The relation between tools used in action research and the zone of proximal development

Abstract

This article describes a national school improvement project involving five compulsory schools for hard‐of‐hearing pupils, located in different parts of Sweden. Using action research, the teachers tried to change the communication patterns among the pupils by changing their own classroom practices, In this process the teachers tested and used different tools, such as writing, shadowing and facilitating each other, over a three‐year period. The purpose of this article is to examine how tools used in action research can be used to promote learning in relation to the concept of the zone of proximal development. The theoretical framework of the study is based on action research, as a collaborative way of creating knowledge, and on sociocultural learning theories. The basic assumption is that teachers, by using different tools, also challenge each other’s learning. The results show the importance of internalising tools that become owned by individuals or communities of practise. To be able to assume an active role in the zone of proximal development, and to produce knowledge collaboratively, a meaning‐making process was needed. It was found that this could be realised if the participants had an awareness of how to function as a critical friend among colleagues. Furthermore, the results revealed that, by using different tools, different voices can be heard. Three categories of voices were identified.

Keywords:

• Critical friend
• Professional development
• Scaffolding
• Tools in action research
• Voices
• Zone of proximal development

Notes

1. The Swedish National Agency for Education is the central administrative authority for the Swedish public school system for children, young people and adults, as well as for pre‐school activities and childcare for school children. The role of the Agency in the Swedish education system is to define goals in order to administrate, to inform in order to influence and to review in order to improve (http://www.skolverket.se).

2. The researcher and facilitator during the action research processes is also one of the authors. The concluding analyses and this article have been produced collaboratively by the two authors/researchers.

3. The described project has received financial support from the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement, National Agency of Education in Sweden and from the Swedish Inheritance Fund.

4. See http://www.dialogprojektet.se.