PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: THE CHALLENGES OF ACTION RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION IN KAZAKHSTAN
Abstract
This study explores the challenges teachers of Kazakhstani secondary schools face when conducting action research as a part of their professional development. The study also aims to provide recommendations to overcome identified action research implementation challenges. The qualitative study design is used to research and interpret the teacher’s action research implementation challenges within one of the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools in Kazakhstan.
Findings of the study demonstrated several issues teachers face while conducting action research. Firstly, teachers indicate they lack action research knowledge; secondly, they lack the necessary skills to conduct research; and finally, they do not have enough support and resources. Along with these challenges, experienced teachers provided solutions for these problems. If most of them needed continuous support from experienced colleagues, the rest believed that they have to be self-organized.
References
Alshenqeeti, H. (2014). Interviewing as a data collection method: A critical review, English Linguistics Research, 3(1), 39-45. doi:10.5430/elr.v3n1p39
Bargal, D. (2006). Personal and intellectual influences leading to Lewin’s paradigm of action research Towards the 60th anniversary of Lewin’s ‘Action research and minority problems’ (1946). Action Research, 4(4). Retrieved from http://arj.sagepub.com/content/4/4/367
Campbell, C., Tovar, D. (2006). Action research as a professional development tool for teachers and administrators, Applied Language Learning, 16(1), 75-80. Retrieved from http://www.dliflc.edu/academic-journals-applied-language-learning/
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Educational research: Planning, conducting and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research. Boston, MA: Pearson.
Elliott, J. (2015). Educational action research as the quest for virtue in teaching, Educational Action Research, 23(1), 4-21. doi: 10.1080/09650792.2014.994017
Handbook for the 1st level teacher, 2015. Center of Excellence, Kazakhstan.
Hardy, W., Rodman, J. (2016). Action research: A systematic approach to the social component of the dimension, Military Review, 96(1), 88.
Hildrum, J., Strand, G. (2007). Overcoming challenges in writing about action research—the promise of the development story, Syst Pract Act Res, 20, 77–89. doi: 10.1007/s11213-006-9051-3
Jaipal, K., Figg, C. (2011). Collaborative action research approaches promoting professional development for elementary school teachers, Educational Action Research, 19(1), 59-72.
Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of Social Issues, 2(4), 34-46.
Malinen, O., Vaisanen, P., & Savolainen, H. (2012). Teacher education in Finland: A review of a national effort for preparing teachers for the future, The Curriculum Journal, 23(4), 567-584. doi: 10.1080/09585176.2012.731011
McGee, A. (2008). Critical reflections of action research used for professional development in a Middle Eastern Gulf State, Educational Action Research, 16(2), 235-250. doi: 10.1080/09650790802011882
McLaughlin, C., Ayubayeva, N. (2015). ‘It is the research of self experience’: Feeling the value in action research, Educational Action Research, 23(1), 51-67. doi: 10.1080/09650792.2014.994018
Mingucci, M. (2001). Action research as ESL teacher professional development. Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.
Mpokosa, C., Ndaruhutse, S., McBride, S., Nock, S., & Penson, J.(2008). Managing Teachers: The Centrality of teacher management to quality education. Lessons from Developing Countries. VSO: CFBT Education Trust.
Ozturk, M. (2013). The value teachers add to educational systems: The case of Finland, Hacettepe University Journal of Education, 1, 298-310.
Smith, K., Sela, O. (2005). Action research as a bridge between pre-service teacher education and in-service professional development for students and teacher educators, European Journal of Teacher Education, 28(3), 293–310.
Zeichner, K., Klehr, M. (1999). Teacher research as professional development for p-12 educators. Retrieved from http:/www.ericsp.org/digests/TeacherResearch.htm
Zhou, J. (2012). Problems teachers face when doing action research and finding possible solutions, Chinese Education and Society, 45(4), 68-80.
Views:
1259
Downloads:
387
Copyright (c) 2019 The author
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles.
CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.