Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная
лингвистика
и
лингводидактика
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Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
Understanding
teacher
research:
benefits
and
misconceptions
Dilafruz SARIMSAKOVA
Namangan State University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received August 2024
Received in revised form
10 August 2024
Accepted 25 September 2024
Available online
15 October 2024
Teacher research (TR) has various forms such as action
research, collaborative action research, exploratory action
research, exploratory practice, evaluative research, and lesson
study. Teacher research plays a crucial role in enhancing best
classroom practices and empowering teachers to continue their
professional development. This article defines TR, discusses its
common types, its benefits for teacher educators, practitioners,
teacher-researchers as well as student-teachers. It also
addresses common misconceptions about TR and highlights its
importance as an effective CPD activity.
2181-3701
/©
2024 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol2-iss5-pp23-30
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
teacher research,
teachers,
classroom research,
continuous professional
development (CPD),
teaching practices.
O‘qituvchi tadqiqot faoliyatini
tushunish: foydali va
yanglish fikrlar
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar
:
o'qituvchi tadqiqot faoliyati,
o'qituvchilar,
sinf tadqiqotlari,
uzluksiz kasbiy rivojlanish
(CPD),
o'qitish amaliyoti.
O'qituvchilarning tadqiqot faoliyati amaliy tadqiqot (action
research), hamkorlikdagi amaliy tadqiqot (collaborative action
research), amaliy o’rganish tadqiqot (exploratory action research),
tadqiqot amaliyoti (exploratory practice), baholash tadqiqoti
(evaluative research) va darsni o'rganish tadqiqoti (lesson study)
kabi shakllari mavjud. O'qituvchilarning tadqiqotlari samarali sinf
tadqiqotlari takomillashtirishda va o'qituvchilarning kasbiy
rivojlanishini davom ettirishda muhim rol o'ynaydi. Ushbu
maqolada o'qituvchi tadqiqot faoliyati, uning turlari, va afzalliklari
muhokama qilinadi. Shuningdek, o'qituvchi tadqiqot faoliyati
bo’yicha keng tarqalgan yanglish fikrlar asoslanadi va o'qituvchi
tadqiqot faoliyati eng samarali va uzluksiz kasbiy rivojlanish
faoliyati sifatidagi ahamiyatini ta’diklanadi.
1
PhD, Associate Professor, Namangan State University. E-mail: dilafruz89@gmail.com
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
2
№
5 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
24
Понимание исследований учителей: преимущества и
заблуждения
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
исследования учителей,
учителя,
исследования в классе,
непрерывное
профессиональное
развитие (CPD),
методы преподавания
.
Исследования учителей (TR) принимают различные
формы, такие как исследование в действии (action research),
совместные исследования в действии (collaborative action
research), исследование изучения и действий (exploratory
action research), исследовательская
практика (exploratory
practice), оценочные исследования (evaluative research) и
исследование
уроков
(lesson
study).
Учительские
исследования играют ключевую роль в улучшении лучших
практик в классе и расширении возможностей учителей для
непрерывного профессионального развития. В статье
дается определение исследования учителей, обсуждаются
его основные типы и преимущества для преподавателей
учителей,
практиков,
учителей
-
исследователей
и
студентов
-
учителей.
Также
рассматриваются
распространенные заблуждения об исследовании учителей,
подчеркивая его важность как эффективного инструмента
для постоянного профессионального роста.
INTRODUCTION
Over the last decades, considerable attention in literature has grown around teacher
research in both language teaching and general education (Borg, 2013; Borg & Sanchez,
2015; Smith & Rebolledo, 2018). If we look at the history of TR in general education, Kurt
Lewin was mentioned as the originator of action research in the 1940s, later Lawrence
Stenhouse was mentioned who developed theoretical foundations and applications of TR
in the 1970s (Burns, 1999). The early TR research studies in language teaching were
carried out by Dick Allwright and Kathleen Bailey (1991), David Nunan (1989), and later
action research as a model of TR was developed by Anne Burns (1999) (cited by Anderson,
(2024). Recently, Smith & Rebolledo (2018) have developed exploratory action research
as another form of TR for improving best classroom practices and empowering teachers to
continue their professional development.
Many studies proved the importance and benefits of TR as an attempt to investigate
teachers’
practices and improve teaching methods. Borg & Sanchez (2015) define TR is a
methodologically flexible activity done by teachers (individually or collaboratively) that
investigates to achieve real-world impact in teaching practices and makes them publicized.
According to Gilliland (2018) and Fecho (2000), TR is a systematic self-study by teachers
in their classrooms, reflecting critically and investigating their practice and/or their
students’ learning. Teachers conduct classroom research to change their practice, to feel
more professional, and to become engaged with the profession of teaching in a new way
(Grimmett, 1996). Edge (2001) states that TR allows teacher-researchers to problematize
their everyday practices, identify researchable issues in their classrooms, and understand
their discoveries better through reflection. Teachers gain more insights into the teaching
and learning process. Herr (1999) emphasizes that TR will help to solve problems
that exist in their schools. Smith & Rebolledo (2018) claim that TR is a research project
conducted primarily by teachers to teachers and often supported by mentors or
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
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Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
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25
experienced teacher-
educators who will act in facilitators’ roles and guide teachers or
practitioners. Overall, teachers can become more effective teachers as TR contributes to
more effective teaching practices. TR can be very valuable way to extend best teaching
practices and gain more understanding of themselves as teachers, their classrooms and
their students.
Common types of teacher research in language teaching
Action research
(AR) is one form of teacher research that involves a participatory
and flexible approach. Burns (2005) describes action research as a cyclical process
involving a four-stage model of planning, acting, observing, and reflecting (Fig.1). This
model is illustrated through the diagram in Figure 1. In the planning phase, a teacher
identifies a problem or issue to solve and develops a plan of action to improve it in the
classroom. In accordance with his/her action plan, the teacher takes action in the
classroom over time. The observation phase involves observing the effects of action
and collecting data about the context, actions, and opinions of those who are involved in
the research. The reflection phase reflects, evaluates, and describes the effects of the
actions on what has happened in the classroom, understands the issue that has been
investigated, and plans for further actions. This cyclical process can be repeated to improve
the situation even better. In other words, teachers identify a problem or area of interest,
develop and implement a plan to address it and evaluate the results.
Fig. 1
Four-stage model of AR, developed by Burns (2005)
By doing AR, teachers address specific challenges within their classrooms. For
example: a teacher plans to implement a new classroom management strategy and assess
its effectiveness through student feedback and behavioral observations. The teacher
makes iterative improvements in AR.
Collaborative action research is another form of TR that involves teachers working
together or partnering with researchers to investigate certain classroom practices. Burns
(2010) notes that this approach benefits from shared expertise and diverse perspectives,
leading to more comprehensive and validated findings. In other words, collaborative
action research can be a powerful form of staff development to increase collective
knowledge about teaching through their practices, and to reach solutions to changes in
their context as the result of group problem-solving and collaboration. Example: A group
of teachers might collaborate to study the impact of a new pedagogical approach on
student learning across multiple classrooms.
Exploratory action research (EAR) is another form of TR that initially explores a
classroom challenge, a puzzle, or a success in the teaching context to gain a better
understanding before taking any actions (Smith & Rebolledo, 2018). EAR is a bottom-up
approach that is suitable to explore own context without interfering with
teachers’
everyday practices (Katwijk et al., 2023). The EAR model was illustrated through the
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
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Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
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diagram in Figure 2. EAR is conducted in two phases. First, in the exploratory phase, a
teacher-researcher plans to explore an issue by identifying a research focus/topic and sets
up the questions to explore their perceptions, assumptions,
and beliefs as a teacher, others’
perceptions (e.g. students or colleagues) and others’ behavior (students) through
collecting data to gain a better understanding of the issue in their classrooms and to better
recognize
their students’ needs and interests. In the action phase,
the teacher-researcher
plans actions and implements them. In EAR, it is important to understand the situation,
and reasons behind the problem before implementing the action plan. By doing EAR,
teachers explore, understand, and improve their practices as teachers.
Fig. 2
Stages of EAR, developed by Smith & Rebolledo, 2018
Exploratory practice
(EP) is a form of teacher research that aims at integrating
research, learning, and teaching. EP typically involves the teacher working with their
learners to investigate a puzzle through classroom activities, to achieve increased
understanding and improved quality of life for all in the classroom (Hanks, 2017). In other
words, EP is a small-scale research activity that addresses the issue of the teacher and the
learners puzzling about their learning and teaching. EP provides opportunities for mutual
development by investigating puzzles together to bridge the gap.
Evaluative research
(ER) was first investigated by Borg (2013) who emphasized that
research-based interventions and evaluative research often result in better student
performance and engagement. Recently, this type of research has been referred to as
"research-in-practice" by Anderson (2023b, p. 3). He points out that knowledge gained
from research-in-practice will enable the teacher-researcher to see the changes in his/her
expertise. Overall, evaluative research is a type of TR in which teachers (individually or
collaboratively) will evaluate methods, teaching materials, course changes, and
assessment specifications by observations of learner engagement, surveys, and interviews
to determine whether the intervention gives the expected results of the evaluation of
changes in practice.
Lesson study
(LS) is also known as a Japanese model of teacher-led research as it was
first used successfully in Japan to improve teaching practices and pupils’ learning progress
in primary and secondary schools. Now it is widely used in language teaching and learning
in many Western countries. For example, Pete Dudley introduced and supported LS in the
UK in 2001 and conducted LS research studies. According to Dudley (2014), LS involves a
group of teachers working collaboratively to develop and improve either a lesson or
curriculum component through cycles of collaborative planning, teaching lessons (with
peer observation), subsequent analysis, and reflection. In other words, teachers who are
involved in LS that they plan, teach, and observe a series of lessons, record, analyze,
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
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Зарубежная лингвистика
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Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
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discuss, reflect, and refine their interventions based on the evidence. They research
collaboratively to improve learning at all.
All models of TR such as action research, collaborative action research, exploratory
action research, exploratory practice, evaluative research, and a lesson study are different
from each other. To compare AR with EAR, in AR a teacher may reflect that her students
are lacking in motivation, so she plans a change to increase participation by introducing
YouTube videos in class. After asking her students to complete a questionnaire, she may
find that some, but not all, feel more engaged, so she plans a new modification (e.g.
choosing more engaging videos) accordingly. In Exploratory Action Research, the same
teacher would first be encouraged to look as deeply as possible into the existing situation
to explore it before taking any action. They would be invited to reflect on areas they are
unsure about
and to come up with specific questions relating to these (e.g. ‘
What do
students say motivates or demotivates them?’, ‘
W
hich students engage or don’t engage,
and when?’). The teacher would then plan to generate data to answer these questions (e.g.
via reflective writing by students and a colleague’s observations). By analyzing and
reflecting on the exploratory findings, they would then plan a change, and a cycle of action
research, with confidence that the change they introduce will meet a real need in the given
situation.
EAR seems to resemble exploratory practice (EP) in the sense that these both focus
on exploring puzzles in teachers’ minds and thus differ from action research, with its focus
on immediate problem-solving. However, what makes EAR distinctive is that it allows for
an action research phase following on from exploratory research. Also, EAR focuses on
teachers as researchers, whereas in EP both teachers and learners are involved as co-
researchers who work collegially to explore issues. In EP, teachers and learners set
agendas to explore puzzles by using normal pedagogic practices, while in EAR, teachers
may collaborate with learners to understand the puzzles and/or problems but do not
consider learners as co-researchers, and teachers can use any research tools to explore
their classroom issues through learners’ collaboration with teachers during the research
process can be central to EAR. Overall, all forms of TR are conducted in classroom settings
to improve teaching practices. Undoubtedly, teacher-researchers will get many benefits by
doing any form of teacher research.
Benefits of TR to teachers
By addressing specific classroom issues, TR offers multiple benefits for teachers
who would like to conduct this type of classroom research according to many studies
(Borg, 2013; Borg & Sanchez, 2015; Burns, 1999, 2009; Edwards & Burns, 2016; Smith,
2014, 2020; Van Katwijk et al., 2023; Wyatt & Dikilitas, 2016). Many studies report that TR
is seen as the most effective CPD activity which has become an integral part of language
teaching (Bolitho, 2013). The primary benefit of doing TR is to become a more effective
teacher (Burns, 2009). Here are a wide range of benefits of teacher research:
✓
TR contributes to enhancing
teachers’ self
-confidence and self-efficacy in their
teaching and becomes a motivational drive in the profession (Wyatt & Dikilitas, 2016);
✓
TR improves teaching practices in the classroom and promotes continuous
professional growth (Bolitho, 2013);
✓
TR contributes teachers to build greater connection and good rapport with their
learners (Gilliland, 2018);
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✓
Teachers receive mutual support, become respected, and praised and increase
their status among their colleagues (Borg, 2009);
✓
TR contributes to teachers to develop their teacher agency, sense of ownership,
and satisfaction with their work and find new teacher-researcher identities (Anderson,
2024);
✓
Teachers become more autonomous by managing and solving challenges,
and puzzles in their classrooms (Smith, 2014);
✓
Teachers learn about contextually appropriate methodologies, implement them,
and see the effects/changes in the classroom (Van Katwijk et al., 2023);
✓
Teachers develop their ‘research literacy’,
and enhance their knowledge and
skills for conducting research, (e.g., how to identify research focus, set up research
questions, data collecting and analyzing data (Burns, 2009);
✓
TR provides opportunities for teachers to be involved in collaborative TR projects
(Edwards & Burns, 2016);
✓
Teachers gain new skills and increase interest in future job prosperities, such as
understanding research, doing research, evaluating previous research studies critically,
writing classroom research articles, presenting at conferences, etc. (Anderson, 2024).
Findings from teacher-led studies inform that TR can be a powerful factor in the
lives of the teachers. TR provides not only valuable insights that contribute to the wider
educational community but also becomes
an integral part of one’s teaching, empowers
teachers by giving them control over their own professional inquiry, and enhances
teachers’ and having
a positive attitude towards CPD.
Misconceptions about Teacher Research
As the literature about the usefulness and benefits of teacher research grows, TR is
often misunderstood in some ways. There are common misconceptions about teacher
research such as research is done only by academics and scientists; it requires much
reading and writing journal articles, or they believe lack of research skills. Below,
alternative images to these misconceptions help represent better the nature of teacher
research.
Misconception No 1
Teachers often associate research with laboratories, scientists, or sciences (Smith &
Rebolledo, 2018). This assumption might be based on teachers’ beliefs about what
research should meet the standards and its purpose. However, research is not just done in
laboratories or research institutes or for ‘scientific purposes’ only, it can also be done by
teachers and learners to gain a better understanding of the dynamic nature of classroom
life and possibly to bring about change in the classrooms and to improve teaching
practices.
Misconception No 2
It is common to think that research involves much reading (Creswell, 2014). This is
possible but not necessary in all kinds of research. In TR, reading other people’s ideas
about a particular topic may be useful for understanding the reasons behind the problem,
challenge, or puzzle. In TR, teachers do not need to read or write a review of what
the literature says about a topic before starting teacher research.
Misconception No 3
Sharing research mainly in the form of publications in journal articles is another
misconception (Borg & Sanchez, 2015). In other words, teachers expect or are expected to
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make research public which means more broadly that the research findings may be shared
and made available in oral or written form, whether less formally or on a larger, more
formal stage. Teachers can present their research project to colleagues at school or to a
wider audience at a conference with the help of images and posters accompanied by
talking to explain what they did. This is another dimension of research that teachers can
benefit from making their research public.
Misconception No 4
According to Bartlett and Burton (2003), teachers may undervalue the research
skills that they already possess. They might believe that they do not have enough skills or
research is not for them. However, teachers have an access to data/students/participants
in a classroom who can be the main source of data or can help collect data. There is a need
for carefully planned support structures to integrate TR into daily lives of teachers.
Overall, understanding these misconceptions can help teachers conceive TR as a
powerful tool for continuous professional growth and improved student outcomes. While
TR may not have an immediate or broad impact, TR can lead to meaningful changes,
benefiting both teachers and students through evidence-based improvements in teaching
and learning.
Conclusion
The literature is full of arguments in favor of TR and the advantages it brings both
to the teacher and to the learners. This article despite its limitations has attempted to
define TR in which teachers explore their
teaching and students’ learning
to improve best
classroom practices. By understanding the types, benefits, and misconceptions that hinder
teachers from doing TR, teachers can better appreciate the role of TR in their CPD in which
TR may impact
teachers’ beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, skills
, and classroom practices.
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