Teachers who frame the curriculum around purposeful playful activities that allow children to work at their own pace and allow children to make choices rather than be coerced into their work are indirectly committed to becoming researchers in their own classrooms. The art teacher-researcher is a participant observer of what goes on in the…

Studying students' questions during literature discussions became the focus of a qualitative exploratory research project that a university teacher and second-grade teacher pursued over the course of one school year. Their research began as a study of the process of transferring responsibility from teacher to students in a literature discussion…

This report focuses on the idea that the concept of teacher-as-researcher can and should be incorporated within the traditional teacher training curriculum. The discussion provides a description of a recent application of the notion of teacher-as-researcher within the format of a course designed to help would-be elementary school teachers fulfill…

Proposes that art teachers become more informed about current research on art teaching and assume responsibility for initiating research on classroom teaching. States that teachers may (1) act as research subjects, (2) put research into practice, and (3) act as researchers. Discusses general considerations or conditions under which research can…

Describes the effects of an intercultural exchange of electronic mail, a research project carried out by a high school teacher and two student research assistants. Emphasizes the educational value of students' participation on the research team. (ARH)

Noting that teachers' research is found in personal journals, professional conversations, computer networking, formal research studies, and publications or presentations, this paper answers, in outline form, a series of questions on the expanding role for special needs educators. These questions are: what "teacher as researcher" means;…

Talk remains by far the most used medium of instruction and classroom action. Classroom talk is typically dominated by triadic dialogue or an I-R-E (Initiate-Response-Evaluation) pattern of talk noted in the literature as consistent across grades and subjects. Studies seem to indicate that teachers utilize traditional forms of talk, even though…

Focuses on the author's desire to create student-led discussion groups, instead of teacher-led groups. Considers specific research questions for student-led groups. Inquires what kinds of writing and discussion students would engage in if given the opportunity to make their own writing/discussion choices. Indicates that students do engage in…

Suggests that social inclusion requires the development of communities of learners. To develop such communities, groups must have common interests, consider one another equals, and contribute to open, critical discussion of ideas. Learning must be considered a social activity requiring community development. Teachers must learn skills to…

Over the past few years, teacher research has become increasingly popular both as a movement and as an emerging field. Ideology plays a prominent and underestimated role in the group dynamics and activities of teacher research groups. Treatments of teacher research remain directed mainly at clarifying the content, the status, and the boundaries of…

Recent reform documents have identified practitioners' lack of awareness and implementation of exemplary, innovative practices, and major national associations have noted the ongoing gap between research and practice. The literature supports collaborative action research and teacher researchers as methods to expand the base of educational research…

Five studies by teacher-researchers on teacher incentive programs are presented in this report. Offered are descriptions of the five programs, information on the teacher-researcher role, and the kinds of support necessary for facilitation. The case studies include the Professional Growth Fund of Elmhurst, Illinois; the Mentor Teacher Program of…

This essay provides a window into an eighth-grade class engaged in a legislative curriculum drama. The author, an eighth-grade social studies and literature teacher at a private New York City elementary school, describes her use of a legislative curriculum drama to make an eight-week study of the legislative branch of government a more dynamic and…

A teacher-researcher model that takes into account the constraints in the teaching environment is described. Four characteristics of teaching/learning are: (1) need for continual examination; (2) learning activities as compromises in face of influences and constraints; (3) learning as interactional activity; and (4) public accountability of…

The progress of action research (as an innovation) can be viewed productively from a socio-politico-cultural perspective. Utilizing this perspective, the institutional impact of action research is discussed. (IAH)