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Practitioner Research for Educators

A Guide to Improving Classrooms and Schools

By: Viviane M J Robinson, Mei Kuin Lai

Learn to conduct research rather than just consume research!

Practitioner Research for Educators explains how the popular technique of practitioner inquiry can be used by teachers, principals, and other school leaders to solve instructional problems and improve student achievement. Focusing on the pragmatic aspects of embedding research into everyday practice, the authors demonstrate how to:

Develop an important, yet manageable research question
Select research methods appropriate to the question
Plan and conduct a research project that is both practical and rigorous
Use inquiry to reveal, critique, and revise taken-for-granted assumptions about how to teach

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Product Details

Grade Level: PreK-12
ISBN: 9780761946847
Published By: Corwin
Year: 2005
Page Count: 240
Publication date: September 20, 2005

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Description

"I plan to use this book with district administrators, building administrators, and building staff. All would find it an excellent tool for bringing about change in their organizations. It is infinitely readable, meaningful, and very useful."
-Linda L. Elman, Ph.D., Director
Research & Evaluation, Central Kitsap School District, Silverdale, WA

"The material on the research process and the examples are terrific. Steps are clearly spelled out and practical suggestions hit the major problems teachers encounter in attempting research for the first time."
-Mildred Murray-Ward, Assistant Provost for Assessment, Professor of Education
California Lutheran University

"(With) more schools...operating as 'learning communities,' this is an excellent tool for schools conducting action research in their own settings. Practitioner Research for Educators is easy to read, has lots of practical advice and examples, and should appeal to the seasoned as well as the novice researcher."
-Roxana M. Della Vecchia, Professor & Assistant Dean
College of Education, Towson University

Learn to conduct research rather than just consume research!

Each school and classroom is different. Therefore educators must learn, through their own inquiry, how to adjust their practices in ways that will improve teaching and learning. Practitioner Research for Educators explains how the popular technique of practitioner inquiry can be used by teachers, principals, and other school leaders to solve instructional problems and improve student achievement. Viviane Robinson and Mei Kuin Lai include step-by-step instructions, ready-to-use tools, and examples of successful practitioner research projects. Practical yet rigorous, this collaborative process is ideal for use in professional learning communities.

Focusing on the pragmatic aspects of embedding research into everyday practice, the authors demonstrate how to:

Develop an important, yet manageable research question
Select research methods appropriate to the question
Plan and conduct a research project that is both practical and rigorous
Use inquiry to reveal, critique, and revise taken-for-granted assumptions about how to teach
Use evidence to check the accuracy of claims about "what works"
Communicate the results of the research to a range of professional audiences

Appropriate for novice and experienced educators alike, this indispensable book provides a functional framework for developing a culture of inquiry among teachers based on high-quality information, mutually supportive critique, and a sustained focus on school improvement. While the primary audiences for this book are teachers, principals, and other school leaders, this valuable resource is equally useful for teacher educators and pre-service teachers.

Author(s)

Viviane M J Robinson

Viviane is a Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and Academic Director of its Centre for Educational Leadership. Her research identifying the impact of different types of leadership on student outcomes (Student- Centered Leadership) has been used to shape leadership policy and practice in Scandinavia, England, Singapore, Chile, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

She has received numerous awards from national and international professional and academic organisations including the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, the New Zealand Secondary Principals Association and the US-based University Council on Educational Administration. In 2011, she was made a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association for sustained excellence in educational research. In 2016 the Royal Society of New Zealand awarded her the Mason Durie Medal for her international contributions to educational leadership research and practice. She currently leads a research and development programme on the leadership knowledge and skills involved in school improvement.

To learn more visit her website at www.education.auckland.ac.nz/vmj-robinson

Mei Kuin Lai

Mei Kuin Lai completed her doctorate at the University of Auckland and has since worked as an education consultant to support practitioners (teachers, principals, administrators) and Ministry of Education officials as they develop inquiry as part of their daily lives. Her current role at the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland involves bringing the research and practice worlds together by supporting practitioners and education consultants in embedding inquiry into their current roles and by developing collaborative researcher-practitioner projects that improve teaching and learning. She has had extensive experience in training practitioners, particularly those involved in Ministry of Education School Improvement Initiatives, to effectively analyze and use data on student learning to improve school practices. Her work encompasses a variety of school settings across New Zealand, from multicultural urban settings to small rural communities. She is currently in charge of developing a training program for education consultants (School Support Services Facilitators) at the Faculty of Education to develop inquiry as part of their roles.

Table of Contents

Preface

About the Authors

Part I: The Need for Practitioner Research

1. Educators as Researchers

2. Tailoring Research to Solve Problems

3. Collaborating to Improve Practice

4. Combining Rigor and Respect

Part II: Doing Practitioner Research

5. Planning Your Research

6. Purposeful Information Gathering: Interviews and Questionnaires

7. Purposeful Information Gathering: Observations and Other Data Collection Methods

8. Purposeful Data Analysis

9. Communicating Your Research

Part III: Practitioner Research and School Improvement

10. Integrating Practitioner Research Schoolwide

References

Index

Reviews

"I plan to use this book with district administrators, building administrators, and building staff. All would find it an excellent tool for bringing about change in their organizations. It is infinitely readable, meaningful, and very useful."

Linda L. Elman, Director, Research & Evaluation
Central Kitsap School District, Silverdale, WA

"The material on the research process and the examples are terrific. Steps are clearly spelled out and practical suggestions hit the major problems teachers encounter in attempting research for the first time."

Mildred Murray-Ward, Assistant Provost for Assessment/Professor of Education
California Lutheran University

"This is not a theoretical book, but a hands-on resource that shows school leaders how to use action research to solve problems. (It) is a perfect guide for anyone attempting research. I found it easy to read and easy to understand."

Dr. Rose Weiss, Adjunct Lecturer
Education Department, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale

"(With) more schools...operating as "learning communities," this is an excellent tool for schools conducting action research in their own settings. I also feel this text would be ideal for graduate students enrolled in advanced level courses in program evaluation, teacher research, and curriculum assessment. The...book is easy to read, has lots of practical advice and examples, and should appeal to the seasoned as well as the novice researcher."

Roxana M. Della Vecchia, Ph.D., Professor/Assistant Dean
College of Education, Towson University

"This book makes a new contribution to the literature on educational change (and) describes exciting and powerful ways for educators to plan for changes in school management and classroom practices."

Marie Clay, Professor Emeritus
University of Auckland, New Zealand

"Drawing on principles of organizational learning and methods of practitioner research, Viviane Robinson’s Problem-Based Methodology is the result of many years of work with principals and teachers. This book is theoretically sophisticated, yet provides practical advice for implementing the method."

Gary Anderson, Professor, Administration Leadership and Technology
The Steinhardt School of Education, New York University

"Advisors with a passion for improving student learning and achievement will find that they have much in common with Robinson and lai. These authors are ardent about the use of problem-based methodology (PBM) by teachers and school leaders to investigate, examine, and test their practices and implicit theories. Those interested in implementing PBM will find that the book gives precise instruction, including outlines, details, and summaries supported by real examples of success."

NACADA Journal, Spring 2007

Other Titles in: Staff Development & Professional Learning | Data-Driven Decision Making | School Change, Reform, & Restructuring

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This book is not available as a review copy.