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Evidence‐based practice and teacher action‐research: a reflection on the nature and direction of ‘change’
Author(s) -
ColucciGray Laura,
Das Sharmistha,
Gray Donald,
Robson Dean,
Spratt Jennifer
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
british educational research journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.171
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1469-3518
pISSN - 0141-1926
DOI - 10.1080/01411926.2011.615389
Subject(s) - action research , dialogical self , scholarship , context (archaeology) , pedagogy , action (physics) , sociology , teacher education , government (linguistics) , educational research , value (mathematics) , public relations , political science , psychology , social psychology , paleontology , linguistics , physics , philosophy , quantum mechanics , machine learning , computer science , law , biology
This study was conceived as an opportunity to reflect on the place of action‐research in the contested landscape of educational change in the UK where increasing emphasis has been put on the use of evidence to drive reform. In the context of a government‐sponsored project in Scotland, this study looked at the impact of a scholarship initiative supporting classroom teachers to undertake action‐research projects on a topic of their own choice with the assistance of a mentor. Data collected from interviews with teachers and analysis of teacher action‐research reports pointed to a multi‐faceted concept of practice unfolding from individual inquiry and dialogical conversations with colleagues and university mentors. The study argues for further analysis of the use of action‐research as a means to develop teachers’ knowledge and to recover the value of collective and creative engagements in education to guide reform.