Sibbald

Transition from Professional School Teacher to Academia: A Personalized Journey in Professional Development

Timothy Sibbald, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON, Canada.

Abstract:

Using a longitudinal autobiographical approach to qualitative self-study, this paper examines the transition from being a professional teacher, who pursues graduate studies, to being an academic. The phases of the transition have been documented in various ways through the lived experience and this research aims to understand the transition that has occurred. The goal is to gain, and articulate, an understanding of the distinctions that separate the roles of teacher and academic in terms of research activities. The findings build on previous efforts in the literature to understand the concept of the teacher-as-researcher that has implications for action research. Among the many distinctions between teachers who conduct research and academics there is no singular defining difference but a lengthy list of opportunities to improve the connections between academia and practice. Simultaneously, it increasingly appears that, as I become an academic, there is a genuine need for some distance from practice to facilitate the development of research that requires more time than practitioners can typically afford for dwelling on a single focal topic. As well there are issues of classroom access and implementation details that are more readily accessible to the circumstance of the teacher. In this respect, the paper acknowledges there are many opportunities that can facilitate an improved connection, while finding that there are distinct niches in research for both practitioners and academics.

Key words: Teacher-as-Researcher; Practitioner Research; Reflective Practice; Dissemination; Tenure