Odaia Bacla- an- Practitioner Enquiry Assignment

Student Code: 22049601

The Enquiring Practitioner
Teachers perception on Teachers as Researchers: a way forward for an IB World
School.
INTRODUCTION
Identification of a well focused area of professional concern, and discussion of how this
relates to the wider education context.
The school that I currently work in has around 230 students from Preparatory level to the
Secondary level with students of aged three years to nineteen years old. It is a member of the
airview !lobal" a growing network of international schools in #alaysia and soon around the
South $ast %sian region. &e are an I' &orld School authorised to offer the International
'accalaureate (I') Primary *ears Programme (P*P) and the #iddle *ears Programme
(#*P). I have been appointed as the Primary *ears Programme +oordinator (P*P+) and
have played a ma,or role in getting our school through the preliminary" pre-authori.ation and
authori.ation visits conducted by approved visiting team by the International 'accalaureate
(I') office. %s the P*P+" I am greatly involved in facilitating in/uiry" in the articulation of
the programme and in providing professional development opportunities to my team of
teachers. In collaboration with the leadership team in our campus" I generate +ontinuous
Professional 0evelopment (+P0) plan on a /uarterly basis. +P0s in our school are either
conducted locally (campus-based) or globally (all campuses together). I'-approved
professional development opportunities are also provided to teachers as part of the school1s
commitment to improving teaching and learning in school.
Professional development has been a topic for educational research for decades (2asley"
Siedentop" 3 *inger" 20045 Smith and Strahan" 20065 'orko" 2006). !uskey (7894) revealed
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that staff development dates way back in the early 78th century. :eimers (2003) defines
professional development as the ;development of a person in his or her professional role.<
The =ew >ersey $ducation %ssociation (=>$%) defines it as a
comprehensive, sustained and intensive approach to improving teachers and
administrators effectiveness in raising student achievement.
Somehow" the purpose of most professional development programme is to
alter the professional practices, beliefs, and understanding of school persons towards
an articulated end: improvement of student learning (Guskey, !"#$.
Several researches has been done on how professional development has improved students1
learning (2asley" Siedentop and *inger" 2004) and also on how professional development has
improved over time through constant reframing and development of new approaches and
strategies (2ittle" 78835 0esimore" 20085 &ayne" %" et. al." 20095 !uskey" 78945 Penuel"
et.al." 200?5 &right" 2008). Professional development has become a need for improving the
/uality of the teaching practice (&right" 2008). Professional development" however" could
take the form of a formal or a non-formal approach. @irkwood and +hristie (2004) further
eAplains that formal approach involves the engagement with structure programmes which are
often provided by eAternal bodies. In our school1s case" eAternal bodies may mean the I' and
the different professional development (P0) workshops that they offer for teachers. The non-
formal approach could mean the collaborative commitment of teachers towards increasing
their knowledge by sharing with one another during our collaborative meetings" the
mentoring of a more eAperienced teacher to another and the non-formal observations that we
conduct as well as sharing of practices.
In school" currently" a number of non-formal forms of P0s have been in place. or the
Primary *ears Programme" for eAample" teachers are having collaborative meetings with the
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coordinator" with their team of homeroom and specialist teachers (:$-!2 team5 !336 team
and !B34 team) and with the whole P*P team as a whole. These collaborative meetings take
place weekly or bi-weekly. &e are also privileged to be e/uipped with a video conferencing
tool which allows teachers (sub,ect specific) from different campus to collaborate and align
their curriculum on a weekly basis. Teachers also are visiting each other1s classroom and
sometimes we get to observe other teachers as they conduct their lessons. Cisiting another
classroom gives teachers opportunities to get ideas on how to improve the classroom
environment and also know what the class are learning through the different displays.
Through these events in school" teachers are able to share their practices among each other
and also learn from each other.
&ith the school1s commitment to uplift the professional and personal development of all of
its teachers" it has recently offered a #aster of %rts in $ducation Programme to selected
teachers. This programme is taught in collaboration with Sheffield Dallam Eniversity. The
first cohort of twenty-five teachers started in >anuary of 2073. 'eing part of the first cohort"
there were several challenges that we encountered. irstly" not all of us have been trained on
how to conduct a research" most of us are having multiple roles in school" thus" the issue on
time management is a matter that we all faced. Daving eAperienced this first hand" I decided
to make an en/uiry into the perception of teachers in having teachers as researchers in school.
@nowing for a fact that some of us are already currently doing the research and some of us
would be doing the programme in the near future. The sole purpose of my intended study is
to be able to summarise the eAperience of teachers and to better prepare the neAt cohorts in
their ,ourney through this same programme. #y concerns were on whether this programme
is causing more burnout to teachers and if it is" how can the school and even other teachers
support those teachers who are doing research in our school (specifically in our campus).
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'arkie and Provost (2006) contend that conducting research as a teacher-researcher in one1s
own classroom is one means by which teachers can help in the increase of students1 success
and at the same time it also help document effective interventions. !ray and +ampbell-$vans
(2002) mentioned that over the last decade" the international education community has
recogni.ed the powerful role of teachers as researchers. They continued to say that there will
be an increase in the potential for understanding the ;compleAity of the school community as
an effective learning environment< when teachers have the skills and opportunities to take the
role of researching within their own school community. The need for educating these
teachers with the collaborative framework and research skills also then follows. !ray and
+ampbell-$vans (2002) reiterated the need for researches that help educational institutions
and the people who work in them ;raise /uestions about their own goals and practice as part
of their everyday work.< % ma,or shift in the role of teachers from being considered as the
;keepers of knowledge<" delivering content and imparting information to students to
becoming ;reflective practitioner and collaborative member of an educational community
(!ray and +ampbell-$vans" 2002) constantly reviewing" refining and rebuilding learning
eAperiences using a range of different strategies to cater to individual students1 needs based
on what they know" what they need to know and how they learn. The position on teacher-
research serves a means and an end at the same time- a means of increasing knowledge and
improving teaching practice at the same time (Dollingsworth" 7882). I believe that there is
indeed coherence among collaboration" research and teaching practice. Daving teachers as
researchers at the same time could make them be more actively involved in educational
reform.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
%esearch and debate in the field.
Burton, F !"#$%& Re'earch( A Teacher)' Conce*tion o+ the Action Re'earch Proce''
Language rts, %,, -, Learning Through Teaching, -"$ . -/,

In this article" 'urton (7894) eAplains his theory on what action research is. Dis theory
resulted from three basic personal beliefs. De believes that ;problems are best solved by
those who own them<" although he recogni.es the ;outsider< perspective as well. I" actually"
agree to this. Daving teachers in the classroom" they will be the first person to identify
certain problems that they are eAperiencing with regard to teaching and learning" students1
behaviour" curriculum gaps and the like. #ost often" those involved in educational research
has either left the practice or has never been in the classroom setting. Dong and 2awrence
(2077) has pointed out that"
it is possible that teachers themselves, through their own problemati&ation of the
teaching and learning process within the contexts where they work, and through their
own research can be used to closely examine their role as change agents and decision
makers.
'urton (7894) also believes that ;knowledge is ac/uired through reciprocity between thought
and action<. I specifically like his statement"
in order to understand phenomena, one must interact with it in an intellectually
honest manner.
Teachers eAperience these phenomena in their daily interactions with the students and with
other teachers. I believe that they would be the first advocate of change and whatever action
they will do will have a butterfly effect on teaching and learning in general.
inally" 'urton (7894) believes that research should be an ;effort to uncover potential
meanings" tentative solutions" and working theories.< %ccording to him" teachers should not
hesitate to state their assumptions and beliefs, for it is these beliefs that act as an
intellectual lens to help bring the meaning of human science and research into
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sharper focus' and it is meaning, not (findings) that ultimately make a difference in
education.
&henever teachers redefine their own understanding of teaching and learning" they
reconstruct their own classroom and begin to offer different tuning in activities to their
students to learn and know (Feichner" 7883). %ccording to Feichner (7883)"
a view of teaching as research is connected to a view of learning as constructive,
meaning' centred, and social* teachers conducting research become similarly
engaged.
Feichner (7883) further instigate that practitioners who engage in research become more
empowered" more reflective and better practitioners.
'urton (7894) further declares that there are two ;deceptively simple psychological
processes< in action researchG purposeful action and rigorous" disciplined reflection.< The
author cites the difference between the technical approaches to action to purposeful action-
from that of a ritualistic" habitual response to a purposeful" uncertain battle of gaining a
deeper meaning. De cited very practical eAamples of his eAperiences as a teacher and how he
reflects in a rigorous and disciplined manner. urthermore" he says that
disciplined reflection can lead to themes+ themes that are constructed through the
researcher.
This reminds me of the ten I' learner profile (I'" 2008). The I' 2earner profile
provides a long'term vision of education. It is a set of ideals that can inspire,
motivate and focus the work of schools and teachers, uniting them in a common
purpose.
Hne of the I' learner profile attributes is being reflective. :eflective is being defined by I'
(2008) as
giving thoughtful consideration to ones own learning and experience. I, learners
are able to assess and understand their strengths and limitations in order to support
their learning and personal development.
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Teachers" as part of the learning community of the school" are also encouraged to develop this
profile of being a reflective individual. Teacher $" during our mini-focus group discussion"
also mentioned that one of the characteristics of a researcher is being a reflective person"
someone who can analyse" interpret and reflect on data collected.
:eflection" according to 'urton (7894)" is the soul of action. This involves thoughtful and
critical ways of finding meaning in the students1 lives as well as in the teachers1 pedagogy. I
personally agree to this argument by the author. :eflection has been part of my daily agenda
in school and not ,ust me but" the entire school community. It has been a culture in school
since the implementation of the I' programmes.
I am somehow in the same line of thought as of the author when he said that a good action
research ;carefully utili.es action on the one side and reflection on the other.< This made me
think on how I could utili.e both action and reflection into my en/uiry. I was clearly focused
on the action part only at the beginning. I believe that this article is telling me to reflect
deeper into what I am currently eAperiencing as a teacher researcher" be open to what my
colleagues have to say and again" reflect on what they are saying and eAperiencing and finally
reflect on how to be able to support teacher researchers in school.
2ooking at it at another angle" however" I could not find any other implications on my own
research eAcept that mentioned above. This article" perhaps" would be able to help me in my
collection and analysis of data. It has given me more reasons and purpose to continue on in
doing this research" though.
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A00an, 1, 2i00er, 2 !"##3& Teacher4 Re'earcher Co00a5orati6e'( Coo*erati6e
Pro+e''iona0 De6e0o*7ent Theor8 into Practice /#, ,, "##%4/3/
%llan and #iller (7880) have designed two cooperative professional development models
that provide opportunities for the support and growth of classroom teachers. The authors
believe that these two models would encourage teachers1 thinking" problem-solving and
decision making skills. The authors argue that in order to address the need for reform in
schools" action research needs to be recogni.ed and considered. Simmons (7896) defines
action research as the
process of systematic in-uiry and of knowledge, skill, and attitude growth in which
classroom teachers on either an individual or collaborative basis investigate a self'
identified instructional problem and attempt to better understand and improve the
teaching or learning process occurring in their classrooms.
%t the time of study" the authors were engaged in a school-university partnership supporting
siAteen eAperienced teachers who are at that time pursuing graduate studies and are teaching
at the same time. There were four main goals for their study. irst was to test the meaning of
theory into practice. Second was to bring the techni/ues of action research into the school
and have the teacher researcher say that it is doable. Third was to inculcate collaborative
work between the university and the school these teachers work in and break-down the ;we-
they< notion. 2astly was to challenge the authors with another model to work with their
graduate students.
The two models that %llan and #iller (7880) designed were the ;Presentation model< and the
;Seminar model<. %s the authors worked with their students" they discovered that their
collaborative eAperience has three distinct stagesG 0irective" +ooperative and +ollaborative.
$ach model has different demands on their meeting schedules and in the kind of sessions
given. Participants1 feedback was also solicited as they progressed through their study.
% short eAplanation of the three stages would be good as I am hoping that I could make use of
their findings for my own research. The directive stage practically involves eAplanation of
the common goals or academic tasks that the teachers need to do" the individual responsibility
of the teachers and the role of the facilitators. The cooperative stage is what is interested me
the most. %t this particular stage" the group of teachers build a positive interdependence by
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recogni.ing that everyone is a resource for the group. There were face to face interactions
wherein the teacher talks about his or her research plans" gets feedback from the other
members of the group" and determines what the teacher will focus on for the neAt session.
inally" the collaborative stage wherein the teachers are to present their findings to an
unknown audience needed to take place. It was an important step in a way because this
paved way for the group to work in a different setting" and also they have turned to the
cooperative group for support" asking each other what the unknown audience would need to
know about their research. In that way" they were able to construct their knowledge and
weaved all the talks into one" finding common themes and common learning processes.
%s a result of their study" the teachers %llan and #iller (7880) worked with became
empowered professionals because they were given the tools, support, and opportunity
to document and demonstrate their expertise within their own classrooms, within their
school communities and finally within the professional community.
I believe that %llan and #iller1s (7880) claim that their teacher- researcher collaborative can
bring about educational reform" is valid and that I have to consider these very carefully in my
proposal for my own research. 'eing the first cohort of our school1s programme" I could say
that we had only undergone one stage (%llan and #illerG 7880)" the directive stage and has
missed the opportunities to share and collaborate with other participants (the cooperative and
collaborative stages).
Daving to collaborate with other practitioners in the same position as you" in our case" other
teachers who are also researchers" would definitely give us opportunities to venture into more
depths as we get to think of not only our own en/uiry. &e also get insights of other teachers1
en/uiry as well.
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1ir9:oo;, 2 an; Chri'tie, D !/33%& The Ro0e o+ Teacher Re'earch in Continuing
Pro+e''iona0 De6e0o*7ent British !ournal of "ducational Studies, <=, =, =/# . ==$
This article aims to answer the /uestion on whether the understanding of the nature of
teaching and learning" through having envisioned networks of teachers as researching
professionals working together to support each other" is appropriate or realistic. The article
delved into related theoretical perspectives and connects these to the eAperiences of a group
of teachers involved in the pilot study of an option module which forms part of the +hartered
Teacher programme. This study is in the conteAt of the initiative by the Scottish $Aecutive in
enhancing the status and working conditions of Scottish teachers (@irkwood and +hristie"
2004" citing S$$0" 2007). Their main aim is to ;ensure that teaching is informed by reading
and research.< The teachers are eApected to engage in
professional en-uiry and action research and apply findings+ reflect critically on
research evidence and modify practice as appropriate+ test particular theoretical
perspective if they apply in practice+ and interpret changes to education policy and
practice with the expectation to also contribute and respond to such changes
(.irkwood and /hristie, 011#, citing 2334, 0110a$.
@irkwood and +hristie (2004) mentioned that in a way" the +T Programme has become a
;contractual obligation< of the teachers as well as a ;professional entitlement.< This whole
programme could last to up to siA years beginning from teachers taking four core modules"
four option modules and pro,ects e/ual to four further modules" after which obtaining a
university #asters degree as well as the professional status of ;+hartered Teacher.<
This pilot study consisted of twelve participants who underwent a selection process based on
gender" age" proportion of applicants from different sectors (nursery" primary" secondary and
special needs). These participants were offered one of the seven option modules" 2earning to
Think and Thinking to 2earn which is designed for teachers from across stages and sub,ect
specialisations.
0ata were collected in several forms. %side from a detailed" formal evaluation conducted by
the authors" participants also completed detailed /uestionnaires and some were selected to
participate in a focus group discussion. Hn top of that" the participants also maintain a
portfolio which will be assessed at the end of the module. Daving this portfolio" I believe" is
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an important aspect of their data collection. Through it" the authors were able to see specific
evidences of learning and it made me consider on how this can inform my proposal for my
own research.
The authors contend" however" that the result from this option model participated by the pilot
group" might be different from that of the normal programme. They mentioned that the
length of both programmes is one difference that may cause ;changing of personal or
professional circumstances and uneven eAperiences of teachers< having the real programme
running for siA years and the pilot programme for only a year.
Daving reviewed these three literatures made me reconsider the way that I have searched for
these articles and the way I selected them. It was obvious that my line of thoughts was not in
order as I was not very sure on what to focus. I was turn between looking solely on
professional development or should I look only at action research. In the end" I realise that
there I was not able to make full use of this process. %lthough" I have gained more
knowledge on my topic" I failed to be informed on the current structure or standing of action
research as most of the literature I found was outdated. urthermore" I was more focused on
my own thoughts" my own theories and my own en/uiry rather than on what others1 thoughts
are and have been.
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Odaia Bacla- an- Practitioner Enquiry Assignment
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TRIALLIN> A 2ET?OD
4esign, trialling and evaluation of appropriate research methods.
In deciding what method is appropriate for my research" I couldn1t agree more to Schreiber
and %sner-Self (2077) when they mentioned that ;a priori development of a /uality
instrument takes time and thought.< I have considered three research methodsG focus group"
interview and survey. or the purpose" however" of trialling" I have decided to do only a
mini-focus group discussion. ocus groups" as defined by 2itosseliti (2003" citing @rueger"
7886)"
are small structured groups with selected participants, normally led by a moderator.
5hey are set up in order to explore specific topics, and individuals views and
experiences, through group interaction. 6ocus groups are special groups in terms of
purpose, si&e, composition and procedures. 7e can describe a focus group as (a
carefully planned discussion designed to obtain perceptions on a defined area of
interest in a permissive, non'threatening environment where participants share and
respond to comments, ideas and perceptions.
I have chosen to conduct a mini- focus group discussion due to the nature of my en/uiry. %s
I am planning on soliciting teachers1 perception" it is rather difficult to achieve that by doing a
survey alone as I have to be able to develop eAcellent /uestions to capture perception and
these would be more of open-ended /uestions which would be unlikely for the teachers to
answer. I also chose not to do interviews ,ust yet for a couple of reasons. irst" if I compare
interviews with a focus group" having a one-to-one talk could be a little bit more intimidating.
Secondly" it would be too time consuming to conduct interviews especially because I would
need to do more than interviews to get at least a view of the potential problems that I might
have missed. 2itosseliti1s (2003) definition has captured my attention and has caused me to
be firm with my decision to use a mini-focus group discussion.
+onducting a focus group has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is useful for
;revealing through interactions the beliefs" eAperiences and feelings< of participants
(2itosseliti" 2003). It can also provide insight on multiple and different perspectives.
Participants" during the discussion" may agree or disagree with one another" they may ask
each other /uestions and ;comment on each others1 eAperiences and points of view<
(@it.inger" 788B). The nature of the interaction between and among the participants and to
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the moderator is that of an open- response interaction. Thus" it allows for a range of different
responses" clarification" eAplanation" /uestioning and connections among points made
(@it.inger" 788B). It" however" would not work as successfully when the participants are
unfamiliar with the topic. There is also a danger of biasness and manipulation that may be
caused by the moderator or by a participant. Participants with strong personalities would
tend to speak more and may lead the other participants into a false consensus. Hn top of all
these" there is also the ;difficulty of analysis and interpretation of results< because of the
nature of the focus group" being open-ended (2itosseliti" 2003).
+hoosing participants for my trial mini- focus group discussion was a challenge. I had to
consider on whether I should hand-pick the participants or send invitations to all teachers. I
decided" however" that since it is a mini-focus group" I would only invite those who are
currently enrolled in a research-based study" those who have done research in their previous
school and those who have been offered to ,oin the programme but have not started ,ust yet.
Hf the ten teachers who were invited" five of them came. It was as eApected that not all could
make it due prior engagements made.
The trial mini-focus group discussion has been useful to me for testing and learning and I
have used the categories used by 2itosseliti (2003).
7. The content of the discussion and participants1 responses
%t the beginning of our discussion" there was a misinterpretation of the word
;research<. I could have defined the terms first and could have given more detailed
information on what I am en/uiring into. I thought that if I do that" I would be
Ispoiling the moment1 and Ispilling the beans1. Hne of the participants has somehow
managed to re-align the thoughts from Iplain researching about a topic1 to academic
research before I was able to intervene. This takes me back to the importance of
planning and designing of the method (Schreiber and %sner-Self" 2077).
2. The dynamics of the interaction
The dynamics of the interaction was gradually increasing. I believe it was at its peak
when the /uestion on what support those teacher researchers may need from the
school and the school community was being discussed. %t the same time" it was
noted that those teachers who have not done a research before have very less input in
the discussion. I could say for this particular discussion" it was dominated by those
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currently doing the research. 0oing this trialling made me realise the importance of
selecting participants well and grouping them properly. It made me consider having
one focus group solely for those doing the research" another one for those who are
about to do the research and those that are yet to consider doing the research to better
give me a view on the different perspective at different stages.
3. The mechanics of the discussion
The trial focus group gave me an opportunity to test some technical aspects of the
discussion" such as" the /uestions and the wording of these /uestions" the seating
arrangement and the room arrangement" the weather also played a part (there were
thunder and heavy rain pours recorded which made it a bit challenging to hear what
teachers said as I was transcribing the whole conversation). I could consider the use
of a microphone and an alternative room that would be /uieter.
inally" the trial focus group discussion allowed me to review my design and consider the
participants carefully. It occurred to me in the middle of the discussion that I could conduct
more than one focus group discussion sessions. #y opening statement" which was aimed to
provoke participants" was not very successful and I have to be more specific neAt time and
break down ambiguity. Perhaps I should also consider introducing some short articles related
to my topic to the participants" something that I could use" perhaps" to summari.e points and
to encourage more discussions. %nother possible point for me to consider is record the
responses of the participants on a flip chart" for eAample" to give the group an idea on their
progress. This might assist those visually- inclined participants. In addition to that" this
might also assist the group in going further towards challenging or /uestioning each other1s
views. I should be ready with the materials needed. +onsidering having an assistant
moderator or even ,ust someone who would do the taking down of notes for eAample as
mentioned in my previous sentence could also be another point that I could consider for my
actual focus group. 2astly" giving the participants opportunity to reflect on what has been
discussed could also be a good way to end the session considering what 'urton (7894) has
said about having a ;disciplined reflection.<
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REFLECTIVE ACCOUNT
8ourself as an en-uiring practitioner and validity in practitioner en-uiry.
Throughout this whole process of en/uiring" I could say that I have changed my mind a
couple of times about what I would be in/uiring into. 0uring the initial stage-,ust before
starting the classes" I thought of in/uiring into the effectiveness of professional development
in our school. Dowever" during one of the discussions that I had with one my colleagues" she
pointed out measuring effectives could pose as a challenge. Der eAact words were ;you
should consider the Ihow1 in effectiveness- criteria for effectiveness" look into key success
factors and come up with rationale for choosing such criteria.< It caused me to look for
resources and related literature that could help me in this aspect and I noted that the more I
dig deeper into this matter5 I saw different perspectives and different ways and different
models. !aret et al. (2007) had conducted a survey and relied solely on teacher-level data.
Penuel et al. (200?) also had conducted a survey and used hierarchical linear modelling
framework and studied the different P0 designs at the P0 provider level and eAperiences at
teacher level. Dalfway through our practitioner en/uiry class" I decided on looking into my
team of teachers1 perceptions on P0s instead. The hunt for related literature was eAciting and
as I read through each of the articles I downloaded and especially while planning my trialling
method" I realised" would my position ,eopardi.e the way teachers would respond when I
chose to do focus group for my trialling" knowing that I am a ma,or contributor of P0
sessions in our campus" would they respond honestlyJ The more I reflect on what I intended
to do" the more unsure I become. Then" it dawned to me" I am part of the first cohort of
teacher researchers in our school and why not do an en/uiry on us- teachers as researchers"
especially when the school plans of offering the same programme to other teachers and more
cohorts of teachers will be coming up soon. Dalfway through my initial en/uiry" I had to
make this shift" never mind that I have to re-do my ethical considerations and redesign my
methods.
Daving undergone the whole en/uiry process has caused me to think deeper on my research
topic and helped me prepare for it as I read more and more articles and ,ournals related to this
topic. :eviewing the article of %llan and #iller (7880) encouraged me to continue with this
line of thought and perhaps share my future findings with our school leaders to help them"
perhaps" in considering the possible needs" challenges and difficulties of teachers who are
researchers and perhaps urge them to build a programme to better support them. %t the same
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time" I would be helping the entire school community as the school moves to becoming a
research school. %s a result of trialling" I was able to solicit from the participants of the focus
group that foremost the challenge of teacher- researches is having ade/uate time. Teacher 0
mentioned that the school should at least consider lowering the allocation" teaching periods
and other duties that the teacher is currently doing.
:eflecting on my review of literature" I should say that I should find more much related
literature to criti/ue on. #y search process needs to be reviewed. %s mentioned above"
although" I have gained more knowledge on my topic5 I failed to be informed on the practice
and stand of the educational community on action research. #ost of the literature I found
was outdated. urthermore" and again as mentioned above" I was more focused on my own
thoughts" my own theories and my own en/uiry rather than on what others1 thoughts are and
have been.
0oing the trialling also did me good as I was able to identify weak areas that I have to review
and strengthen. It gave me more drive to do more reading on the entire research process itself
and not ,ust on the related literature. Enderstanding the purpose of each part of the research
would assist me in planning" in designing and in conducting my future research. :eading and
understanding the different methods or instruments of research could also be a good move for
me. %s I have done my own research about focus group" this has caused me to understand
more about it and has helped me in identifying further needs and clarifying doubts.

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REFERENCE@

%llan" @." #iller" #. (7880). Teacher- :esearcher +ollaborativesG +ooperative Professional
0evelopment. 5heory into 9ractice. 28" 3" 7884-202.
'arkie" %. and Provost" #. (2006). Teachers as :esearchers. Intervention in 2chool and
/linic, 38" 240.
'orko" D. (2006). Professional 0evelopment and Teacher 2earningG #apping the Terrain.
3ducational %esearcher, 33" 3.
'urton" . (7894). :esearchG % Teacher1s +onception of the %ction :esearch Process.
:anguage ;rts, #<, =, :earning 5hrough 5eaching, ?79 K ?23.
0esimone" 2. (2008) Improving Impact Studies of Teachers1 Professional 0evelopmentG
Toward 'etter +onceptuali.ations and #easures. 3ducational %esearcher" 39" 3" 797- 788.
!aret" #." Porter" %." 0esimone" 2." 'irman" '." Suk *oon" @. (2007). &hat #akes
Professional 0evelopment $ffectiveJ :esults from a =ational Sample of Teachers.
;merican 3ducational %esearch >ournal, 39" 6" 87B-86B.
!ray" >. and +ampbell-$vans" !. (2002). 'eginning Teachers as Teacher- :esearchers.
;ustralian >ournal of 5eacher 3ducation. 2?" 7" 6.
!uskey" T. (7894). Staff 0evelopment and the Process of Teacher +hange. 3ducational
%esearcher, 7B" B" B -72.
Dollingsworth" S. (7882). Teachers as :esearchersG % :eview of the 2iterature. 5he
Institute for %esearch on 5eaching.
Dong" +." 2awrence" S. (2077). %ction :esearch in Teacher $ducationG +lassroom In/uiry"
:eflection and 0ata- 0riven 0ecision #aking. >ournal of In-uiry and ;ction in 3ducation,
6" 2.
International 'accalaureate (2008). I' 2earner Profile 'ooklet.
@irkwood" #. and +hristie" 0. (2004). The :ole of Teacher :esearch in +ontinuing
Professional 0evelopment. ,ritish >ournal of 3ducational 2tudies" B6" 6" 628 K 669.
@it.inger" >. (788B). Introducing ocus !roups. ,?>, 377" 288-302.
@napp" #. (2003). Professional 0evelopment as a Policy Pathway. %eview of %esearch in
3ducation" 2?" 708-7B?.
2asley" T." Siedentop" 0." and *inger" :. (2004). % Systematic %pproach to $nhancing
5eacher LualityG The Hhio #odel. >ournal of 5eacher 3ducation, B?" 73.
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Student Code: 22049601
2itosseliti" 2. (2003). Esing ocus !roup in :esearch. /ontinuum.
2ittle" >.&. (7883). Teachers1 Professional 0evelopment in a +limate of $ducational :eform.
3ducational 3valuation and 9olicy ;nalysis, 7B" 2" 728- 7B7.
=ew >ersey $ducation %ssociation (2008). @>3; 4efinition of 9rofessional 4evelopment.
MonlineN. 2ast accessed 2B #ay 2073 at
httpGOOwww.state.n,.usOeducationOprofdevOpdOteacherOpddefinition.pdf.
Penuel" &." ishman" '." *amaguchi" :." !allagher" 2. (200?). &hat #akes Professional
0evelopment $ffectiveJ Strategies That oster +urriculum Implementation. 3ducational
%esearch >ournal, 66" 6" 827 K 8B9.
:eimers" $. (2003). Teacher Professional 0evelopmentG an International review of the
literature. International Institute for 3ducational 9lanning.
Schreiber" >. and %sner-Self" @. (2077). $ducational :esearchG The Interrelationship of
Luestions" Sampling" 0esign" and %nalysis. >ohn 7iley A 2ons, Inc., 722-769.
Simmons" >. (7896). %ction :esearch as a #eans of Professionali.ing Staff 0evelopment for
+lassroom Teachers and School Staffs. 7illiamsburg, B;: @ational 2taff 4evelopment
/ouncil.
Smith" T. and Strahan" 0. (2006). Toward a Prototype of $Apertise in TeachingG %
descriptive case study. >ournal of 5eacher 3ducation, BB" 6" 3B?- 3?7.
&ayne" %." Suk *oon" @." Fhu" P." +ronen" S." !aret" #. (2009). $Aperimenting &ith
Teacher Professional 0evelopmentG #otives and #ethods. 3ducational %esearcher, 3?" 9"
648- 6?8.
&ebster-&right" %. (2008). :eframing Professional 0evelopment through Enderstanding
%uthentic Professional 2eaerning. %eview of 3ducational %esearch, ?8" 2" ?02- ?38.
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3ducational ;ction %esearch, 7G2" 788- 278.
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Odaia Bacla- an- Practitioner Enquiry Assignment
Student Code: 22049601
APPENDIA A
Trial methodG ocus !roup Invitation
0ear +olleagues"
RE( In6itation to *artici*ate in a +ocu' grou* ;i'cu''ion
*ou are invited to participate in a focus group discussion to be held on PPPPPP at
BBBBBB*7. at the PPPPPPPPPProom.
This eAercise is part of the research study that I will be conducting under airview
International School in collaboration with Sheffield Dallam Eniversity.
This discussion is done with the intention of ac/uiring teacher') *erce*tion on the possible
topicG ;Teachers as :esearchersG the way forward for an I' &orld School.< I will ask
/uestions and facilitate a conversation relating to this topic. Please keep in mind that there
are no Iright1 or Iwrong1 answers to any of the /uestions that I will ask. The sole purpose is
to stimulate conversation and opinions of everyone in participation. I hope you will be
comfortable speaking honestly and sharing your ideas.
%bout twenty to thirty minutes of your time is re/uired to carry out this discussion. Please
note that the entire session will be recorded to ensure that I ade/uately capture your ideas
during the conversation. Dowever" the comments from the focus group will remain
confidential and your name will not be attached to any comments you make.
Participation in this research is on a voluntary basis. *ou may also withdraw from the study
at any time for any reason.
Thank you and hoping for a favourable reply from your good self.

Sincerely"
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
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Odaia Bacla- an- Practitioner Enquiry Assignment
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APPENDIA B
Trial methodG ocus !roup Summary of :esponses
(full transcription may be provided if necessary$
Teachers #erception on Teachers as Researchers: Way $orward for an IB World
School.
7elcome note and Introduction
Thanking participants for coming
Short overview of the study
0escription of the procedure
o Twenty minutes
o Luestions to be asked- no right or wrong answers
Coice recording- promise of anonymity and access to recording will be solely by the
researcher
Cuestions asked:(included are some relevant responses from participants$
7. &hat are your views on ;5eachers as %esearchers, as easy as ;,/.< $Aplain your
point of view- &hat has shaped your perspectiveJ
Teacher B: I disagree with this statement. Research is actually one
o the hardest su!"ects that I ha#e undergone in the $ni#ersity.
Teacher A: Research is too scholarly and com%le& !ut' I thin( it is
with good intentions)the teacher may decide to go loo( into what
new strategies' what new tools to use in the classroom. So' it*s a
li#ing and de#elo%ing %ractice.
2. Imagine that you are part of the selection committee for the SDE #% programme of
IS" what pre-re/uisite would you considerJ
Teacher +: Being a %ositi#e learner..someone with a lot o determination
and who doesn*t gi#e u% easily.
Teacher B: I*d consider on whether the teacher can do research' who
(nows the whole %rocess) someone who is well-rounded and who has
good written command o the language- English language.
Teacher E: A re,ecti#e %erson) someone who can analyse' inter%ret and
re,ect on data collected.
Teacher B: .. good analytical thin(ing s(ills.
Teacher A: Someone who is a!le to acce%t the act that the more you
learn' the less you (now.
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Odaia Bacla- an- Practitioner Enquiry Assignment
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3. &hat challenges do you think you will eAperience if you will be given the opportunity
to be a teacher-researcherJ Hr what challenges are you currently eAperiencingJ %nd
&hat kind of support do you think would be beneficial for teachers conducting
research in our schoolJ
Teacher B: The -rst challenge or me would !e' -nancial. In doing a
research' one would need a lot o resources. +oing your in#estigations'
gathering data might in#ol#e or the teacher to %urchase questionnaires
online that would in#ol#e money. Actually a lot o teachers started a
research !ut' they weren*t a!le to com%lete !ecause o -nancial reasons.
Teacher +: In my o%inion' adequate time would !e a su%%ort that the
researcher could really use. Su%%ort rom the school might !e a
consideration o the teacher*s allocation' teaching %eriods' other duties
!ecause doing a research needs a lot o thin(ing.
Teacher B: I*#e heard o study lea#es gi#en to teachers or sta. wanting to
%ursue their studies. /ost o the time' it*s or a year or two and it*s
normally with %ay.
6. Is there anything else we haven1t discussed yet that you think is important for the
school to know about as we consider continuing to offer #% education for teachersJ
Teacher A: 0ell' since the school is mo#ing towards !ecoming a
research school' they should consider to inorm %arents and (ee%
assist these teacher researchers !y' %erha%s adding a clause in the
a%%lication orm that their child1 ward 2might !e %artici%ants o a
research conducted !y teachers' that anonymity will !e maintained'
etc.3 this would really sa#e the researchers* time and e.ort in
considering ethics.
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APPENDIA C
$n/uiry $thics Proforma orm
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