Brainstorm for issues

Most practitioner-researchers will have begun their inquiries in an informal way well in advance of designing a research project and submitting it to the Foundation. Basically, practitioner research, participatory research, and action research begins with…

  • Having some thoughts about changes you might want to make in your practice and/or organization
  • Wondering how things might work better in your practice
  • Thinking about issues and challenges in your local setting
  • Observing and reflecting on your practice
  • Reading about what others are doing to improve the area of practice in which you are employed and comparing your situation with those described by other

Here is another way to identify issues/topics for research.

FIRST STEPS IN PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION IN PRACTITIONER RESEARCH1

Looking ahead: Why make this effort?

Practitioner-researchers have reported one or more of the items listed below when asked what they have gotten from their efforts.

Being a practitioner-researcher:
• Helps you observe your students more effectively
• Helps you to see the “bigger picture” of your practice
• Encourages you to question the things you do in your work
• Helps you to develop new/different ways of approaching your practice
• Challenges you
• Allows me to interact with other teachers/counselors in new ways and to share and learn from others
• Encourages me to read other research and to seek information
• Keeps me thinking about how to improve
• Helps me to feel empowered as a professional

Getting Started

Practitioner researchers begin their inquiries in an informal way long before they design an actual research project. Practitioner research begins when:
• You reflect on your practice
• You take a closer look at what happens in your classroom or counseling center
• You look for new ways to meet site challenges
• You wonder why things happen the way they do
• You communicate with others regarding practices at your site
• You have some ideas you want to explore or changes you want to make

Generating questions

Here are some prompts that many practitioner-researchers have found useful:
• Lately, I’ve noticed . . .
• What would happen if . . .
• It’s funny how my students . . .
• I’ve always wondered . . .
• I worry about . . .
• How can I . . .

1Adapted and modified by L. Rowell (2016) from Field-Based Research: A Working Guide (1992). Published by the Province of British Columbia Ministry of Education and Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism and Human Rights.