Action Research as a Tool to Develop Research Self-Efficacy within a Global RPP (Poster 10)

• In Event: Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Research Use in Research-Practice Partnerships Based Across the Globe

Abstract

This poster describes action research with educators across a global research-practice partnership (RPP). K-12 schools are increasingly concerned with the teaching and learning of multilingual students (Gutiérrez et al., 1999). Hawkins and Cannon (2017) note “as mobility increases, there are few places where all youth are educated in the language they speak at home” (p. 519). Participating in a RPP supports educators’ capacity to engage in and with research about multilingual students and apply it to their own teaching practices.

The Multilingual Learning Research Center (MLRC) School Network is a global RPP that supports research in and with international schools to improve outcomes for multilingual learners. International school communities include many transnational families, presenting rich learning environments focused on multilingual learners. This context provides opportunities to span traditional research, policy, and practice boundaries. International school classrooms are often characterized by teacher autonomy and innovation, and school leaders design programs and policies that are tailored to their contexts. These practitioners are frequently interested in research as one tool to improve students’ experiences. The network leverages unique attributes of international schools to harness innovation and reduce teacher isolation.

Perspective(s) or theoretical framework:
The MLRC School Network supports educators to engage with collaborative research activities to understand their school context and improve teaching quality for multilingual learners through developing research self-efficacy, their confidence to engage with and in research. Through research activities, practitioners develop knowledge and skills in data literacy, data ecosystems, instructional decision-making, and apply insights from research and data gathered in the local context. These research activities provide insights into participants’ unique school contexts and network-wide patterns. In this poster, we examine how members’ engagement in action research contributes to research self-efficacy.

Authors

• Jon Nordmeyer, University of Wisconsin - Madison

• Esther Bettney Heidt, University of Wisconsin - Madison