Teacher research engagement

Abstract

Research engagement on the part of teachers consists of two main activities. Teachers engage with research when they critically read, listen to, and discuss the research published by academics or other teachers. They engage in research when they plan, undertake and reflect upon research projects in their own contexts. Both forms of research engagement contribute to teachers’ professional development and help to transform the teaching and learning environment (Xerri & Pioquinto, 2018); however, the act of engaging in research is recognised as being especially significant. Teacher research enables classroom practitioners to reflect on their practices in a systematic manner and it can empower them to free themselves from the precepts imposed by trainers and inspectors because they are able to discover which methods and materials are most effective for their context (Field, 1997). Teacher research has the potential to enhance the status of teaching in society because it generates knowledge that can be considered useful for a variety of stakeholders, including policy makers, academics and teacher educators (Atay, 2008). However, the main beneficiaries of teacher research are the practitioners that engage in it, and their students and colleagues. Teacher research allows the professionals who have first-hand experience of the classroom to problematize issues concerning teaching and learning. As Gao and Chow (2012) point out, “While many pedagogical problems can be successfully addressed through research, we also hope to see that teachers could see research as a critical means to deepen teachers’ understanding of particular problems in teaching, rather than solve them” (p. 231). In this sense, teachers’ engagement in research is not only significant for their professional development and classroom practices but also has an impact on the learners’ experience and on the wider educational milieu.