research

Questionnaires and interviews in teacher research

W niniejszym rozdziale scharakteryzowany został kwestionariusz jako narzędzie badań początkującego naukowca. Dodatkowo zaprezentowano również informacje dotyczące wywiadu. Rozdział podzielić można na kilka głównych części. Pierwszą z nich stanowi teoretyczne wprowadzenie do omawianego tematu. Autorka przybliża czytelnikowi zalety i wady badań kwestionariuszowych oraz kieruje jego uwagę w stronę czynników wpływających niekorzystnie na rzetelność oraz wiarygodność badania. Następnie przedstawiono budowę kwestionariusza i opisano jego części składowe, czyli wprowadzenie, tytuł, część główną oraz zakończenie. W dalszej części rozdziału opisana została procedura tworzenia kwestionariuszy ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem etapu precyzowania zakresu tematycznego oraz formułowania, aranżacji i pilotażu pytań kwestionariuszowych (dokładnej analizie poddano konstrukcję różnego typu pytań otwartych i zamkniętych). Autorka podsumowuje następnie (w formie wskazówek dotyczących głównych zasad projektowania) najważniejsze cechy kwestionariusza. Ostatnia część rozdziału zawiera opis dwóch przykładowych badań, w których kwestionariusz stanowił narzędzie badawcze, oraz pytania kontrolne i tematy do dalszej dyskusji. Wywiad, jako gatunek mający wiele cech wspólnych z kwestionariuszem, omówiony został w sposób skrótowy. Końcową ilustracją zaprezentowanego tematu jest załączony przez autorkę przykładowy kwestionariusz

Towards a useful paradigm for teacher-research

This paper considers some paradigms of educational research and their relation to teachers’ own research in their work settings. The characteristics of the positivist, interpretive and critical paradigms are examined. A participatory paradigm is considered with reference to teacher-research. Following suggestions from the literature (e.g. Cain, 2012; Heron & Reason, 2009; Odena, 2014) the paper examines how research in this paradigm involves participants and considers the influence of context. It is argued that teacher-research is essentially research for action, although the characteristics of ‘action research’ as described in the literature are not always evident. The conclusion suggests moving towards a participatory paradigm that goes beyond the positivist-interpretive dichotomy, if the aim is to include enquiry as part of teachers’ professional learning

Constructing teacher research identity : insights from Argentina

The aim of this conceptual article is to discuss and illustrate the relationship between teacher research and teacher identity in language education. The main assumption is that teacher research, characterised by systematic reflections and agency, can contribute to cementing teacher identity. To this effect, in this article, we discuss teacher research preparation, engagement and promotion, drawing on examples from higher education in Argentina. The examples outline how teacher research is (1) approached and included in initial English language teacher education programmes, (2) promoted among in-service teachers through short courses or postgraduate programmes, and (3) implemented with teacher educators in order to increase agency and engagement in research-based curriculum transformations. It is argued that through the various initiatives described, educational associations, institutions and organisations around the world can help teachers to develop their teacher research identity. Through a teacher research identity, teachers may become stronger reflective practitioners, curriculum designers, researchers, authors, and above all, generators of situated knowledge and context-responsive pedagogies

In search of place for the trainee teacher: how can geography departments most benefit from welcoming trainee teachers?

The article explores various interpretations of how to position trainee teachers within their geography departments following the narrative of the authors' own professional career from Head of Geography in a school to doctoral researcher at University. Practitioner-led research is discussed as a strategy for school improvement and trainee teacher research is offered as a catalyst for achieving this culture shift. The author draws from his own ongoing research to inform the argument