Robins

Scaling Up Action Research: Professional Development for In-service School Librarians

Jenny Robins, University of Central Missouri, MO, USA

Abstract

Action Research can counteract a current trend in education to reduce teaching to test preparation. This research explores two issues: one is to consider how to scale up the ability to support teachers who conduct action research. The other is to explore ways action research activates a democratic process in schools. The results presented here are of a collaborative partnership between school librarians and a single university researcher offering online support. The librarians designed and conducted four action research studies in one year resulting in 77 completed projects. The school librarians gained sufficient experience so that issues related to conducting action research diminished, and improving classroom practice took the forefront. Fifty-nine projects resulted in improved practice, producing data which lead to the unleashing of a democratic process because it provided evidence of teacher efficacy. This is a promising direction for future study.

Keywords

Scaling; Collaboration; Partnerships; Efficacy; Evaluation