Student teacher inquiry as an “entry point” for advocacy

Abstract

Part of a special issue on action research for teacher empowerment and transformation. A study investigated the role of student teacher action research in promoting advocacy and teacher research. Participants were two teacher educators and 56 student teachers who completed an action research project. Findings revealed that student teacher participants frequently regarded action research as a way to reconstruct their role as advocate, viewing intervention inquiry as a useful tool for reconceptualizing a problem as a point for inquiry rather than a personal teaching failure. Other findings of the study are discussed.

Reference

Merino, B. J., & Holmes. (2006). Student teacher inquiry as an "entry point" for advocacy. Teacher Education Quarterly, 33(3), 79-96.

Journal

Teacher Education Quarterly

Analysis

Is this article part of a larger project or series of studies?

yes

Does this study draw on a large, preexisting data set?

unclear

Research Approach

Case study
longitudinal
Qualitiative

Geographic Setting

California

Institutional Context

University based

Certification Level

Elementary
Elementary/Bilingual dual certification
Secondary

Programatic Focus

Bilingual
Secondary

Research Location Context

student teaching placement schools
University

Preservice Participants

Undergraduates (university based program)

Preservice Sample Size

Other Participant Data

University Professor

Duration of Data Collection

3 years

Data Sources

final response papers
Focus group interviews
Interviews
journal entries
Observations
portfolio
reflections
self-assessment
Survey
written reflections/class papers

Data Analysis Tools

Qualitative Analysis

Researcher Positionality

inside (staying their own students)
Inside (studying their own practices)
Inside (studying their own programs)

Research Questions

One set focuses on the teacher educators (la) How do teacher educators describe and implement their practices designed to promote advocacy and teacher research? (lb) How do they evaluate student teacher growth in their effectiveness as teacher researchers? (lc) How do they reflect on the changes in their practices and their impact over a span of five years? p. 80
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes

The second set of questions focuses on the student teachers: (2a) How do student teachers perceive the effectiveness of teacher educator practices in promoting their skills for advocacy and teacher research? (2b) How do they assess their growth in pedagogical knowledge, advocacy and teacher research at the end of the program and one year after graduation? p. 80
Is this research question explicit from the manuscript? Yes