METROPOLITAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH CONSORTIUM ACTION RESEARCH INITIATIVE

WHAT IS ACTION RESEARCH? Action research is a method of inquiry adopted in a wide range of social and organizational settings that involves a cyclical process of inquiry among practitioners that moves from identification of problems to planning, action and evaluation. Action research in the context of schools turns teachers and other school staff into “teacher researchers” who pose problems about their schools and classrooms and then engage in either an individual or collaborative research process to solve the problems.

WHAT IS THE MERC ACTION RESEARCH INITIATIVE? The MERC Action Research Initiative has four goals: 1. To train K-12 teachers from MERC school divisions in methods of action research. 2. To support teachers as they design and conduct action research projects in their classrooms and schools. 3. To help with the dissemination of action research within schools, divisions and the broader educational research community. 4. To build a network of teacher action researchers within the consortium.

HOW IT WORKS Teacher Research Cohort Each year, a cohort of 8 to 10 teachers and/or professional staff (e.g. counselors, ITRTs) are recruited from among the seven MERC school divisions (Richmond City, Chesterfield, Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Colonial Heights, Powhatan). Participants are selected to reflect a range of levels, content areas, and school types. Summer Action Research Workshop The program begins with a two-day action research workshop prior to school opening. The workshop is designed (1) to introduce participants to the theory and practice of the action research model, and (2) to have the participants identify a research topic and begin to pose initial questions for investigation.

School Year Cohort Meetings Through the school year the participants of the action research cohort will meet face-to-face on a regular basis (approximately once per month). AR cohort meetings will create a collaborative learning environment that allows teachers to develop their knowledge about the theory and practice of action research by engaging in an action research cycle of problem posing, data collection data analysis and presentation. Teacher research projects may address a wide range of topics including research related to curriculum development, teaching strategies, special education, parental involvement, classroom management, mentoring, or staff collaboration.

Summer Writing Workshop The summer following the program, an optional writing workshop provides teachers interested in publishing from their action research projects, the opportunity to meet, share drafts, and support each other as they prepare for dissemination.

Dissemination of Research While the primary effect of teacher action research is on the practice of teacher researchers and the outcomes of their students, there is significant value in the broader dissemination of the research findings. The MERC Action Research Initiative will facilitate formal dissemination of research findings in several ways including ● Written reports and research briefs – As with all MERC research studies, one option for dissemination will be through formal reports and research briefs published through the MERC website and distributed through the consortium school divisions. ● Support for journal publication – MERC will encourage teacher researchers to submit their work to academic and professional journals that support teacher research. ● Support for presentations – Teacher researchers will be encouraged to make formal presentations of their projects that might include presentations within their schools, at MERC planning and policy meetings, at the annual MERC conference, and at national teaching and/or research conferences. ● Professional developments – MERC will encourage and sponsor professional development sessions by teacher researchers both on the content of their studies as well as the practice of action research. It is important to note that all action research projects will be designed and implemented in compliance with school division research policies and, if necessary, reviewed by VCU’s Office of Research Subjects Protection.

Teacher Research Network One goal of this project is to establish a culture of teacher research within the MERC school divisions that extends beyond the participants' time in the action research cohorts. To support this goal, teacher researchers will gain the skills through participation in the cohort to become school- level teacher research leaders that train other teachers in the practice and lead school-level action research groups. In addition, teacher researchers will have opportunities to participate in consortium-wide action research programs supported by MERC including online spaces for networking, action research study groups, and ongoing publication and presentation support.

To find out more information about the MERC Action Research Initiative or to request an application, contact Dr. Jesse Senechal at [email protected]