Action Research A Methodology for Change and Development

ACTION RESEARCH FROM THE INSIDE: A TEACHER’S EXPERIENCE 75
staff, including the Head of Maths, felt that the school would not
benefit by this project, but would merely be made use of by academics
eager to gain credit from writing a book (ironically when one
knows the aims of this particular project); the view was expressed
that it would be better for staff to undertake research that would
benefit the school and to do this without outside interference.
From the start of my MA course I decided that I would place
emphasis on carrying out my research projects for the school. I was
influenced by the staff’s response to the TIQL Project, but had also
become interested over several years in fostering action research in
schools. In particular, I had learnt from my experience of working
with teachers in the school teams in the TIQL Project (in which I
was involved as an associated teacher). It was my aim to involve as
many members of staff as possible in my research, drawn from
across the faculties: in this way I hoped to make the staff as a whole
interested in what I was doing, so that it could be of practical use
to the school. I believe that this was the best approach, although
there were some problems for me in writing for a dual audience: on
the one hand, my colleagues in school, on the other, my tutors at
the Cambridge Institute.
My first study was of ‘Curriculum at Parkside for Children with
Special Needs’. It was carried out after consultation with the faculty
heads, head and deputy head (curriculum) specifically for the
Special Needs Department and with the active support and help of
the two members of that department. This study was almost purely
descriptive, mainly because I was nervous about the reactions I
would get from colleagues.
My second study was of ‘The Way in which Experienced Teachers
Evaluate their Teaching’ and involved my making video films of four
colleagues: the Head of Maths, the Head of Humanities who teaches
geography, the Head of Physical Education and a teacher of French.
Having been encouraged by the reaction given to my first study by
my school audience and criticized by my academic audience for
making it purely descriptive, I was much more adventurous with
this second study and gave a full account of my analysis of the data
I had collected. Once again my colleagues reacted very positively,
although two used their right of reply 3 to defend themselves on
3 This was an agreement made in advance that they could insert a response into the text of
any of my assignments if they wished to disagree with my analysis.