Using Modeling and Creating a Research Discourse Community to Teach a Doctoral Action Research Course.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of teaching action research through modeling. Participants were 11 doctoral students enrolled in a two-semester practitioner-based research course. In this study, I was both instructor and member of the research community. I modeled the steps of action research as I conducted a study of my practice, which focused on having students engage in reflective activities for the purpose of aligning their core educational values and the actions taken in their research studies. The students and I engaged in discussions of our research projects, and as part of the research community, I shared my dilemmas, frustrations, and successes. I also kept a reflective journal, which students were able to access online and respond to, and made my research paper available to students as I wrote each section. Further, I modeled for students the reflective activities I used as I navigated my own action research study. Analysis of course artifacts, interviews and conferences, and observations indicated that students perceived modeling to be a powerful way to facilitate their learning and create a sense of community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]