Consists of three sections bound together by a common theme and reference list. The first section, by Gail Burnaford, addresses teacher action research as essential for motivating students and giving teachers a voice in curriculum. Section 2, by James Beane, explores common assumptions behind action research and integrative curriculum. Section 3,…

British Columbia's systemwide educational reform efforts enable teachers to engage in classroom-based research while building a learner-focused curriculum. This article describes the province's teacher research efforts, underlining important implications for educational policy. Teacher research permitted teachers to honor schools' educative…

Discusses the meaning of being a teacher-researcher, emphasizing the need to involve teachers in research to link theory and practice and noting how participant observation helps them inquire into practice. Practitioner-researcher examples from teachers involved in a graduate research course are presented. The cases support and explicate…

Examines unexpected challenges based on differing understandings and values about what counts as research in teacher-researcher collaboration. Focuses on two challenges: defining and legitimating nonquantitative research; and intermingling roles and responsibilities of "researcher" and "teacher." Shows how key material…

Describes project results from middle school teachers' action research. Recounts the teachers' connections as a research team, directions of research process in the first year, reflections on what was learned about students and teachers, actions carried out in light of the research, and suggestions for readers interested in conducting action…

Discusses the split between theory and practice in education and the extent to which teachers engaging in research into their own practice can bridge the gap and help improve schools and research. The paper presents two case studies of successful collaborative, school-based action research and offers a critical reflection of learning from the case…

Highlights a synergistic collaborative research effort between a public school and a university, discussing the process of collaboration throughout the study and providing perspectives on the learning and collaboration experiences from university faculty, classroom teachers, and pre-service teachers. This collaboration resulted in translation of…

Examined the effectiveness of collaborative action research teaming as a professional development mechanism to address the demands of contemporary classrooms through formalized sharing between groups of inservice and preservice teachers. Data from observations, interviews, and student artifacts indicated that effective teaming depended…

Throughout its history, adult literacy education has been defined, researched, and controlled by external entities. Action research is now enabling literacy practitioners and learners to gain a voice through production of their own knowledge. The applicability, benefits, and inherent risks of practitioner action research are discussed. Contains 53…

Three faculty used action research to address concerns with student learning but in the process also learned of its value for their own professional development. Through semi-structured interviews, multiple case vignettes, and peer collaboration, they addressed student cognitive and affective learning concerns, made adjustments in their…

The purpose of this study was to introduce an AR approach to a group of science teachers during an in-service AR course program and learn its contributions to their professional development. Data were gathered through an AR project by working with a group of eight science teachers throughout a four-week period. In the content of the course,…

The qualitative educational research literature is increasingly advocating the use of literary/artistic techniques. This article describes and evaluates educational action researches by three art teachers, and questions why they have not capitalised methodologically on their artistic expertise. Analysis of commonalities in practitioner-based…

This action research project report examined strategies to motivate students from extrinsically rewarding behaviors to intrinsically motivating behaviors. The action research was conducted in two different schools by four different teacher researchers within the same district. Three teachers in an elementary building (Site A) and one teacher in a…

The purpose of this action research project is to improve student social skills through the use of cooperative learning, in order to develop a positive classroom environment that is conducive to learning. The action research project will involve approximately 95 students, 95 parents, and 200 teachers. It is the intent of the teacher researchers to…

This article describes findings from a classroom-based action research project conducted by two in-school teachers, a literacy coach and a 4th grade teacher, implementing a new integrated literacy and social studies curriculum and the changes they made in curricular practices and beliefs over a three-year period of time. A university professor…