Practitioner Teacher Inquiry and Research

The Comprehensive Text that Explores the Theoretical Understandings and Classroom Applications of Practitioner Teacher Inquiry

Practitioner Teacher Inquiry and Research explores the overall concept of teacher practitioner inquiry and prepares teachers and students in teachereducation courses and programs to conduct research in the classroom. The text examines the fundamentals of teacher inquiry and guides teachers and students to bemore qualitative, open–ended, and reflective. When applied successfully, practitioner teacher inquiry gives teachers more control over the knowledge basesurrounding the teaching profession, potentially changing the nature of critical analysis in areas relating to teaching such as self–assessment, academiccurriculums, impact on student learning, and society.

This comprehensive text outlines the theoretical and practical understandings of practitioner teacher inquiry and contains the background, theory, and strategyrequired to successfully conduct classroom research. The author provides real–life practitioner inquiry research projects from eight contemporary classroomteachers from across a range of school settings, content areas, and teaching strategies.

Conducted in school settings, teacher inquiry uses methodologies that help to explore and think critically, reflect on one′s practice, and strengthen teachingand learning. This text is designed for use with face–to–face instruction as well as with hybrid and online teaching formats and includes questions at theend of each chapter as well as websites with additional information.

Practitioner Teacher Inquiry and Research successfully guides and encourages current and future teachers to gain a better understanding of the importanceof their involvement in the study and research of their classroom settings.

List of Tables, Figures Exhibits

Preface

Acknowledgments

Author Biography

Contributing Authors

Part I – Perspectives, Strategies, and Methodologies

Chapter I Developing a Concept of Practitioner Teacher Inquiry

How to Define Research

Positivism and Interpretive Research

Practitioner Teacher Inquiry Study

Complexities for Developing Inquiry Identity

Complex Teacher Identity

Teacher Dispositions

Teacher Language and Professional Identity

Summary

Chapter II School Change and Teacher Inquiry Identity

Postmodern Schooling

Impact of Shifting Economies

Marketization Trends

Influence of Emotional Labor

Crafting Inquiry Possibilities for Improving Schools

Building New Curriculum and Pedagogy

Studying Identity in Flux

Unveiling Power Structures

Summary

Chapter III Inquiry Communities for Learning and Change

Educators as Inquirers

Individual Study

Teacher Communities of Inquiry

Collaborative Youth Inquiry

Youth and Social Identity

Student Impact on Professional Identity

Inquiry Action Studies

Youth Action Study

Community Engaged Action

Community Impact on Teacher Identity

Summary

Chapter IV Where We Begin Practitioner Teacher Inquiry

Finding a Focus

The Possibility of Change

The Power of Everyday Imagining

Capturing Thoughts Through Journaling

Writing a Problem Statement

Seeking Expertise From Others

Literature Review

Theory

Philosophical Orientations

Summary

Chapter V Guidelines for Collecting Data

Ethical Issues, Choice, and Challenge

Research Norms

Outsider Studies in School Settings

Ethical Dilemmas for Insiders

Due Diligence

Data Collection

Relational Versus Scientific

Data from People

Descriptive Accounts Data

Documents

Case Studies

Electronic Data Collection

Summary

Chapter VI Analyzing, Interpreting, and Managing Inquiry Study

Data Analysis and Interpretation

Sorting and Organizing

Classifying and Conceptualizing

Sense Making and Interpretations

Managing the Study

Planning and Organizing

Contextual Considerations

Ensuring Emic Perspectives

Written Discourses

Technology Assistance for Management

Summary

Chapter VII Sharing and Changing School Culture

Communicating New Knowledge and Understandings

Presenting

Publishing

Format and Style

Accuracy and Credibility

The Self in Writing

Writing as Habit

Writing with Others

Grant Writing

Collective Thinking and Decision Making

Building Team Thinking

Problem Solving and Creative Thinking

Technology–Driven Problem Solving

Summary

Part II – Teacher Inquiry into Practice

Chapter VIII Blogging in the LA Classroom: How Do We Do It Better?
Kathy Anderkin

Chapter IX Struggles and Successes of Problem–Based Learning
Angela Durbin Page

Chapter X Teaching Social Skills with Picture Books
Brandon La Mar

Chapter XI Increasing Readership of On–Line Student Publications
James E. Lang

Chapter XII One–on–One iPad Initiative Review
Mark Lorence

Chapter XIII The Vegas Effect: A Personal Reflection On the Obstacles to Doing Educational Research
Melissa Rhinehart

Chapter XIV Transferring Oral Phonemic Skills to Written Form
Rosjohna Tomblin

Chapter XV Connecting Socially Through a Morning Meeting Approach
Kayce Ware

Glossary

Index

CAROLYN BABIONE, PHD, a former classroom teacher, is professor emerita of education at IndianaUniversity Southeast, a regional campus of Indiana University. While coordinating the GraduateStudies Program at Indiana University Southeast, she piloted teacher inquiry designs with area teachers andinitiated the capstone teacher inquiry program requirement for graduate teacher education.