Teacher as Researcher. Restoring Autonomy and Increasing Educational Opportunity: Emergent Possibilities From Teacher Research

• In Event: 25.068 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 25.068-18 - Teacher Education

Abstract

Prompted by the establishment of the Teaching Council in 2006, initial teacher education (ITE) in Ireland moved from a three to a four-year undergraduate programme in 2013. One of the pillars identified by the Council to facilitate a rigorous focus on standards and ongoing improvement is the promotion of ‘Research’ throughout the teacher education continuum. This paper emerged from the findings of an evaluation of 437 students’ experiences of engaging in educational research at ITE level. Researchers utilised a sequential exploratory model to facilitate multi-perspectives and meta-interpretations. Based on the findings, the authors suggest that providing opportunities for students to engage in practice-based research enables the development of key competencies that can promote teacher-autonomy and increase educational opportunity for learners.

Authors

• Marie Ryan, Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick, Ireland

• Emer Ring, Mary Immaculate College

• Eugene Wall, Mary Immaculate College

• Oliver McGarr, University of Limerick