This paper presents findings of an action-research study that examined the characteristics of schools in eastern Kentucky that were recognized as effective by the State Department of Education. Eighteen students who were in an educational leadership class at Morehead State University, and who held teaching or administrative positions in Kentucky…

This paper describes collegial model approaches to the interactions between rehabilitation researchers and individuals with disabilities or their family members. The approaches, called participatory research and participatory action research, grew out of a 1989 conference sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation…

This paper discusses methodological issues and strategies that underlie the development of expert software systems that provide research assistance to school practitioners of action research. The following key issues related to the development of expert systems software are examined: developing a knowledge base that represents research expertise;…

An action research project developed a program for improving writing skills. The targeted population consisted of second through fifth grade students in two districts in growing middle to upper class communities, located in suburbs southwest of Chicago. The need for improving writing skills was evidenced by classroom teacher observations,…

Australia's Cairns Consortium of Schools includes four state primary schools in Cairns, North Queensland. It supports provision of quality education characterized by improved student outcomes enhanced by improved teacher competencies. It is based on espoused values of mutual trust and respect. Principals use collaborative decision making processes…

The purpose of this study was to use three public school action research teams to identify the most desirable, feasible, and effective system-centered strategies, peer-centered strategies, personnel-centered strategies, and child-centered strategies for promoting a sense of belonging. One hundred and sixty four strategies were examined. Eight…

An action research project described a program for teaching spelling strategies to increase the application of spelling skills in students' writing. The first half of the targeted population consisted of gifted first grade students from numerous, stable, upper-middle-class communities in a large Midwestern city and the surrounding suburbs. The…

This paper, a result of a series of meetings of researchers, discusses critical issues related to the conduct of high-quality intervention research in special education using experimental and quasi-experimental designs that compare outcomes for different groups of students. It stresses the need to balance design components that satisfy laboratory…

An ethnographic approach to teacher action research is presented in this paper. The paper argues that an ethnographic, rather than a qualitative approach, should be considered by teachers wishing to engage in interpretive inquiry (action) research because of the focus on classroom and larger cultural contexts on the teaching-learning situation.…

This report relates how a classroom teacher, building administrator, and a science educator form a partnership to promote change in classroom teaching practices as well as overcome some of the barriers that exist between the conduct of educational research and classroom practice. This paper describes this partnership which serves as one of the…

This article describes the use of activity counseling with borderline dropout high school students. The activity counseling consisted of urban encounters followed by group sessions in which students exchanged stories, opinions and feelings. These students have demonstrated improvement in self-concept, credit earning, and productivity. (SJL)

The article starts by defining teacher research and a summary of its benefits. In reviewing teacher research in the field of ELT, the author points out that such research is not enough. The author then suggests ten conditions that would increase the incidence of teacher research. Additional questions for consideration are suggested at the end that…

This book highlights the use of research and other forms of knowledge for meaningful school reform by faculties engaged in the National Education Association's "Mastery in Learning Project" (MIL). This project is a school-based education reform initiative designed to help school faculties take an active role in directing school renewal…

This guide provides practical advice, based on research expertise, for teachers looking for reliable research results without waste of time or effort. The six sections of the guide present and discuss the decisions and actions that have to be taken to get good results: (1) the pros and cons of collecting information by questionnaire; (2) sampling;…

This document describes and assesses the process of adapting Paulo Friere's ideas in a Western European urban context. The Adult Learning Project (ALP), in the Gorgie Dalry section of Edinburgh, Scotland, is a sustained experiment in the application of Freire's educational principles. Following an introduction, chapter 1 describes the history of…