Practitioner Research for Teachers

Education is increasingly regarded as an evidenced based profession and the concept of practitioner research has become an important part of teacher development. Developing Practitioner Researchers is a significant text for teachers involved in practitioner research. It discusses how the concept of classroom research has evolved from previous movements based upon school effectiveness and action research. It shows how being able to conduct and understand research is vital for the professional development of teachers. The authors consider the practical issues of the design and carrying out of classroom-based research. The book contains practical examples, recommended further reading and practical tasks.

Author Biography

Diana Burton is Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Wolverhampton, having formerly led education research at the university. She has held senior leadership and professorial posts at 3 universities, including both Pro Vice-Chancellor for research and Dean of Education posts at Liverpool John Moores University. She was Head of School at Manchester Metropolitan University where she worked for many years leading teacher education programmes having originally been a secondary school teacher of Humanities for over a decade.

Diana has a Masters and PhD in the field of Educational Psychology and continues to examine doctoral theses and advise education departments across the sector. She is the author of several education books and chapters and has written over 70 research articles on pupil learning, teacher development, teacher education policy, educating children with behavioural, emotional and social disadvantage and citizenship education. She is a fellow of the Royal Academy for the Society of the Arts and the Higher Education Academy and is an active member of the British Education Research Association, including as a committee chair.

  Steve Bartlett is honorary research fellow at Liverpool Hope University. A former Professor of Education Studies and programme leader at the Universities of Wolverhampton and Chester, he led the development of the subject at undergraduate and postgraduate level for many years, chairing the Subject Benchmarking Review Committee for QAA. A founder member and the first Chair of the British Education Studies Association (BESA), he edited the BESA journal for several years. Steve taught Sociology at secondary level for fifteen years from the mid Seventies. Steve has a Masters and PhD in teacher professionalism and has supervised and examined many doctoral theses as well as externally validating and examining Education Studies at a number of Universities.He has written several education books and articles in the areas of research methods, lifelong learning, teacher development and gender.