Teachers as researchers: Taking a road less travelled Dr Zeynep Onat Stelma University of Manchester

Teacher roles  Teacher as ……………..  Teacher as researcher? –What is involved in teacher research?

Action research Review literature/ narrow the focus Choose method of data collection Collect, analyse, and interpret information Develop, implement, and monitor action plan Identify an issue (Adapted from Farrell, 2007)

Identify an issue  Purpose  Topic  End result  Feasibility (time and resources)

Review literature and narrow down the focus  See what studies have been done.  Look for similarities and differences.  Narrow down your focus if necessary.

Data collection  Journals/teaching logs  Observation  Questionnaires  Interviews  Recordings/notes

Analyse and interpret  Are there any patterns in your data?  Build an interpretation of your findings.

Action Plan!  Do you need to change your teaching practice?  If so, what do you need to do?  How will you monitor the change?

Collaboration with colleagues  How can you work with colleagues in your institution in action research?

You are all set!!  Take the road less travelled and see what sights you will encounter!  Share your experiences with your colleagues and see what they have found.  Share your experiences with the wider teaching community and see if there are similar projects going on around you. Be brave! You know you can do it!

Helpful sources:  Burns, A. (1999) Collaborative action research for English Language teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.  Farrell, T. S. C. (2007) Reflective language teaching: from research to practice. London: Continuum.  Wallace, M. J. (1998) Action research for language teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Thank you for listening and working so hard on a Saturday!!