Action Research in India and Austria – ...

This chapter is an attempt to develop strategic suggestions to facilitate the implementation of action research at the school level. Most have emerged from experiences in Austria where school development through action research is still in progress. 

 Initially, this chapter gives an overview of the most prominent recent reform movements in the Indian school system. Section 1 provides a short critical analysis of the situation in India and Austria. The subsequent four chapters offer theoretical considerations. Section 2 describes core characteristics of action research as they are understood in Austria. Section 3 discusses on a general level the options which are available if innovations such as action research are to be implemented in the school system. Section 4 deals with an important shift in the conceptualization of learning processes: The shift from a transmission view to a construction view of learning. Section 5 focuses on a most critical aspect of the introduction of action research: the role of feedback between teacher and student and the importance of an error culture. Section 6 deals with the tasks of leadership and school management in supporting action research. 

 The last two sections provide examples, which convey promises to introduce action research at the school level. Section 7 describes a successful Austrian in-service professional development program for teachers and section 8 deals with a highly promising development which has a long tradition already in Japan and is presently being introduced in many eastern and western countries including Austria: Lesson Studies. 

 The conclusion provides some suggestions what could be learned from the Austrian action research initiatives and programs for the Indian school system