This article seeks to define professional practice research by juxtaposing an overview of a selection of our own experiences with a commentary on some of the ideas in the literature in such areas as action research, practitioner research and teacher research, all of which focus significantly on what it means to engage in research efforts in creating and extending professional knowledge, in illuminating and improving practice and in influencing policies in an informed way. In these terms, research will support and sustain an inquiry-based approach to professional work and practice in a range of social endeavours. The article concludes with a set of ideas for advocating the worthwhile nature of professional practice research.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Aspland, T., & Brooker, R. (1998). A pathway for postgraduate teaching. In B. Atweh, S. Kemmis & P. Weeks (Eds.), Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education (pp. 280–301). London and New York: Routledge .
2.
Aspland, T., Macpherson, I., Proudford, C., & Whitmore, L. (1996). Critical collaborative action research as a means of curriculum inquiry and empowerment . Educational Action Research, 4(1): 93–104 .
3.
Brooker, R., & Macpherson, I. (2001). Curriculum innovation at a school site: Issues of teacher competence and confidence . Paper presented at the Australian Curriculum Studies Conference, September, 2001, Canberra.
4.
Groundwater-Smith, S. (2000, December). Evidence-based practice – Towards whole school Improvement . Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Sydney.
5.
Groundwater-Smith, S. (2003, May). Becoming the vital professional: Learning from the workplace . Paper presented to the Faculties of Education and Health, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane.
6.
Kemmis, S., & McTaggart, R. (1988). The nature of action research: The action research planner. Geelong: Deakin University Press .
7.
Kemmis, S., & Wilkinson, M. (1998). Participatory action research and the study of practice. In B. Atweh, S. Kemmis & P. Weeks (Eds.), Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education (pp. 21–36). London and New York: Routledge .
8.
Macpherson, I., Aspland, T., Elliott, R., Proudford, C., Shaw, L., & Thurlow, G. (1998). A journey into a learning partnership: A university and a state system working together for curriculum change. In B. Atweh, S. Kemmis & P. Weeks (Eds.), Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education (pp. 141–162). London and New York: Routledge .
9.
Macpherson, I., Aspland, T., Brooker, R. & Elliott. B. (1999). Places and spaces for teachers in curriculum leadership. Canberra: Goanna Print and Australian Curriculum Studies Association .
10.
Macpherson, I., Aspland, T., & Brooker, R. (2000, November). Is there a future for collaborative research? Paper presented in a symposium, ‘Interrogating collaborative research – Who is inside and who is out?’ at the Annual Conference of the Australian Association for Research in Education, Sydney.
11.
Macpherson, I., Aspland, T., & Brooker, R. (2001a, April). Passion and responsibility in qualitative research – ‘both/and’ or ‘either/or’? A dispassionate reflection and a deliberative reconstruction . Roundtable paper (division D – qualitative research) presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle.
12.
Macpherson, I., Aspland, T., & Brooker, R. (2001b, April). Traversing a decade of curriculum thinking and practice: A conversational case study of curriculum leadership from down under . Roundtable paper (division B – curriculum) presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Seattle.
13.
Macpherson, I., Brooker, R., Aspland, T., & Elliott, B. (1998). Putting professional learning up front: A perspective of professional development within a context of collaborative research about curriculum leadership . Journal of Inservice Education, 24(1): 73–86 .
14.
Mangan, J. M. (2002, February). Critical teacher education: Problems and possibilities . Paper presented at the Challenging Futures Conference, ‘Changing Agendas in Teachers’ Education’, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia.
15.
Noffke, S. (1999). What’s a nice theory like yours doing in a practice like this? And other impertinent questions abut practitioner research . Change: Transformations in Education, 2(1): 25–35
16.
Rizvi, F. (1998). Some thoughts on contemporary theories of social justice. In B. Atweh, S. Kemmis, & P. Weeks (Eds.), Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education (pp. 47–56). London and New York: Routledge .
17.
Sachs. J. (2003). The activist professional. Milton Keynes: The Open University Press .
18.
Somekh, B. (1995). The contribution of action research to development in social endeavours: a position paper on action research methodology . British Educational Research Journal, 21(3): 339–355 .
19.
Stenhouse, L. (1975). An introduction to curriculum research and development. London: Heinemann .
