Self-evaluation requires teachers to have an ability to systematically reflect on their own pedagogical activities; action research supports and helps teachers in this process. This article explores the use of action research by teachers to improve both their own expertise and their educational environment. The article begins with a discussion of…

Consonant with the current concern for achievement of minority students, the two action research projects described in this paper use interviews and case studies of 10 African American high school students to address some issues related to motivation in the learning of mathematics, particularly as this motivation concerns aspects of the family…

A study focused on a university-school collaborative research project on language assessment in the classroom context and the benefits of preservice teacher participation. Personnel from the Pennsylvania State University (including 20 preservice teacher education students), intermediate unit (Pennsylvania's regional service centers), and four…

This paper examines action research that has been carried out in organizations consisting of predominantly highly educated personnel. The paper revolves around discussion of the Scandinavian model of action research, asking to what degree this model, which has been developed within the framework of industrial democracy, might also serve as a…

Collaborative action research, conducted by teams of practitioners, is a process that enables teachers: (1) to improve student learning, (2) to improve their own practice, (3) to contribute to the development of their own profession, and (4) to overcome the isolation commonly experienced by classroom teachers. By promoting collegial relationships…

This book presents a collection of essays by educational practitioners who reflect on the tensions of teaching and show that ongoing critical reflection is a powerful means through which teachers can transform their beliefs and practices. The essays are the culmination of these educators' inquiries into their own practice. Part 1,…

A study was based on a perceived need for creative writing improvement. A creative writing program was administered to three separate schools in two districts over an eight-week time period. The first district was in a middle class community with primarily White students. The other district was in a lower middle class community with primarily…

To alleviate the problem of non-engaged readers in first grade classrooms, a program was developed to motivate and support children's love of reading. The targeted population consisted of three first grade classrooms located in three diverse communities in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The problem was documented through data revealing…

This report describes a program of peer tutoring using specific learning and metacognitive strategies to increase reading comprehension . The targeted population consisted of first through fourth grade students in self-contained regular education classrooms located in two adjacent suburbs of a large metropolitan area. The problem of poor…

This case study investigated whether student talk and classroom discussion might help students find a voice in the academic community and pave the way for other forms of research and analysis that the academy expects of them. Participants were Bergen Community College (New Jersey) students (N=110) enrolled in a non-credit remedial English class.…

An action research study examined a teacher's developing collaborative practices in her secondary curriculum development and instructional methods class. The class was composed of 14 women ranging in age from 21 to approximately 50 in a medium sized southwestern university. Data were collected through a reflective journal and from certain student…

A program was developed for improving the social skills and reading levels of 29 elementary grade students in a low- to middle-class manufacturing community located in an urban area in northern Illinois. The problem was originally noted by the amount of teacher time spent correcting behavior and the low reading levels of students as evidenced by…

After advising teachers to become knowledgeable and active in educational research, the author lists suggestions for classroom research by the teacher and sources of information concerning research in mathematics education. (SD)

The mission, curricula, students, and faculty of community colleges make them ideal laboratories for the study of teaching and learning at the college level. To accomplish this goal, community college faculty members should take on the role of classroom researchers, conducting careful, systematic, and patient studies of their students in the…

This paper outlines the assumptions about the work and working conditions of teachers evident in various practices of action research in education. First, a thorough analysis of documents from the period of action research in the post-World War II era in the United States is presented. Images of the work and workplace of teaching from this period…