Action Research and Teacher Education: Concepts and Experiences

Action research aims at empowering teachers to actively advance their classroom practice and to introduce and evaluate innovations in their professional field. Moreover, it is designed as a tool of professional development for practitioners to reflect on their 'practical theories' and their action competence by cycles of reflection and action on practice-related issues. Action research hence has a twofold aim: understanding (as a result of reflection) and development (as a result of action). Criteria for good action research are beneficial practical purposes, collaboration and participation, as well as a responsive and developmental character of practitioner research which aims at bridging the gap between theory and practice.

Against this general background concepts and examples of in-service teacher education from Austria and in the international arena will be presented and reflected upon. The presented Austrian example will focus on a series of in-service university courses for teachers which started in the 1980ies based on studies on the importance of school-based teacher development.

In an innovative approach these programmes, offered by the University of Klagenfurt, introduced action research as a methodological core concept of in-service teacher development. These numerous study courses have developed three content dimensions over time: courses for subject teachers with a focus on improving their teaching practice (Pedagogy and Subject Instruction for Teachers – German: “PFL”); a master level course in school development, and a course in education for sustainable development in education systems.

Furthermore, the international project ARTIST (Action Research to Innovate Science Teaching) will be presented. Partners from 10 countries (Europe and Asia) take part   in this project in order to establish a network and to develop course designs and teaching materials for the application of action research in various educational settings.