Search

This study sought to determine how three teachers experienced learning when engaged in ongoing reflective inquiry regarding their teaching beliefs, teaching behaviors, and the comparison of those beliefs and behaviors. Three case studies describe teachers writing educational platforms, comparing their platforms to their classroom behaviors, and engaging in efforts to align their teaching with their beliefs. Five professional learning frameworks supported the teachers in their reflective inquiry: action research, a critical friend, reflective writing, a collegial support group and clinical supervision. The critical friend met teachers in individual meetings to discuss the inquiry process, facilitated their collegial support group meetings and conducted non-evaluative clinical supervision cycles for each teacher. Data collected for the study included transcribed audio recordings of the critical friend's individual meetings with teachers, post-observation conferences, and collegial support group meetings. Additional data included the teachers' educational platforms, action research game plans, classroom observation data, and reflective journals. Data for each teacher were analyzed and triangulated to develop individual cases, and a cross-case comparison identified group themes. Although they progressed through the inquiry process in different ways and at different tempos, all three teachers experienced cognitive dissonance that led to a commitment to align their beliefs and behaviors.

The purpose of this study was to describe four successful collaborative action research (CAR) projects through the lens of teacher leaders who facilitated the school teams that conducted the CAR. For each CAR project described, the paper will report on the various phases of the CAR, the challenges of implementation as well as how the challenges were addressed by the teacher leaders, and results of the action research. Additionally, the study identifies several common characteristics of the widely varied CAR projects.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe successful innovations in educational leadership preparation programs. Professors of educational leadership from across the nation nominated innovations of 12 programs. Based on review of descriptions of the innovations provided by nominees, further documentation on the innovations was requested from the programs. Various stakeholders in the programs with the most promising innovations were interviewed to gather additional data on those innovations. Data analysis in relation to three criteria for selection--fidelity of implementation, positive student learning outcomes, and adaptability to other programs--resulted in the identification of six successful innovations.