Action Research in Education

I am Professor of Pedagogy, Policy and Innovation in the School of Education and my teaching and research focuses on the role of inquiry in teachers’ professional learning.  I am interested in the role of universities, and teacher educators in particular, in the creation and translation of knowledge about teaching and learning.  This interest is linked to the wider issue of the relationship between theory and practice in  professional development. Expertise: qualitative and quantitative measures, research design, narrative interviewing, questionnaire design, analytic frameworks, research management.Research interests: early literacy and language development, parental involvement, adult literacy and family literacy, teacher development and identity, learning and meta-cognition.  Kate Wall is Professor of Education at the University of Strathclyde. A primary teacher by background, her work is characterised by enquiry-based partnership with children and practitioners of all ages and stages.

Action Research in Education is written with the mastery of those who have a deep appreciation of the lived reality of the teacher as professional, as researcher and as practitioner - Baumfield, Hall and Wall know their subject and their people. Its engaging clarity and lucidity brings to life the real practice of action research at all levels in education. In getting to the very essence of action research, written with the innate respect for the academic and non-academic researcher alike Baumfield, Hall and Wall have produced a timeless classic′- Helen O′Sullivan, Lecturer in Educational Leadership and Management, Trinity College Dublin′A well illustrated compendium of ′when′, ′why′ and ′how′ to use action research. A must-have for new researchers engaged in practitioner or action research, with ample examples of real case studies to promote both intraprofessional and interprofessional dialogue, in community and professional contexts′-Christine O′Hanlon, Honorary Reader in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning, University of East AngliaPraise for the first edition:′Is action research easy? No! Is it achievable? Based on the strength of this text, the answer is an unqualified ′yes′. The book is an accessible, thorough and comprehensive guide to both the processes and heavyweight issues involved in action research′Learning & Teaching Update`Both the style and the content of this book would seem to make it an excellent core text for PGCE or undergraduate level courses in teacher or student teacher research...It offers an easy-to-follow research approach that allows true reflection on practice′ ESCalate

• Introducing Practitioner EnquiryUnderstanding Practitioner EnquiryWays of Being a Practitioner Enquirer: Beliefs, Ethics and Practice How to Do a Practitioner Enquiry: Finding and Refining a QuestionHow to Do a Practitioner Enquiry: Deciding on an Approach and Complementary MethodsTaking Account of Learner Perspectives in Your EnquiryExploring Your Own and Your Colleagues′ Professional KnowledgeEngaging with the Views of Families and the Wider CommunityMaking Sense of It, Making Connections and Bringing It TogetherSharing Your Findings, Finding New QuestionsIndex