Researching the teacher-researcher : practice-based research in Dutch professional development schools

Abstract

In this dissertation, we wanted to provide empirical evidence for the proposition that performing practice-based research in PDSs is a powerful incentive for the professional development of (student) teachers. Therefore, the aims of this dissertation were: 1. Mapping the concepts associated with (student) teachers’ practice-based research in schools in terms of research input, research process, and research outcomes. More specifically the following aspects were investigated: (a) contextual input, or the realization of research environments in schools, (b) personal input, or teachers’ and student teachers’ motives for performing practice-based research, (c) the research process, or the performed practice-based research activities by teachers and student teachers, and (d) research outcomes, or the perceived outcomes regarding research and teaching following practice-based research. 2. Investigating the added-value of PDSs settings compared with non-PDSs settings. More specifically, PDSs and non-PDSs (student) teachers’ perceptions of the aforementioned aspects associated with practice-based research were compared. 3. Testing a hypothetical model that describes the relations between (student) teachers’ perceptions of the input (contextual and personal), process and outcomes of practice-based research, and with that, the relative importance of these different aspects in relation to each other. To meet these aims, four studies were conducted for these purposes using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The following four key questions were addressed: 1. What are participants’ – school leaders’, teachers’ and student teachers’ – perceptions of the actual and preferred situation regarding practice-based research in Dutch PDSs? 2. What features characterize teachers’ practice-based research activities and what is the impact of these activities in terms of quality standards and criteria, and learning outcomes? 3. Do PDSs make a difference in terms of (student) teachers’ perceptions of input (contextual and personal), process and outcomes of in-school practice-based research? 4. What model explains the empirical relations that exist in (student) teachers’ perceptions of factors associated with the input (contextual and personal), process and outcomes of in-school practice-based research?