You are here

The Reflective Educator's Guide to Classroom Research
Share

The Reflective Educator's Guide to Classroom Research
Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn Through Practitioner Inquiry

Fourth Edition (Revised Edition)
Additional resources:


August 2019 | 352 pages | Corwin
Harness the power of data to transform classrooms through inquiry and analysis with this updated, best-selling resource

When teachers examine the simple but complex act of teaching, the power yielded can be transformative. For three editions, teacher preparation and professional development providers have turned to this bestselling how-to guide for an authentic clear description of teacher inquiry and how to harness it for greatest effect.

In this 4th edition, readers will journey toward understanding the link between teacher inquiry and the creation of data-driven classrooms by walking through some of today’s most relevant scenarios as well as timeless and enduring examples. Featuring helpful exercises and step-by-step instructions, this edition includes:

A head on discussion of equity and social justice and the role inquiry plays in tackling it
A look at professional practice doctoral programs as ripe context for inquiry
A complete chapter on the role literature plays in teacher research
A more seamless integration between the text and accompanying website 

Grab this text, raise your voice at the table of educational reform, and transform assumptions for more impactful teaching.
 

 
Preface
 
About This Book
 
Acknowledgments
 
About the Authors
 
How to Use the Inquiry Books
 
Chapter 1. Teacher Inquiry Defined
What Is Teacher Inquiry?

 
What Is the Relationship Between Teacher Inquiry and Teacher Professional Growth?

 
What Evidence Exists That Teacher Inquiry Is Worth Doing?

 
How Is Teacher Inquiry Different From What I Already Do as a Reflective Teacher?

 
Why Inquire? Inquiry as a Pathway to Equity

 
What Are Some Contexts Ripe for Teacher Inquiry?

 
How Does My Engaging in Teacher Inquiry Help Shape the Profession of Teaching?

 
 
Chapter 2. The Start of Your Journey: Finding a Wondering
Where Do I Begin?

 
Where Do I Find My Wonderings and Questions?

 
What Happens If I Still Cannot Locate My Wondering?

 
 
Chapter 3. Learning With and From the Literature: The Importance of Reading
Why Read?

 
Where and How Do I Find Readings to Inform My Inquiry?

 
A Few Words of Literature Wisdom

 
 
Chapter 4. Learning With and From Your Colleagues: The Importance of Collaboration
Why Is Collaboration So Important?

 
What Are the Possibilities for How I Might Collaborate?

 
 
Chapter 5. Developing a Research Plan: Making Inquiry a Part of Your Teaching Practice
What Do Data Look Like, How Do I Collect Them, and How Do They Fit Into My Work as a Teacher?

 
When Do I Collect Data and How Much Do I Collect?

 
 
Chapter 6. Considering the Ethical Dimensions of Your Work as an Inquirer
What Should I Consider When Thinking About Ethics in Relation to Practitioner Research?

 
What Role Do School District Research Policies Play in the Inquiry Process?

 
What Role Do University Institutional Review Boards Play in the Inquiry Process?

 
 
Chapter 7. Finding Your Findings: Data Analysis
What Is Formative Data Analysis?

 
What Is Summative Data Analysis?

 
What Might Summative Analysis of Qualitative Data Look Like?

 
 
Chapter 8. Making Your Inquiry Public: Publishing and Presenting
Why Is It Important to Share My Work With Others?

 
How Do I Present My Work?

 
How Do I Write About My Work?

 
What Might My Writing Look Like?

 
 
Chapter 9. Contributing to the Creation of More Equitable Schools and Classrooms: The Why of Inquiry
Coming to View Inquiry as a Pathway to Equity: A Teacher Researcher’s Story (Mickey MacDonald)

 
Informing Thinking, Teaching, and Teacher Education: The Power of Equity-Focused Inquiry (Paige Bildstein, Mikhayla Kruse-Meek, Jillian Pohland, Nicole Snitkey, and Hilarie Welsh)

 
 
Chapter 10. On Your Way: Becoming the Best Teacher and Researcher You Can Be
What Is an Inquiry Stance?

 
Why Is It Important to Assess the Quality of My Work?

 
What Is the Difference Between Generalizability and Transferability?

 
How Do I Go About Assessing Teacher Research Quality and Why Is It So Difficult to Do?

 
What Are Some Quality Indicators for Teacher Research?

 
What Are Some Ways to Enhance Inquiry Quality?

 
Where Do I Go From Here?

 
 
References
 
Index

Supplements

“The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research, 4E is a practical volume that can be used as an interactive guide for university supervisors to facilitate teacher candidates in engaging in inquiry-based reflective practices while gathering data during their field-based experiences.

Rebecca J. Blankenship, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, TESOL Program Director, QEP Liaison, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

The Fourth Edition of The Reflective Educator's Guide to Classroom Research presents the crucial field of teacher research in an engaging and positive manner, with many explanatory examples and scenarios. True to its title, "reflective," the narrative highlights the importance of the qualitative approach to research in which the researcher looks at personal and experiential qualities that affect educational change.”

Harriette L. Spiegel, Ph. D. Lecturer, The University of Tennessee at Martin

“This book makes a distinct contribution to the field by providing teachers with a step-by-step approach to teacher inquiry. It is also a great resource for teachers who want to conduct their own inquiries in schools. It is comprehensive, easy to read, and rich with examples and exercises that model the process of teacher inquiry for every stage.”

Suha Tamim, Clinical Assistant Professor, University of South Carolina

“Teacher inquiry is a catalyst for change, but the process can be intimidating. This text has a different feel to it.  It is reflective in nature, which adds a personal touch to the research process.   While it hits on all the same points as someone engaging in action research, the change to an inquiry stance reflects what teachers currently experience in their classrooms.  Multiple examples throughout provide the support necessary and the text is useful for both an action research course and a teacher wishing to make systematic, deliberate improvements to his/her teaching.  I highly recommend The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research, 4E to anyone interested in using data to inform and strengthen their instruction and provide a more equitable classroom.”

Terri Duncko, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Beeghly College of Education

“This book is a wonderful guide for teachers conducting research in their schools.  It clearly explains the process and guides teacher researchers through with well thought out activities combined with ample rich examples to enhance understanding.”

Diane Barrett, Professor & Chair of the School of Education, University of Hawaii at Hilo

Stop and look no further: The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research, 4E is the definite text on teacher inquiry. Inside these covers you will find answers to what teacher inquiry entails, why the inquiry process is vital to a healthy teaching profession, and how teachers can translate their wonderings into a systemic form of study that informs classroom change and improvement. Happy inquiring!

Dr. Cynthia Carver Associate Professor & Chair of Teacher Development, Oakland University

The programme the book is being used for has undergone significant changes and part of this is ensuring we support trainees in developing their own reflective practice and being confident in using action research. This book provides everything (and more) that we could wish to communicate with trainees. It is accessible, easy to navigate and has multiple aspects included that have been relevant to a wide range of trainees all at very different stages in their research journey.

Miss Vikki Wynn
Education & Society, Sunderland University
October 3, 2020

I wish I had this text when I first taught EDUC 2130 - 'Teaching and Learning'. What makes this text so relevant is its focus on the SHARED, two-way experience that is inquiry-based teaching and learning!

Dr Natasha N. Johnson
Educ Policy Studies Dept, Georgia State University
September 18, 2019

For instructors

Select a Purchasing Option


Rent or Buy eBook
ISBN: 9781544352220

Paperback
ISBN: 9781544352183
$42.95