Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This popular text describes the processes of doing teacher action research. But it is much more than a dry presentation of "methods." Filled with examples of teacher action research projects, provided by teachers themselves, the book places teachers at the heart of the action research process. Teachers' own writing about their work and research questions is featured in 11 examples of teacher action research conducted in a range of settings, grade levels, and content areas.

The second edition of Teachers Doing Research is fully updated and substantially reorganized and revised, including four totally new chapters and six new teacher stories. This edition:
*provides more specifics on teacher action research processes and a variety of methodological options for teachers who do research in their classrooms and schools (Chapters 1-5);
*includes more specifics on data collection and interpretation methods (Chapter 3);
*balances a detailed introduction to technology for novice researchers with discussion of issues and questions related to technology-based teacher research (Chapter 4). Information on Web sites related to topics addressed in the chapters and teacher research stories is integrated throughout the book. A new Teachers Doing Research Web site (www.teachersdoingresearch.com) invites readers, teacher research participants, preservice candidates, and teacher educators to participate in dialogue with the authors and editors of this text, and with each other;
*gives expanded attention to teacher action research with preservice teachers and to university/school collaboration (especially in Chapter 6);
*examines the connections between teacher action research and the larger arena of educational research (Chapter 8);
*broadens the context for teacher action research, through discussion of its influence on school reform both in the United States and internationally. International examples of urban teacher research are included (Chapter 9); and
*offers new In Practice sections to engage readers in opportunities to respond to what they are reading and to try out related activities.

Table of contents provided by Syndetics

• Preface (p. xiii)
• About the Contributors (p. xvii)
• Introduction (p. 1)
• Part I Ways of Doing Teacher Action Research
• 1 Action and Reflection: Narrative and Journaling in Teacher Research (p. 7)
• One Starts With Oneself (p. 7)
• Autobiographical Narrative (Telling Stories) (p. 13)
• Journal Keeping (p. 17)
• References (p. 26)
• 2 Action Research Rationale and Planning: Developing a Framework for Teacher Inquiry (p. 29)
• Reflections on Teaching as a Basis for Research (p. 30)
• Beginning With Observations and Interests: Finding Reasons for Doing Research (p. 33)
• Selecting a Topic and Developing Research Questions (p. 38)
• Type of Research Questions (p. 40)
• Research Planning: A Dynamic Process (p. 42)
• Conclusions (p. 46)
• References (p. 48)
• 3 Teachers' Work: Methods for Researching Teaching (p. 49)
• Methods for Collecting Information In and Through Teaching (p. 50)
• Planning a Research Study (p. 55)
• Observational Data Collection Methods: What Do I See? (p. 57)
• Nonobservational Data Collection Methods: What Do I Need to Know That I Can't Always See? (p. 62)
• Methods for Interpreting Information: What Does It Mean? (p. 67)
• How Trustworthy Is This Work? (p. 70)
• Can Teacher Research Be Reliable? (p. 71)
• Curriculum Invented in the Classroom--With Students (p. 71)
• Web Sites (p. 80)
• Listservs for Educational Researchers (p. 80)
• References (p. 80)
• 4 Teacher Researchers Go Online (p. 83)
• This Book Goes Online (p. 83)
• Teachers and Technology: Gaps in Personal and Professional Use (p. 84)
• The Digital Divide: Technology Access for Some? (p. 85)
• Using Technology for Teacher Research (p. 87)
• Beginning With the Self: Journal Keeping Goes Online (p. 88)
• Learning With Each Other: Collaboration Online (p. 91)
• Research Shaping Technology: One Researcher's Experience (p. 102)
• Publishing Teacher Research in Hard Copy or Online (p. 108)
• Infusing Technology in Teacher Research (p. 110)
• Teachers Connecting Technology, Teaching, and Research (p. 112)
• Internet Resources Supporting Teacher Research (p. 114)
• References (p. 116)
• In Practice--Part I (p. 119)
• Teachers Doing Research (p. vii)
• Discovering the Real Learner Within: Journal Keeping With Second-Grade Children (p. 121)
• Researching and Implementing Journals in Classrooms (p. 122)
• References (p. 128)
• Overcoming Paradigm Paralysis: A High School Teacher Revisits Foreign Language Education (p. 129)
• A New Beginning (p. 129)
• A Monster Within Us (p. 131)
• The Old Approach (p. 131)
• "Accelerated Learning": The New Approach (p. 132)
• A Paradigm Pioneer (p. 133)
• Putting Theory Into Practice (p. 134)
• Schnupf Die Schnecke (p. 138)
• Conclusion (p. 138)
• References (p. 141)
• Related Readings (p. 141)
• Racing to Research: Inquiry in Middle School Industrial Arts (p. 143)
• Industrial Arts and Teacher Research (p. 143)
• Race Cars and the Multiple Intelligences (p. 144)
• Tutoring: Veterans and Rookies in Racing (p. 146)
• Adult Students as Rookie Racers (p. 147)
• Web Site (p. 149)
• References (p. 149)
• The Personal and the Professional: Learning About Gender in Middle School Physical Education (p. 151)
• The Reasons for My Research (p. 151)
• Taking Action (p. 153)
• Further Reflections (p. 155)
• Final Thoughts (p. 156)
• References (p. 156)
• Laptops: Language Arts for Students With Learning Disabilities: An Action Research Curriculum Development Project (p. 157)
• Curriculum Perspectives and Theoretical Framework (p. 158)
• Methods of Inquiry (p. 159)
• Factors Shaping the Curriculum Development Project (p. 160)
• Stephen's Story (p. 166)
• Conclusions (p. 167)
• Web Sites (p. 169)
• References (p. 169)
• Part II School and Professional Contexts
• 5 Learning With Each Other: Collaboration in Teacher Research (p. 173)
• Teaching: An Isolating Profession (p. 174)
• Teachers Want to Collaborate (p. 175)
• Group Building: Learning to Work Together (p. 177)
• Listening and Responding to Other Teacher Researchers (p. 180)
• Collaboration in the Classroom: Co-Researching With Students (p. 186)
• References (p. 190)
• 6 School and University Teacher Action Research: Maintaining the Personal in the Public Context (p. 193)
• The Personal in the Public Context: Is Personal Change Enough? (p. 193)
• School-Based Models for Teacher Action Research: Potential and Purpose Made Public (p. 196)
• Sustaining and Supporting Teacher Action Research in Schools (p. 199)
• Leadership for Teacher Action Research in Schools (p. 201)
• Partnering With the University: Teacher Researchers Join the Dialogue (p. 204)
• Preservice Teachers Doing Teacher Research (p. 209)
• Teacher Action Research Models for Preservice Teachers (p. 211)
• Presenting and Publishing as Preservice Teachers: Valuing What Novice Teachers Know (p. 213)
• Personal Teacher Research in the Public Context (p. 215)
• Web Sites (p. 216)
• References (p. 216)
• Appendix A The Practitioner Inquiry Series (Marilyn Cochran-Smith and Susan L. Lytle, Series Editors) (p. 219)
• 7 Teacher Action Research and Professional Development: Foundations for Educational Renewal (p. 221)
• Building Schools of Inquiry: A Central Focus of Educational Renewal (p. 223)
• Reflection and Renewal: One Teacher Researcher's Inquiry (p. 225)
• Teachers' Visions of Professional Development and Teacher Research (p. 229)
• From Stories to Research: Educational Renewal Through Professional Development (p. 233)
• References (p. 235)
• In Practice--Part II (p. 237)
• Teachers Doing Research
• When the Mountain and Mohammed Meet: Teachers and University Projects--A Model for Effective Research Collaboration (p. 239)
• What Was (p. 239)
• What Happened (p. 242)
• Was the Collaboration Successful? (p. 248)
• What Made It Work? (p. 249)
• Web Sites (p. 250)
• References (p. 251)
• Shifting Gears: An Urban Teacher Rethinks Her Practice (p. 253)
• References (p. 260)
• Piecing Our Past Through Artistic Inquiry: Students and Teachers as Co-Researchers in an Urban Elementary School (p. 261)
• A First-Year Teacher Speaks (p. 261)
• An Artist Speaks (p. 262)
• Designing Curriculum: Students and Teachers as Co-Researchers (p. 263)
• Getting Started: Teacher and Student Brainstorming (p. 264)
• The Field Trip to the Art Institute of Chicago (p. 266)
• Interviewing: A Part of the Research (p. 266)
• Family Trees and Stories: Making a Family Album (p. 268)
• Creating the Quilt (p. 269)
• Expanding the Project to the World: The Personal Connection to History (p. 270)
• Web Sites (p. 273)
• Resources for Teachers and Artists (p. 274)
• Leading a School-Based Study Group: My Personal Path to Renewal (p. 275)
• Fall 1997 (p. 276)
• Our First Meeting (p. 277)
• Keeping the Staff and Administration Informed (p. 278)
• Overcoming Obstacles as a Leader (p. 278)
• The Value of Teacher Research (p. 279)
• Presenting Our Research (p. 280)
• Feedback From Group Members (p. 280)
• Goals for the Future of This Group (p. 281)
• Speaking at AERA (p. 282)
• Release Time for Research (p. 283)
• Final Thoughts (p. 283)
• Acknowledgment (p. 284)
• Reference (p. 284)
• Appendixes (p. 284)
• Three Contexts for Exploring Teacher Research: Lessons about Trust, Power, and Risk (p. 295)
• Research Study 1: Trusting in Students' Abilities--Can I Let Them Be in Charge of Their Own Learning? (p. 295)
• Research Study 2: Giving Up Power--Can I Allow Students to Empower Themselves? (p. 298)
• Research Study 3: Taking a Risk--How Will I Survive Being a First-Year Teacher for the Second Time? (p. 303)
• Web Sites (p. 305)
• References (p. 306)
• The Action Research Laboratory as a Vehicle for School Change (p. 307)
• Goals of the Program (p. 308)
• Program Description (p. 309)
• A Constructivist Approach to Professional Development (p. 310)
• Deep Target Outcomes (p. 311)
• Developing Points of View About Systems in School (p. 313)
• Acquiring Perceptions of Teaching as a True Profession (p. 315)
• Influencing Education Beyond the School Doors (p. 317)
• Garnering Support for Action Research (p. 318)
• Expanding Teacher Leadership (p. 319)
• A Word of Advice (p. 322)
• References (p. 323)
• Appendixes (p. 323)
• Part III The Larger Arena
• 8 How Does It Matter? Teacher Inquiry in the Traditions of Social Science Research (p. 329)
• The Paradox of Teacher Research: Is It Real? How Does It Matter? (p. 334)
• Teacher Research (p. 338)
• How Methods Matter (p. 340)
• Concluding Real Questions (p. 343)
• References (p. 343)
• 9 Teacher Research and School Reform: Lessons From Chicago, Curitiba, and Santiago (p. 345)
• Honoring Teacher Wisdom: Voices From Chicago (p. 348)
• Teacher Ownership of School Improvement: Voices From Curitiba and Santiago (p. 353)
• Creating Schools for Democratic Living: Voices From Santiago and Curitiba (p. 359)
• Conclusions (p. 363)
• Web Sites (p. 365)
• References (p. 365)
• In Practice--Part III (p. 367)
• Afterword: The Three P's in Teacher Research: Reflecting on Action Research From Personal, Professional, and Political Perspectives (p. 369)
• The Personal Dimension (p. 372)
• The Professional Dimension (p. 373)
• The Political Dimension (p. 375)
• References (p. 377)
• Author Index (p. 379)
• Subject Index (p. 385)