A Critically constructed concept of action research as a tool for the professional development of teachers

Abstract

The question what contribution action research can make to the professional development of teachers is not easy to answer. It depends firstly on the context in which action research takes shape and secondly on the conceptual principles on which educators and teachers base their view of what good action research is. In order to be able to use action research in different situations, it can be said that teacher educators and teachers need a critically constructed concept that is based on coherent principles. This article attempts to construct such a concept based on the many and varied debates there have been on action research. The concept is described with the aid of five themes derived from Carr & Kemmis's much cited definition. The themes are: (1) reflection and research, (2) understanding and improvement, (3) technical, practical and emancipatory indicators for improvement, (4) classroom practice and practice at school level, and (5) individual and joint action. The article concludes with the observation that it is not so much a matter of whether teacher educators and teachers can use action research in different circumstances but how they do it. The concept in this article could therefore serve as a frame of reference and not a hard-and-fast recipe.