Craig A. Mertler – författare

This practical and easy-to-use book offers professional educators of any academic level, subject area, or position the tools, techniques, and strategies to disseminate, share, publish, and promote the results of their action research projects and studies.

Acclaimed author Craig A. Mertler offers a clear-cut guide for practitioner-researchers, covering the following:

Written for any educational practitioner in any role—from in-service and pre-service teachers in PK-12 or higher education settings to scholars, administrators, policymakers, staff, graduate students, and other researchers—this book offers a pragmatic and motivational guide useful for any field of education in which practitioner research is component.

This practical and easy-to-use book offers professional educators of any academic level, subject area, or position the tools, techniques, and strategies to disseminate, share, publish, and promote the results of their action research projects and studies.

Acclaimed author Craig A. Mertler offers a clear-cut guide for practitioner-researchers, covering the following:

Written for any educational practitioner in any role—from in-service and pre-service teachers in PK-12 or higher education settings to scholars, administrators, policymakers, staff, graduate students, and other researchers—this book offers a pragmatic and motivational guide useful for any field of education in which practitioner research is component.

Comprehensive overview of the theoretical, conceptual, and applied/practical presentations of action research as it is found and conducted solely in educational settings

The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education is the first book to offer theoretical, conceptual, and applied/practical presentations of action research as it is found and conducted solely in educational settings. Covering primarily PK-12 educational settings, the book utilizes a cross-section of international authors and presentations to provide global perspectives on action research in education.

Part I of The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education focuses on various foundational aspects and issues related to action research. Part II is centered on chapters that present theories and principles that help to guide the use of action research in educational contexts. Part III focuses on specific applications of educational action research in practice. Part IV provides an outlet for seven educational practitioners to share their experiences in conducting action research. Each of these authors also discusses the importance and value that action research has had on him or her, both professionally and personally. 

The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education is an excellent book for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars studying and/or researching educational action research.

Comprehensive overview of the theoretical, conceptual, and applied/practical presentations of action research as it is found and conducted solely in educational settings

The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education is the first book to offer theoretical, conceptual, and applied/practical presentations of action research as it is found and conducted solely in educational settings. Covering primarily PK-12 educational settings, the book utilizes a cross-section of international authors and presentations to provide global perspectives on action research in education.

Part I of The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education focuses on various foundational aspects and issues related to action research. Part II is centered on chapters that present theories and principles that help to guide the use of action research in educational contexts. Part III focuses on specific applications of educational action research in practice. Part IV provides an outlet for seven educational practitioners to share their experiences in conducting action research. Each of these authors also discusses the importance and value that action research has had on him or her, both professionally and personally. 

The Wiley Handbook of Action Research in Education is an excellent book for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars studying and/or researching educational action research.

Action Research Communities presents a new perspective on two current and proven educational practices: classroom-/school-based action research and professional learning communities. Implementation of one or the other of these practices often results in a variety of possible benefits for the teaching–learning process, for student achievement, and for overall school improvement. While these might seem to be separate, isolated practices, the author has taken the beneficial aspects of each practice and merged them into a cohesive and potentially powerful concept, coined "action research communities."

Each of the two concepts or approaches (action research and professional learning communities) is presented and discussed in detail. Because they both focus on local-level improvement of educational practice and share several overlapping features, the two concepts are then merged into a single entity—action research communities, or ARCs. These professional learning communities, with action research at their core, hold an immense amount of power and potential when it comes to enhanced professional growth and development for educators, increased student achievement, school improvement, and educator empowerment. ARCs essentially capitalize on all the individualized benefits and strengths of action research and of professional learning communities, and merge them into a single educational concept and practice. ARCs have the potential to help educators everywhere experience:

•a common and collective focus and vision;

• sustained collaborative inquiry;

•individualized, customizable—and meaningful—professional growth; and

•true empowerment that comes with this form of collaborative, inquiry-based, and reflective practice.

Practical guidance for the development and implementation of ARCs is also provided, by focusing on ways in which professional educators (teachers, administrators, support staff, etc.) can implement, sustain, and extend the impact of their respective action research communities. Specific roles for district administrators, building administrators, and teachers are presented and discussed in depth, as are ways that ARCs can be used both to deepen professional learning for educators and to improve student learning.

Action Research Communities presents a new perspective on two current and proven educational practices: classroom-/school-based action research and professional learning communities. Implementation of one or the other of these practices often results in a variety of possible benefits for the teaching–learning process, for student achievement, and for overall school improvement. While these might seem to be separate, isolated practices, the author has taken the beneficial aspects of each practice and merged them into a cohesive and potentially powerful concept, coined "action research communities."

Each of the two concepts or approaches (action research and professional learning communities) is presented and discussed in detail. Because they both focus on local-level improvement of educational practice and share several overlapping features, the two concepts are then merged into a single entity—action research communities, or ARCs. These professional learning communities, with action research at their core, hold an immense amount of power and potential when it comes to enhanced professional growth and development for educators, increased student achievement, school improvement, and educator empowerment. ARCs essentially capitalize on all the individualized benefits and strengths of action research and of professional learning communities, and merge them into a single educational concept and practice. ARCs have the potential to help educators everywhere experience:

•a common and collective focus and vision;

• sustained collaborative inquiry;

•individualized, customizable—and meaningful—professional growth; and

•true empowerment that comes with this form of collaborative, inquiry-based, and reflective practice.

Practical guidance for the development and implementation of ARCs is also provided, by focusing on ways in which professional educators (teachers, administrators, support staff, etc.) can implement, sustain, and extend the impact of their respective action research communities. Specific roles for district administrators, building administrators, and teachers are presented and discussed in depth, as are ways that ARCs can be used both to deepen professional learning for educators and to improve student learning.

"Craig A. Mertler's approach would reduce your stress level as his book walks the reader through the various assessments often encountered in schools and helps the reader make better use of the information embedded in accountability reports. The book is well-organized and provides clear and thorough descriptions of the myriad terms the reader will encounter with assessments."—Lane B. Mills, THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

"This text offers a clear, insightful study of how to interpret, use, and reflect on test data in ways that help to develop better schools, highly qualified teachers, and well prepared students."

—Linda Karges-Bone, Charleston Southern University

As standardized testing continues to grow in importance in our society, this text will become a critical part of measurement curriculum and instruction."

—Gordon Brooks, Ohio University

Interpreting Standardized Test Scores: Strategies for Data-Driven Instructional Decision Making is designed to help K-12 teachers and administrators understand the nature of standardized tests and, in particular, the scores that result from them. This useful manual helps teachers develop the skills necessary to incorporate these test scores into various types of instructional decision making—a process known as "data-driven decision making"—necessitated by the needs of their students.

Key Features

Intended Audience

This is an excellent supplementary text for any course that incorporates standardized testing as a topic, including but not limited to courses in Classroom Assessment, Educational Psychology, Content Methods, Reading, Special Education, Curriculum, Literacy, Administration, The Principalship, and The Superintendency.

"Craig A. Mertler's approach would reduce your stress level as his book walks the reader through the various assessments often encountered in schools and helps the reader make better use of the information embedded in accountability reports. The book is well-organized and provides clear and thorough descriptions of the myriad terms the reader will encounter with assessments."—Lane B. Mills, THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

"This text offers a clear, insightful study of how to interpret, use, and reflect on test data in ways that help to develop better schools, highly qualified teachers, and well prepared students."

—Linda Karges-Bone, Charleston Southern University

As standardized testing continues to grow in importance in our society, this text will become a critical part of measurement curriculum and instruction."

—Gordon Brooks, Ohio University

Interpreting Standardized Test Scores: Strategies for Data-Driven Instructional Decision Making is designed to help K-12 teachers and administrators understand the nature of standardized tests and, in particular, the scores that result from them. This useful manual helps teachers develop the skills necessary to incorporate these test scores into various types of instructional decision making—a process known as "data-driven decision making"—necessitated by the needs of their students.

Key Features

Intended Audience

This is an excellent supplementary text for any course that incorporates standardized testing as a topic, including but not limited to courses in Classroom Assessment, Educational Psychology, Content Methods, Reading, Special Education, Curriculum, Literacy, Administration, The Principalship, and The Superintendency.

Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators introduces both novice and experienced practicing educators to the process of designing and conducting classroom-based action research in order to make their instructional practices more effective. This practical text focuses on the research methods and procedures that educators can use in their everyday instructional practices, classroom activities, and school procedures. Using over 20 years of teaching experience, author Craig A. Mertler provides insightful coverage of the knowledge and skills needed to design research studies, conduct research, and communicate findings to relevant stakeholders.

FREE DIGITAL TOOLS INCLUDED WITH THIS TEXTSAGE edge gives instructors and students the edge they need to succeed with an array of teaching and learning tools in one easy-to-navigate website. Learn more: edge.sagepub.com/mertler6e