This practitioner research explored Study Circles and students’ indiscipline cases in a secondary school in Malawi. The purpose was to examine how Study Circles contribute to the management of discipline in a Malawian public secondary school. I targeted members of prefects’ council who are in their final year in secondary school . . .
In this practice-based inquiry, I aimed to answer four specific questions related to a support program in a school: (1) what are the re-integration challenges of a sample of Form 3 girl students who temporarily withdrew due to pregnancy and were re-admitted? (2) What are the psychosocial support approaches of Mother Group . . .
This essay is presented as an evaluation of leading teacher learning in secondary schools. The paper considers three key areas: (1) The role of school leaders in relation to the professional development of teachers; (2) The contribution of mentoring in relation to teacher development; and (3) The concept and value of teacher leadership in relation to coaching and learner . . .
Teachers’ workload and its impact on staff recruitment and retention are a growing concern. This essay examines the perspectives of three teachers working in a secondary school in the UK and shows how workload has impacted their careers. Through the use of email interviews, the paper aims to explore the perspectives of the individuals, providing a glimpse into . . .
The closure of academic institutions in Sri Lanka for a long period due to the COVID 19 pandemic has necessitated a transformation from face-to-face teaching to virtual teaching in the country. The sudden shift to online instruction without research-based strategies or training has resulted in . . .
This essay shares my passion for, and belief in, principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR) as an approach that can help strengthen and deepen our work for justice. I share some of what I learned experiencing PAR in practice beginning from the time I spent in Costa Rica working with the late Marcos Guevara. They were profound lessons that I carry with me in . . .
The Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) was created in 2012 by five “network initiators” with a vision to support and promote a wide variety of forms of participatory research. The goal was to increase knowledge production, dissemination, and democratization . . .
This case study explored the role of teacher leadership in a post-16 college in England. The study investigated (a) teachers’ conceptualisations of teacher leadership, (b) the roles, responsibilities and tasks of teacher leaders, and (c) the facilitators and inhibitors of teacher leadership. A survey approach was adopted using a web-based questionnaire. Of the 74 teachers invited, 39 teachers from 30 different subject areas . . .
In this book Martinez-Vargas explores how academic participatory research and the way it is carried out can contribute to more, or less, social justice. Adopting theoretical and empirical approaches, and addressing multiple complex, intersectional issues, this book offers inspiration for scholars and practitioners to open up alternative . . .
Educational action research seems wonderful on paper, where teachers actively participate in developing themselves, learning from each other and trying to improve classrooms, schools, and education systems. However, in reality, the use of action research in education can be a daunting task, and depending on the education policy direction underlying its use in an education system can be anything but a wonderful experience. This essay . . .
This essay offers an overview of the purpose of Action Research Communities (ARCs) in the Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) and our role as ARC Co-Chairs in promoting and supporting the ARCs before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The essay begins with a . . .
A pleasant environment contributes to a peaceful mind as well as success in education. A stress-free mind for students is facilitated by a pleasant school environment created by the students by cleaning the school environment before the commencement of the school day. That was the focus of the project reported in this paper. The school where I was first appointed as a teacher is located in a . . .
Microteaching and teaching practice are two integral parts of pre-service teacher education programmes. Microteaching has been used since the 1960s in teaching and learning environments including teaching practices of pre-service teachers. The emphasis of professional development in teacher education has been on . . .
This essay is a reflection on the Action Research Podcast, Episode 19. Dr. Patricia Maguire discusses feminisms and action research. I pull out some themes and thoughts listeners may find useful. When I began to listen to this Podcast, right off, I recognized myself in Dr. Maguire’s story. As she explains it, she came to action research – or participatory action research – as did I, from involvement in the international . . .
Since 2017, the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) has supported members to undertake year-long action research projects which contribute to their own professional learning. This EIS Action Research Grants scheme offers up to 20 EIS members each year a small financial . . .
This article is a review of an episode of the Action Research Podcast. In Episode 17, co-hosts Adam Stieglitz (PhD candidate) and Dr. Joe Levitan talked with Dr. Mary Brydon-Miller about some of the tricky concepts like navigating power differentials as an action researcher; conventional versus covenantal ethics; challenges within IRB and the human subject review system; ethical imperialism; and why we need a new . . .
This article is a short reflection of The Action Research Podcast episode 16 with Dr. Deborah L Schussler, where we talk about how different methodological approaches relate to action research. I reflect on this episode from three different lenses: co-host, action researcher, and podcast listener. The Action Research Podcast is a recurring (iterative) podcast meant to bring action research theory and practice to . . .
The Department of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, Sabaragamuwa University, Sri Lanka, has earned a reputation as a leader in sports education and has been recognized nationally since 2008 for the delivery of two full-time undergraduate degrees in Physical Education and Sport Sciences & Management. Students complete two action research studies in partial fulfillment of . . .
Our global population continues to increase and so must our food production. However, literatures indicate that fewer people have access to safe or sufficient food sources. This research is intended to address this problem, as we look at ways to increase middle school student interest in agriculture, including food production, distribution, and agricultural technology. . .
This article is a review of an episode of the Action Research Podcast. In Episode 15, co-hosts Adam Stieglitz and Joe Levitan talked with Lonnie Rowell about important issues within Action Research, knowledge democratization, knowledge production, and the variety of approaches to action research. The Action Research Podcast is . . .
The purpose of this project is to expose a new form of knowledge inquiry and dissemination through the use of podcasting. Dr. Joe Levitan and Adam Stieglitz created “The Action Research Podcast” as an attempt to push back on the standard approach to accessing meaningful knowledge, specifically in the academic realm. As co-hosts, Adam and Joe feel it . . .
I wrote this piece after hearing many of my peers expressing confounding perspectives on “learning loss” during a pandemic which has turned everyone’s life upside down. I published this on a Facebook page and was astonished at how far it has traveled and how many people around the globe have responded that it expressed their concerns as well. Ultimately, the piece has received about 1,000,000 global interactions in . . .
This short essay explores why I recently created a website to digitally codify a slice of my life work in feminist participatory action research and teacher action research. My website – part repository, part memoir – includes freely downloadable PDF files of publications, presentations, and teaching resources. In this essay, I briefly explore why I included personal Backstories to . . .
Scientific literacy and critical thinking are key components of science education aiming to prepare students to think and function as responsible citizens in a world where science and technology play a key role. Students should be given opportunities to engage in learning experiences that promote development of critical-thinking skills, resulting in their ability to take . . .
This writing is for teachers who are either returning to schools to conduct research or are hoping to conduct research within their own institution. I explore how my previous role may have been seen by the young people within the school and how that impacted on the young people’s perceptions of me. The aim of the writing is to reflect on my preparation to conduct qualitative research on power in a school where I . . .
Project-based education was first introduced to the education system of Sri Lanka through the “Handessa” scheme of 1932. Subsequently projects were included in the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level curriculum by the educational reforms introduced in 1972, 1997 and 2007. In the 1997 reform, all . . .
This essay is my self-reflection, as a young person, about the pre Covid-19 society and Covid-19 society of Sri Lanka. There has been a vast change in Sri Lankan society during this Covid-19 pandemic. As we are a developing country this pandemic hits everyone’s life. However, when I reflected on lives during Covid-19 I found that there are many positive impacts of the pandemic . . .
It is widely documented that white working-class children are underperforming academically compared to peers from ethnic minority backgrounds. Consequently, opportunities for higher education and well-regarded careers are often foreclosed for these young people. There is a perception, albeit contested, that this pattern of underperformance is rooted in . . .
This short essay describes my life as a teacher in a teacher training school during confinement generated by the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Chihuahua, Mexico. Through this writing, I allow myself to recount my experiences during a period that has been long, complicated, and with . . .
The text describes the situation generated in a Normal School in northern Mexico as a result of the health contingency caused by COVID-19, and mainly highlights the prompt organization of teachers and students to continue the 2019-20 school year online. The main problems faced result from economic needs that limit the possibilities of relying on permanent . . .