Abstract
This chapter presents the theoretical groundings of action research as investigating experience. Action research can be traced back to its use by the activists, Collier, working with indigenous Indian populations on reservations in 1930. In 1944 Kurt Lewin defined the term as “a comparative research on the conditions and effects of various forms of social action and research leading to social action” that uses “a spiral of steps, each of which is composed of a circle of planning, action and fact-finding about the result of the action”. Since then, action research has become a well-known methodological approach mainly in the fields of education and health care, geared to the systematic investigation of practitioners’ actions with the aim of producing guidelines for best practice and improving practitioners’ strategies, practices and knowledge of the environments within which they practice. Action research can be initiated to solve an immediate problem or as a reflective process of progressive inquiry into pedagogical, social and political aspects of teachers’ work, in order to transform their practice. The strength of teacher action research lies in its potential for empowering practitioners to become researchers into their own practices, while implementing their research in practice and becoming agents of change. The chapter discusses the theoretical groundings of action research, with a focus on studies conducted in teacher education on the uses, processes and outcomes of action research as a pedagogy as a pedagogy for mediating teacher learning. The second part presents concrete examples of action research cycles in teacher education practices from published studies. The third part presents a synthesis of the major themes identified in the literature on the use of action research in teacher education. The synthesis is organized around purposes, processes, outcomes and target audience studied. This is followed by a comprehensive checklist of selected articles, books and handbooks on action research by decades (from 1990 onwards).
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Selected Books and Articles on Action Research by Decades
1990–2000
Clift, R., Veal, M. L., Johnson, M., & Holland, P. (1990). Restructuring teacher education through collaborative action research. Journal of Teacher Education, 41(2), 52–62.
Liston, D. P., & Zeichner, K. M. (1990). Reflective teaching and action research in preservice teacher education. British Journal of Teacher Education, 16(3), 235–254.
McCutcheon, G., & Jung, B. (1990). Alternative perspectives on action research. Theory Into Practice, 29(3), 144–151.
Gore, J. M., & Zeichner, K. M. (1991). Action research and reflective teaching in preservice teacher education: A case study from the United States. Teaching and Teacher Education, 7(2), 119–136.
McTaggart, R. (1991). Principles for participatory action research. Adult Education Quarterly, 41(3), 168–187.
Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1993). Inside/outside: Teacher research and knowledge. New York: Teachers College Press.
Crookes, G. (1993). Action research for second language teachers: Going beyond teacher research. Applied Linguistics, 14(2), 130–144.
Elliot, J. (1993). Professional education and the idea of a practical educational science. In J. Elliot (Ed.), Reconstructing teacher education. Teacher development (pp. 65–85). London: The Falmer Press.
Zeichner, K. (1993). Action research: Personal renewal and social reconstruction. Educational Action Research, 1(2), 199–219.
McKernan, J. (1994). Teaching educational action research: A tale of three cities. Educational Action Research, 2(1), 95–112.
Dana, N. F. (1995). Action research, school change, and the silencing of teacher voice. Action in Teacher Education, 16(4), 59–70.
Hatton, N., & Smith, D. (1995). Reflection in teacher education: Towards definition and implementation. Teaching and Teacher Education, 11(1), 33–49.
Stanulis, R. N., & Jeffers, L. (1995). Action research as a way of learning about teaching in a mentor/student teacher relationship. Action in Teacher Education, 16(4), 14–24.
Darling-Hammond, L., & McLaughlin, M. (1996). Policies that support professional development in an era of reform. In M. W. McLaughlin & I. Oberman (Eds.), Teacher learning: New policies, new practices (pp. 202–218). New York: Teachers College Press.
Placier, M. (1996). An action research approach to a contradiction in teaching: Reconciling grades with democratic education. Action in Teacher Education, 18(3), 23–32.
Britzman, D. P., & Pitt, A. J. (1997). Pedagogy in transferential time: Casting the past of learning in the presence of teaching. Counterpoints, 67, 65–76.
Carson, T. R. (1997). Reflection and its resistances: Teacher education as a living practice. In T. R. Carson & D. J. Sumara (Eds.), Action research as living practice (pp. 161–166). New York: Peter Lang Publishing Inc..
Carson, T., & Sumara, D. J. (Eds.). (1997). Action research as living practice. New York: Peter Lang Publishing Inc.
Grimmett, P. (1997). Breaking the mold: Transforming a didactic professor into a learner-focused teacher educator. In T. Carson & D. Sumara (Eds.), Action research as a living practice (pp. 121–136). New York: Peter Lang.
Houtekamer, T., Chambers, C., Yamagishi, R., & Good Striker, E. (1997). Exploring sacred relations: Collaborative writing as action research. In T. Carson & D. Sumara (Eds.), Action research as a living practice (pp. 137–159). New York: Peter Lang.
Kanu, Y. (1997). Understanding development education through action research: Cross-cultural reflections. Counterpoints, 67, 167–185.
Kemp, P. (1997). Supporting the Supporters: The learning and supervision needs of unqualified support staff in a supported housing scheme for people with mental health problems. Educational Action Research, 5(2), 193–210.
Smits, H. (1997). Living within the space of practice: Action research inspired by hermeneutics. Counterpoints, 67, 281–297.
Sumara, D. J., & Davis, B. (1997). Enactivist theory and community learning: Toward a complexified understanding of action research. Educational Action Research, 5(3), 403–422.
Willinsky, J. (1997). Accountability in action. In T. Carson & D. Sumara (Eds.), Action research as a living practice. New York: Peter Lang.
Rearick, M. L., & Feldman, A. (1999). Orientations, purposes and reflection: A framework for understanding action research. Teaching and Teacher Education, 15(4), 333–349.
Kosnick, C. (2000). Looking back: Six teachers reflect on the action research experience in their teacher education programs. Action in Teacher Education, 22(2), 133–142.
Mills, G. E. (2000). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
2001–2010
Clark, A. (2001). Recent landscape of teacher education: Critical points and possible conjectures. Teaching and Teacher Education, 17(5), 599–611.
Reason, P. (2001). In H. Bradbury (Ed.), Handbook of action research: Participative inquiry and practice. London: Sage.
Biott, C. (2002). Latency in action research: Changing perspectives on occupational and researcher identities. In C. Day, J. Elliott, B. Somekh, R. Winter (Eds.), Theory and practice in action research: Some international perspectives (pp. 45–60). London: Symposium Books.
Christenson, M., Slutsky, R., Bendau, S., Covert, J., Dyer, J., Risko, G., & Johnston, M. (2002). The rocky road of teachers becoming action researchers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18(3), 259–272.
Day, C., Elliott, J., Somekh, B., & Winter, R. (Eds.). (2002). Theory and practice in action research: Some international perspectives. Wallingford, OX: Symposium Books Ltd..
Feldman, A. (2002). Existential approaches to action research. Educational Action Research, 10(2), 233–252.
Noffke, S. E. (2002). Towards the next generation. Theory and practice in action research: Some international perspectives, 13.
Parsons, R. D., & Brown, K. S. (2002). Teacher as reflective practitioner and action researcher. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.
Rock, T. C., & Levin, B. B. (2002). Collaborative action research projects: Enhancing preservice teacher development in professional development schools. Teacher Education Quarterly, 29, 7–21.
Stanulis, R. N., Campbell, P. E., & Hicks, J. (2002). Finding her way: A beginning teacher’s story of learning to honour her own voice in teaching. Educational Action Research, 10(1), 45–66.
Watts, B. J., & Jones, S. (2002). Inter-professional practice and action research: Commonalities and parallels. In C. Day, J. Elliot, B. Somekh, & R. Winter (Eds.), Theory and practice in action research (pp. 233–240). Wallingford, OX: Symposium Books.
Burbank, M. D. (2003). Modeling action research: Reflections from a self-study. Professional Educator, 25(2), 31–42.
Carr, W., & Kemmis, S. (2003). Becoming critical: Education knowledge and action research. London: Routledge.
Clarke, A., & Erickson, G. L. (2003). Teacher inquiry: Living the research in everyday practice. Psychology Press.
Levin, B. B., & Rock, T. C. (2003). The effects of collaborative action research on preservice and experienced teacher partners in professional development schools. Journal of Teacher Education, 54(2), 135–149.
Somekh, B. (2003). Theory and passion in action research. Educational Action Research, 11(2), 247–264.
Zuber-Skerritt, O. (Ed.). (2003). New directions in action research. London: Routledge.
Orland-Barak, L. (2004). What have I learned from all this?: Four years of teaching an action research course: Insights of a second order. Educational Action Research, 12(1), 33–59.
Ponte, P., Beijard, D., & Ax, J. (2004). Don’t wait till the cows come home: Action research and initial teacher education in three different countries. Teachers and Teaching, 10(6), 591–621.
Stevens, D., & Kitchen, J. (2004). Introducing pre-service teachers to action research. The Ontario Action Researcher, 7(1).
Price, J. N., & Valli, L. (2005). Preservice teachers becoming agents of change pedagogical implications for action research. Journal of teacher education, 56(1), 57–72.
Hatch, A., Greer, T., & Bailey, K. (2006). Student-produced action research in early childhood teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 27(2), 205–212.
Schmuck, R. A. (2006). Practical action research for change. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Yip, A. A. (2007). Action research and tacit knowledge: A case of the project approach (pp. 507–522). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer.
Ax, J., Ponte, P., & Brouwer, N. (2008). Action research in initial teacher education: An explorative study. Educational Action Research, 16(1), 55–72.
Benke, G., Hospesová, A., & Tichá, M. (2008). The use of action research in teacher education. International Handbook of Mathematics Teacher Education, 3, 283–307.
Hui, M. F., & Grossman, D. L. (2008). Improving teacher education through action research. London: Routledge.
Li, Y. L. (2008). Teachers in action research: Assumptions and potentials. Educational Action Research, 16(2), 251–260.
Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action research: Teachers as researchers in the classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Pine, G. J. (2008). Teacher action research: Building knowledge democracies. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Warren, S., Doorn, D., & Green, J. (2008, May). Changes in vision: Teachers engaging in action research. In The educational forum (Vol. 72, No. 3, pp. 260–270). Taylor & Francis Group.
Bai, Y. (2009). Action research localization in China: Three cases. Educational Action Research, 17(1), 143–154.
Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (2009). Inquiry as stance: Practitioner research for the next generation. New York: Teachers College Press.
Hussein, J. W. (2009). Promoting student teachers’ understanding of action research: An experience from teacher education in Ethiopia. Teaching Education, 20(2), 133–148.
Moloney, J. (2009). Engaging in action research: A personal and professional journey towards an inquiry into teacher morale in a senior secondary college. Educational Action Research, 17(2), 181–195.
Noffke, S. E. (2009). In B. Somekh (Ed.), The Sage handbook of educational action research. Los Angeles: Sage.
Altrichter, H., & Posch, P. (2010). Reflective development and developmental research: Is there a future for action research as a research strategy in German-speaking countries? Educational Action Research, 18(1), 57–71.
Burns, A. (2010). Doing action research in English language teaching: A guide for practitioners. New York: Routledge.
Gilles, C., Wilson, J., & Elias, M. (2010). Sustaining teachers’ growth and renewal through action research, induction programs, and collaboration. Teacher Education Quarterly, 37, 91–108.
Goodnough, K. (2010). The role of action research in transforming teacher identity: Modes of belonging and ecological perspectives. Educational Action Research, 18(2), 167–182.
Pérez, Á. I., Soto, E., & Serván, M. J. (2010). Participatory action research and the reconstruction of teachers’ practical thinking: Lesson studies and core reflection. An experience in Spain. Educational Action Research, 18(1), 73–87.
Platteel, T., Hulshof, H., Ponte, P., van Driel, J., & Verloop, N. (2010). Forming a collaborative action research partnership. Educational Action Research, 18(4), 429–451.
Samaras, A. P. (2010). Self-study teacher research: Improving your practice through collaborative inquiry. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
Subramaniam, K. (2010). Understanding changes in teacher roles through collaborative action research. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 21(8), 937–951.
Trent, J. (2010). Teacher education as identity construction: Insights from action research. Journal of Education for Teaching, 36(2), 153–168.
2011–2015
Elliott, J. (2011). Reconstructing teacher education (Vol. 221). London: Routledge.
Jaipal, K., & Figg, C. (2011). Collaborative action research approaches promoting professional development for elementary school teachers. Educational Action Research, 19(1), 59–72.
Clarke, P. A. J., & Fournillier, J. B. (2012). Action research, pedagogy, and activity theory: Tools facilitating two instructors’ interpretations of the professional development of four preservice teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(5), 649–660.
Hagevik, R., Aydeniz, M., & Rowell, C. G. (2012). Using action research in middle level teacher education to evaluate and deepen reflective practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 28(5), 675–684.
Magos, K. (2012). ‘…, But I cannot do research’: action-research and early childhood teachers. A case study from Greece. Teachers and Teaching, 18(3), 331-343.
Mitchener, C. P., & Jackson, W. M. (2012). Learning from action research about science teacher preparation. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 23(1), 45–64.
Ross, J. A., & Bruce, C. D. (2012). Evaluating the impact of collaborative action research on teachers: A quantitative approach. Teacher Development, 16(4), 537–561.
Cain, T., & Harris, R. (2013). Teachers’ action research in a culture of performativity. Educational Action Research, 21(3), 343–358.
Colucci-Gray, L., Das, S., Gray, D., Robson, D., & Spratt, J. (2013). Evidence-based practice and teacher action-research: A reflection on the nature and direction of ‘change’. British Educational Research Journal, 39(1), 126–147.
Hine, G. S. (2013). The importance of action research in teacher education programs. Issues in Educational Research, 23(2), 151–163.
Kim, J. H. (2013). Teacher action research as Bildung: An application of Gadamer’s philosophical hermeneutics to teacher professional development. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 45(3), 379–393.
McDonald, J. P., Mohr, N., Dichter, A., & McDonald, E. C. (2013). The power of protocols: An educator’s guide to better practice (3nd ed.). New York/London: Teachers College Press.
McNiff, J. (2013). Action research: Principles and practice. London: Routledge.
Stringer, E. T. (2013). Action research. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
Bleicher, R. E. (2014). A collaborative action research approach to professional learning. Professional Development in Education, 40(5), 802–821.
Glanz, J. (2014). Action research: An educational leader’s guide to school improvement. Norwood, MA: Rowman & Littlefield.
Moate, J., & Ruohotie-Lyhty, M. (2014). Identity, agency and community: Reconsidering the pedagogic responsibilities of teacher education. British Journal of Educational Studies, 62(3).
Phillips, D. K., & Carr, K. (2014). Becoming a teacher through action research: Process, context, and self-study. New York: Routledge.
Ulvik, M. (2014). Student-teachers doing action research in their practicum: why and how? Educational Action Research, 22(4), 518–533.
Wang, Q., & Zhang, H. (2014). Promoting teacher autonomy through university–school collaborative action research. Language Teaching Research, 18(2), 222–241.
Elliott, J. (2015). Educational action research as the quest for virtue in teaching. Educational Action Research, 23(1), 4–21.
McLaughlin, C., & Ayubayeva, N. (2015). ‘It is the research of self experience’: Feeling the value in action research. Educational Action Research, 23(1), 51-67.
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Orland-Barak, L., Maskit, D. (2017). Action Research as ‘Systematic Investigation of Experience’. In: Methodologies of Mediation in Professional Learning. Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education, vol 14. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49906-2_9
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