Impact of action research in teachers' professional development training
Date
2015
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Educational Planning and Management (EPM)
Abstract
The research entitled Impact of Action Research in teachers' Professional
Development Training has the main objective to find out the present situation
and impact of action research in teachers' professional development training,
along with the difficulties and problems with their solutions.
The research is qualitative and quantitative in nature with descriptive method
used to analyze the data. Seventeen respondents that were ten teachers and seven
informants as four head teachers, two resource persons and a District Education
Officer were the primary sources of data. Four sets of questionnaire, a set of
focus group discussion, an observation form containing checklist, and an
interview schedule were applied as the main tools in the research. The data from
the field were analyzed using qualitative analysis techniques. Additionally means
were calculated for questions containing a one through three and a one through
five point Likert scale. The questions stated "explain your reason(s) for choosing
that level", such reasons for their choice were qualitatively analyzed. The
information from action research reports submitted by the teachers has been
used as the secondary sources of the data.
The study found that the Teachers' Professional Development Training was able
to introduce action research to the teachers. This training alone is not sufficient
enough to change their attitude, give proper action research skills and
knowledge as expected. Inexperienced facilitators who have not gone through the
process of action research themselves presented it in short sessions theoretically.
However, their impacts were positive as teachers became more reflective
practitioner in the learning of their students, their teaching, and career. They
were motivated and confident in trying new methods with reflection. They found
reviewing related research and analyzing data difficult in the action research
process. Teachers with masters' degree qualification found these process
components moderately difficult.
The policy level has been recommended to manage separate workshop for action
research with experienced action researcher as facilitators during holidays.
Financial incentives, publication of teachers research, changing the teachers'
attitude to research positively, use of diagnostic supervision followed by reward
and punishment, minimizing strikes in the schools, action research studies
6
curriculum to be embedded in teachers' academic courses are strongly
recommended to the policy level.
The practice level has been suggested to enforce better training policy, focusing
on action research process stages, supporting, nurturing, and sharing
researches, easing needy female teachers' work pressure with an extra leisure
period per week, interschool subject teachers' monthly meetings, publication of
soft copy of action research in schools' face book pages or in the local
newspapers are some suggestions for practice level.
The future researches should be done on 'Benefit of action research in children',
'Teachers' motivation in action research'. A comparative study can be conducted
between teachers who carry out action research and who do not.
Description
Keywords
Professional development, Action research