Teachers as Researchers: developing an inquiry ethic

Abstract

This article explores the process through which teachers go as they engage in teacher research that attempts to answer ‘burning questions’ about their practice. It reports on the experiences of 45 in-service teachers enrolled in an MA in Education program as they develop an inquiry ethic while engaging in research projects that require them to collect and analyze data, interact with instructors and peers, engage in dialogue surrounding inquiry, and draw conclusions from their data collection and analysis during semester-long course. Based on data collected over a two-year period, the authors attempt to pose a framework for the development of such an ethic, positing the dimensions of the stance that teacher researchers demonstrate as they begin to view themselves as part of the ongoing dialogue between theory and practice. It further describes the nature of each dimension as well as the products of the teacher research projects.

This article explores the process through which teachers go as they engage in teacher research that attempts to answer ‘burning questions’ about their practice. It reports on the experiences of 45 in-service teachers enrolled in an MA in Education program as they develop an inquiry ethic while engaging in research projects that require them to collect and analyze data, interact with instructors and peers, engage in dialogue surrounding inquiry, and draw conclusions from their data collection and analysis during semester-long course. Based on data collected over a two-year period, the authors attempt to pose a framework for the development of such an ethic, positing the dimensions of the stance that teacher researchers demonstrate as they begin to view themselves as part of the ongoing dialogue between theory and practice. It further describes the nature of each dimension as well as the products of the teacher research projects.