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	Teacher Research

Call for Proposals!

RTC TEACHER RESEARCH PROGRAM

Teacher research, also called action research, is a professional activity that teachers engage in to find answers to their own questions about how children learn. Teacher research supports teacher learning and action. Teacher researchers use a process that begins with questions that teachers have about what they know, observe, and experience in their teaching and their students' learning. What practices work best with learners and how do I know? The resulting "answers" or approaches to teaching that promote learning are thereby supported by a structured and reflective "teacher look" at their own students in their own classrooms and schools. In the research process, teachers develop a question that they would like to research, collect data, analyze and reflect on their data(findings), and take action.

Teacher/Action research projects:

begin with questions about teaching and learning. Teachers' questions can stem from specific concerns, problems, or "knowings" that teachers have, want to build support for, or explore. Teachers can learn from their questions about themselves, their practices, or assumptions. Other questions might focus on students, their families and communities including their interests, responses, or perceptions. School policies or programs are other areas that could be the focus of teacher research
collect data about the research topic. Researchers decide what information they consider relevant to their question and how they will collect and organize it Data could be in the form of observation notes, surveys, interviews, journals, test scores, grades, videos, and/or student work.
analyze data. Data can be interpreted through a variety of methods that could include summaries of interviews, tallies of responses, rubrics used to evaluate, pre-and post-test scores, pre- and post-interviews, and/or counting of varied types of responses or reactions. The possibilities are considerable and depend on the natureof the research question.
take action. As a result of analyzing and interpreting data, teachers' findings can be used to make decisions for action that can include continuation of current approaches or changes in instructional practices. Taking action can also meanresearching new questions that grow out of the learning gained from the research process.

Teacher research is cyclic represents a more teacher-centered way of assessing instruction. Teachers become instructional leaders by researching their own questions about how students learn. RTC Teacher Research Grant recipients will receive a stipend of $800 for their work.

Researchers are responsible for:

conducting research according to design;
attending and participating in research preparation and support sessions at the RTC on January 6, March21, and May 30 at 4 p.m.;
coordinating and submitting research findings; and
submitting a two-page reflective self-assessment of the experience.

Attached is the application for the RTC Teacher/Action Research Grant. Grants will be awarded for proposals designed to produce knowledge that contributes to effective curricular and pedagogical practices.

Outcomes of research projects will be highlighted on The Rochester Teacher Center web site.

The deadline for submission of proposals is December 20. All projects must be completed by June 15, 2001. .

Have questions or want to discuss ideas? Help is available. Please call Susan Goodwin, RTC Director, at 262-8080.

This application may be downloaded and forwarded to the Rochester Teacher Center.

RTC Teacher/Action Research Grant Application

Name(s) and School _________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Did you attend the introductory presentation conducted by the RTC, Teachers as Researchers? _________

Research Plan

Primary research question (Avoid questions that engender yes/no answers. Use forms of questions that begin with when, how, or what. For example, What happens when students see themselves in the literature that they are reading?)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Data Collection

What kind of data will you need will you collect? What form(s) will your data/information take? Consider multiple types of data.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Analyzing Data and Findings

How will you make meaning of your data? What methods will you use to help you interpret the information and draw conclusions? Examples include graphs or charts, compilation of student responses, comparisons of observations, etc. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Purpose

What is your purpose or the context for your inquiry? What do you believe is the importance of your research question. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mission & Goals	Staff & Facilities	Director's Message	Course Catalog	Collegial Learning Circles	Fellowships	Consulting
NBPTS Preparation	Publications	Focus Groups	Instructional Sites	Bulletin Board	Teacher Research	Film Series