Researchers do the research. Teachers do the teaching with the support of other teachers, of administrative and support staff, and of the community. Researchers know what should work. Teachers know what does work and they know what doesn’t work. They know how to adapt research to classroom practice. When creativity and innovation are valued more than standardized results and packaged teaching strategies, teachers will adapt.

modeling… authentic modeling.
huge.

Kevin,
I walk the line of relevancy versus academic writing quite a bit in my program. I am a teacher who is very interested in engagement, and realize that many teachers in my school will not pick up an academic journal. However, there is also an element of research that it be made relevant to the scholarly tradition and conforms to methods of presentation that allow researchers to quickly and easily access information to further the academic dialogue.

Not sure what the perfect balance is, which I guess is why I’m not pushing for one side or the other right now, just a thought.

Aaron,
Great post! You are absolutely right about the ‘initiatives’ and the manner by which PL happens in many places right now. I am thankful that my division is relieving itself of ‘initiativitis’ by engaging in open dialogues with University researchers and supporting Masters students to encourage research-based leadership in schools. We’re getting there, although there are still some buzz words and ‘chapter’ learning throughout the division. I have to say that with all of the issues facing education, I can see why these simple strategies appeal to educators. I don’t condone it, but I understand it. It’s the same as Jerrid’s response, it is easy to ‘check off’ the initiative without creating any real and lasting change in practice. We all to often spout off about what we are going to do, or already do without providing any evidence to prove it. I call for eivdence-based practice!

How can we engage teachers in research that is meaningful to them and that will help them in improving their practice? Well, we can start by not studying teachers, making them the object of study. Rather, we can invite teachers to inquire into their practice, to engage in inquiry. Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey’s work on practitioner inquiry has helped teachers clarify their wonderings and engage in meaningful study of their practice. Their text, “The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research” provides teachers with the understanding they need to begin the action-reflection cycle.

As a teacher and a consultant, I’ve experienced the 3 paradigms alluded to in the opening chapter of The Guide; “process-product research” (Shulman, 1986), “research drawn from qualitative or interpretive studies” (Dana & Hoppey, p.3) and teacher inquiry. It is as a result of these experiences that I began to inquire how we might engage more teachers in the inquiry process, rather than involve them in research or, in the worst cases, do research to them.

Some of the wonderings I have around this research: In what ways is inquiry an effective model for professional development? Do the teachers who complete the grad diploma programs offered by our faculty continue to practice a disposition towards inquiry after graduation? What systemic structures support them in maintaining that disposition?

My thoughts,
Tom
@tomfullerton

Most graduate schools insist that students write according to “academic” norms. Since education is a social science, that often means writing in APA style. As a result, students write stilted theses/dissertations that no one wants to read because the style does not represent good writing. It may conform to a style book, but it fails to engage a reader. Journals that require similar writing styles often have a small readership—deservedly so, in my opinion.

One easy-to-do, probably difficult-to-change, solution is for universities to include a course on good writing in their programs—not academic writing, but writing that truly engages readers. That way, the research could be presented in a voice and style that possess potential influence. Why? Because the research might just be read!

Many journals I read have actually moved away from strict adherence to an “academic” style. Why, then, we persist in making students write this way is a mystery.

As long as educators write in ways that don’t deserve to be read, the influence of their research will remain nearly nonexistent.