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A self-study using action research: changing site expectations and practice stereotypes

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Abstract

Practice is not created and developed by individual teachers but is subject to what Kemmis and Grootenboer called ‘extra-individual conditions’ and cultural histories. The ‘expectations’ around teaching do much to create stereotypes and conformity around how to teach and how to act in schools. This paper explores a teacher’s longitudinal self-study of pedagogical and curricular change through reflective practice and ‘insider’ action research. The findings show that pedagogical and curricular change is more than a personal desire to do something differently. Instead, it is a process of acknowledging expectation – student, teacher, institutional, and subject – and finding ways of working within, around and between these. Furthermore, insider action research is shown as a tool for positioning the practitioner in the ‘betweenness’ of theory and practice. However, the paper concludes that while insider action research is a vital ingredient in sustained curriculum renewal, it needs to be hand-in-hand with collaboration with significant others inside and/or outside the school, and it needs to engage in a critique of the extra-individual conditions as part of the reflective process.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output:
Contribution to journal
Article
 Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 219-232

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Educational Action Research (Volume 20, Issue 2)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/01/2012

Publication status

Published - 01/01/2012

ISSN

0965-0792

Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/225594
  • Scopus: 84861538330

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