Teacher researchers in action research in a heavily centralized education system

Abstract

Action research is characterized by a new paradigm of empowering teachers to monitor their own practices in a more autonomous manner with a vision of challenging and improving their own techniques of teaching through their own participatory research. Yet in spite of this apparently radical shift in the function of the teacher from the constant consumer of scientific theories to a researcher, as envisioned, the concept of action research as an in-service teacher education strategy has not received due attention in practice. For this reason, the presented case study was undertaken to examine whether the notion of action research by teachers was a viable option for in-service teacher development in a highly centralized education system. More specifically, this paper sought to answer whether teachers have any vision of what they can achieve with action research, whether there is scepticism on the part of teachers about the effectiveness and feasibility of action research as practice-based undertaking, and whether there are inherent structural problems that preclude teachers from undertaking such a role. Three English Language Teaching teachers were involved in this action research. The findings indicate that teachers, being capable of carrying out action research, were quite positive about action research and hopeful for overcoming some inadequacies in their educational environment, making it an asset for personalprofessional development despite a highly centralized education system.

Learning for Peace and Coexistence: Action Research to Improve Student Attitudes

“…Corresponding to the philosophy of Carr and Kemmis, it is asserted that the purpose of emancipator research was achieved that is to emancipate the participants from tradition and controlling bureaucratic structures and to differentiate between education and schooling by paying close attention to the elements which are "contradictory and irrational" (1986, p. 204). With the help of this reflexive inquiry, the researcher was successful in developing partly the knowledge, values and competence of individual students for self-expression and refocusing their aim and purpose of life so that they can better participate in cultural, social and economic life of their respective communities (Kemmis, 2006;Cain and Harris, 2013;Gibbs, 2014;Kayaoglu, 2015).…”

“…It is hoped that this approach would emancipate students from any painful tradition followed aimlessly, causing self-deceptive and intimidating behaviors. Selfreflection and critical thinking will enable people to transform their social practices making them peaceful and tolerant societies and communities (Kemmis, 2006;Cain and Harris, 2013;Gibbs, 2014;Kayaoglu, 2015).…”

Mentoring partnerships in science education

“…AR is especially powerful in an educational setting, because K-12 teachers are traditionally powerless as the creators of pedagogy or the instigators of research (Ioannidou-Koutselinia & Patsalidou 2015;Kayaoglu 2015). The movement of reflective practice or 'teacher-as-researcher' does allow for both K-12 teachers and collegiate faculty to investigate their own teaching, but 'students are often positioned as objects of teacher's study rather than collaborative partners or allies' (Brydon-Miller 1997, 83).…”

The transformative potential of action research and ICT in the Second Language (L2) classroom

“…Recent research highlights the practical transformative potential of action research, insofar as participants have become creators of multimedia educational resources (Crotty, 2012(Crotty, , 2014, active creators of school resources (McLaughlin and Ayubayeva, 2015), have implemented new support structures to assist parents and teachers (Salm, 2014) and have improved and changed their teaching strategies as a result of engaging in the action research process (Kayaoglu, 2015). These changes in practice came about through individual and group reflections, which highlights the key role of reflection in transforming thought into practice.…”