Provides theoretical background to Exploratory Practice (EP) and illustrates how the framework of EP can be invoked in the context of doctoral research. Reports on a doctoral study that focuses on one the researcher's professional development as an EP teacher-consultant. (VWL)

This article considers the important part that practitioner research can play in the professional development of teachers. The case study illustrates how a teacher's interests encouraged her to investigate particular areas of her practice. She read literature about emotional intelligence and devised strategies to enhance her classroom teaching.…

This book, which focuses on the language arts teacher/researcher, is offered as a testament to teachers' expanding participation in collecting data and building theories about teaching, learning, curriculum, and assessment. The book's 24 chapters are grouped into four parts. The first part addresses general issues about teacher research: its…

Reflective practice can be beneficial to preservice and inservice teacher professional development. This digest reviews the concept, levels, techniques for, and benefits of reflective practice. Donald Schon introduced the concept in 1987, and since then, many schools, colleges, and departments of education have begun designing teacher education…

This collection of papers focuses on collaboration in two interconnected themes: the improvement of teaching practice through collaborative research and reflection on the role of collaboration in educational change. The 19 papers are: (1) "The Collaborative Lens: A New Look at an Old Research Study" (Phyllis Kapuscinski); (2)…

Three teams of prospective teachers created and presented school "portraits" based on research in an elementary school. Their stories revealed that each team moved from an external point of view to one situated in the actions of teaching. Their efforts to construct their own stories had a powerful impact on their knowledge, relationships…

A year-long action-research graduate seminar was based on the collaboration of the school district, university, and participating teachers. One year later, 16 participating teacher-researchers reported that they were more competent consumers and producers of educational research. Individual effects ranged from subtle impacts on teachers'…

Illustrates the potential of Exploratory Practice (EP), a form of practitioner research, for doctoral research. Emphasizes learners as well as teacher understanding and explores quality in interpersonal relationships. Reports on research conducted in an English-as-a-Foreign-Language academic writing context, about a written dialogue between a…

Recounts the complications that arose when the author's teacher research began to focus on issues of institutional racism within the school in which she worked. Discusses the politics of studying one's own site, and the dilemmas and risks in that process. Explores the issues involved in teacher research that is oriented toward school change and…

This paper addresses education reform efforts, specifically the need to improve schooling by improving the status, power, and working conditions of teachers through professional development programs. Two issues which continue to undermine the authenticity and social value of efforts to promote teacher development are addressed: (1) underneath the…

This paper reports on a 2-year study of changes that occurred in one instructor's teaching of an introductory undergraduate course on teacher education across four semesters. The study includes the voice of the instructor and four other participant-investigators. The course underwent three important modifications: (1) adding a technology emphasis,…

This book presents information on action research for teachers and administrators. Chapter 1, Reflective Professional Practice, discusses reflective professionals, urges active use of solitary dialogue and personal journals to enhance reflectiveness, delineates concerns of maturing educators, and summarizes meditative steps of reflective practice…

When student and novice teachers see themselves as learners or researchers and spend some of their energy trying to understand their students and their students' perspectives, they become less attached to pedagogical techniques and move quickly to a responsive and reflective way of teaching that is more commonly associated with experienced…

Sixth-grade teachers from diverse content areas and specialized fields came together as teacher-researchers to infuse principles of literacy/language learning across the curriculum, targeting low-achieving students. Through reflective inquiry, they gained insights into new strategies as they revised their roles from content area teachers to…

Describes how the personal narratives of Vivian Paley led one early childhood specialist to surprising insights about the ways young children and adults learn. Focuses on the role of children's storytelling and playacting in supporting thinking, classroom discipline techniques, and using children's thinking to improve one's teaching skills. (KB)