Action Research and the Professional Development of Induction Tutors: some unforeseen impacts and pitfalls. What Do We Learn?

Abstract

The focus of this article is a participatory action research project funded for 2 years by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation on the Professional Development of Subject Induction Tutors working with newly qualified teachers (NQTs) in secondary schools in three local education authorities in the East Midlands. A crucial part of the Project was three Intervention Meetings designed as training events for the target Subject Induction Tutors (SITs). Some strategies were provided to encourage reflection during the regular meetings with the NQTs and the SITs were asked to try to model the approaches they would encourage the NQT to adopt to become a more reflective and self-evaluative teacher. The article presents an overview of the intervention strategies, with examples, in connection with the Professional Review Meetings that were expected to take place at regular intervals in the NQT's first year of teaching. It explores how SITs and NQTs were able to connect personally with the intervention strategies and the approaches to the research methods that were used. Some of the pitfalls and impacts of the chosen methods and what was learnt about participating in this type of work are considered, and some key issues for researchers facilitating this type of action research are highlighted.